After 15-Year Drought, Yankees Win Division

Worrying and scoreboard watching are over for the New York Yankees. They’re the AL East champions.

New York clinched its first division title since 1981 with its highest-scoring game in 34 years, a 19-2 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday at New York.

The Yankees also won the second game, 6-2, as Darryl Strawberry hit a two-run homer during a three-run third inning and Kenny Rogers (12-8) got his second victory since Aug. 11.

The Yankees came in needing only to win the opener to lock up the division title, and they didn’t waste any time.

After scoring four runs in the first inning, the Yankees scored 10 more in the second to open a 14-1 lead. The most productive first two innings in the club’s 94-year history, and its highest run total since 1962, finally allowed the Yankees to relax following two tense weeks.

The blowout was welcome relief for the Yankees and their fans, who had watched the team’s 12-game division lead in late July shrink to 2 1/2 games over second-place Baltimore. But New York won two of three against the Orioles in a crucial home series last week to open a four-game lead.

Baltimore 6, Boston 2--Their hopes for a division title gone, the Orioles improved their wild-card chances by winning at Boston.

The Orioles, eliminated from the AL East when the Yankees won earlier in the day, led by only one run before Mark Parent hit a three-run homer off Tim Wakefield (14-13) in the ninth.

Baltimore leads the wild-card race by 1 1/2 games over Seattle despite going 4-5 in its last nine games.

Cleveland 6, Minnesota 3--Charles Nagy pitched a five-hitter for his 17th victory, getting 19 groundball outs with his darting sinker, as the Indians beat the Twins at Cleveland.

Nagy (17-5) retired the first nine batters on eight groundouts and one strikeout in tying his career-high for wins in a season. In 222 innings this year, Nagy gave up 217 hits--the second time in his major league career he has allowed fewer hits than innings. He finished with a 3.41 earned-run average.

Kansas City 8, Chicago 2--Kevin Appier pitched six strong innings at Chicago as the Royals put the White Sox close to playoff elimination.

Chicago, with only a three-game series remaining in Minnesota, trails wild-card leader Baltimore by 2 1/2 games.

Appier (14-11) gave up seven hits and three walks while striking out four in Chicago’s home finale.

The White Sox drew only 15,911, giving them a disappointing season total of 1,676,416.

Toronto 13, Detroit 11--Rookie Julio Mosquera had four hits and drove in two runs at Detroit as the Blue Jays handed the Tigers their 14th consecutive home loss.