Angels Win, but Rangers Still Clinch Title

It wasn’t the classic way to clinch a division championship, but when you’ve waited 25 years for this moment, when you’ve never experienced the delight of a champagne shower in the clubhouse or the thrill of a playoff game, who’s going to complain?

The Texas Rangers, who have endured 2 1/2 decades of futility and frustration, lost to the Angels, 4-3, in 15 innings Friday night, but they were actually crowned 1996 American League West champions in the top of the 13th inning, when the score was tied, 2-2.

No one stormed the field, a catcher didn’t jump into a pitcher’s arms, and there was no raucous celebration at home plate, but the Ballpark in Arlington crowd of 46,764--the largest in stadium history--rose to its feet for a wild ovation, and confetti and streamers soared from the upper deck.

The scoreboard in left field had just flashed an “F” next to the Oakland-Seattle game, which signified the A’s 8-1 victory over the Mariners in a game that began 1 1/2 hours before the Ranger-Angel game.

The Rangers could hoist their first division pennant in the history of the Ranger franchise, and Manager Johnny Oates could begin thinking about his pitching rotation for a likely first-round division series matchup against the New York Yankees.

So what if Angel left fielder Garret Anderson became the first Angel to get six hits in a game, the last of which scored two runs in the top of the 15th inning to give the Angels a 4-2 lead, which was cut to 4-3 on Dean Palmer’s home run in the bottom of the 15th.

So what if Angel relievers Mike James, Troy Percival, Mike Holtz and Pep Harris combined to shut out the Rangers from the eighth through 14th innings, and Kurt Stillwell struck out looking with two runners on to end the game.

By the time this 5-hour 8-minute saga ended, the score was moot, the tension of a close game having been relieved a good hour earlier, when Oakland scored six runs in the seventh to turn its close game against Seattle into a rout.

That assured that the Rangers, picked by most to finish third in the division, would go virtually wire-to-wire in the West, holding first place for all but four of the 182 days this season.

And it meant the hundreds of fans who lined up outside the stadium as early as Thursday night, forming a Hooverville of sorts--tents and sleeping bags everywhere--to purchase playoff tickets were rewarded.

The Rangers still celebrated afterward as if they had won in dramatic fashion, staging a beer-and-champagne celebration to rival any.

“We’ll get better at this next time,” said Oates, who was doused by his players numerous times. “We haven’t had too much practice at this.”

Indeed, until Friday night, the Rangers were the only remaining American League team that had not played in the postseason.

“We got a big weight off our backs--25 years is a long time,” center fielder Darryl Hamilton said. “We’re going to the playoffs, and anything can happen there. But right now, we’re just going to celebrate this, we’re not thinking about the Yankees.”

Did it feel strange celebrating after a loss?

“Nah, that’s the small picture,” Hamilton said. “We lost the game, but we won the war. We’ll take it any way we can.”

Friday night’s game was a pitchers’ duel, with the emphasis on “pitchers.” Fourteen of them appeared in the game, including starters Ken Hill of the Rangers and Jason Dickson of the Angels.

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AL Playoff Race at a Glance

DIVISION *--*

WEST W L Pct. GB x-Texas 88 72 .550 -- Seattle 84 75 .528 3 1/2 WILD CARD TEAM W L Pct. GB Baltimore 87 73 .544 -- Chicago 85 75 .531 2 Seattle 84 75 .528 2 1/2

*--*

x-clinched division title

One wild-card team qualifies for the playoffs.