It’s Fitting as Drabek Gives Pirates the Title : NL East: His three-hitter beats the Cardinals to give Pittsburgh its first division championship since 1979.

They had known for weeks that the moment could come. In the last few days, they pretty much knew it would come. At when it finally did, the Pittsburgh Pirates let loose.

Doug Drabek jumped up and down and hugged first baseman Sid Bream. Barry Bonds and John Smiley carried Manager Jim Leyland off the field.

After 11 long years, the Pirates are champions of the National League East again.

“Our fans have waited a long time for this and it’s a pleasure to bring it to them,” a red-eyed Bobby Bonilla said.

Doug Drabek (22-6) closed out the division-clincher in style, beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-0, Sunday on a three-hitter.

After the game, he just wanted to party. During the game, he was all business.

“When the last out has been made, then you can do the dumb stuff,” Drabek said. “During the game I tried to keep it like any other start. The best thing is it’s finally over with.”

The celebration began near first base after pinch-hitter Denny Walling grounded out to end the game. Keeping with NL President Bill White’s order, the traditional champagne spraying was done in a private room out of range of television cameras.

“I think that champagne is as much a tradition as the national anthem, the seventh-inning stretch and hot dogs,” Andy Van Slyke said. “If this thing goes another 20 years without champagne, I’ll have to become commissioner.”

Bream interrupted Leyland’s postgame chat with reporters, hoisting him over one shoulder and hauling him into the room.

“There’s a lot of happy guys in there,” said Gary Redus, whose eighth-inning sacrifice fly broke a scoreless tie. “It’s the first time for a lot of people and it’s special.”

Pittsburgh, which has won a season-high seven consecutive games and 10 of 11, will play Cincinnati starting Thursday in a rematch of the 1979 NL playoffs. The Reds and the Pirates were the only NL teams not to win division titles in the 1980s.

“We knew what we had to do in September and it was just a lot of fun to be a part of this,” said Bonilla, who leads the Pirates with 118 RBIs.

The Pirates, who finished fifth last season with a 74-88 record, dominated the NL East at the start, closing April with 10 victories in 11 games to take over first.

Pittsburgh has led the division for 147 of 175 days, moving into first place for good by beating Philadelphia on Aug. 4. The Pirates then swept a three-game series from the New York Mets.

The Mets chased the Pirates all season long, occasionally overtaking them. But now it’s over and a three-game, season-ending series between the teams in Pittsburgh will be meaningless.

“That’s kind of like the final nail in the coffin to me,” Van Slyke said while holding his 20-month-old son, Jared, in the Pirates’ clubhouse. “There’s a lot of people going home in the subway disappointed.”

He was referring to the Mets fans at Shea Stadium, who found out their season was over during the ninth inning of New York’s 6-5 loss to Chicago.

Pittsburgh last clinched the East on Sept. 30, 1979--exactly 11 years ago--and also won in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975.

The Cardinals dropped to 70-89 and ensured they will finish last for the first time since 1918. It was the longest streak any club had gone without finishing last.

Drabek pitched his third shutout of the season and ninth complete game. He walked none and pitched to only one batter over the minimum as he won for eighth time in nine decisions.