Yankees Make It Official, Clinch the Division Title

A foregone conclusion became reality Wednesday night when the New York Yankees clinched the American League East title, beating the Red Sox, 7-5, at Boston.

The Yankees, who have led by 10 games or more since June 24, improved to 102-41 and moved 20 1/2 games ahead of second-place Boston. They’ve won their last two games after losing 11 of 19.

“It doesn’t matter if there are three weeks left in the season or three days. We did it,” the Yankees’ Chuck Knoblauch said.

New York won the AL East for the second time in three years and the seventh time overall. The last time the Yankees clinched on the road was Oct. 2, 1978, when Bucky Dent’s home run led them over Boston, 5-4, in a one-game playoff at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox, who began the night with a 4 1/2-game lead over Toronto in the AL wild-card race, lost for the sixth time in seven games but remained 4 1/2 games ahead of Toronto.

Derek Jeter and Paul O’Neill each had a pair of solo homers.

Cleveland 6, Toronto 3--Travis Fryman hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning as the Indians won at Toronto to stop the Blue Jays’ 11-game winning streak.

Toronto remained 4 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the wild-card race.

Carlos Almanzar (1-2) walked Kenny Lofton leading off the 13th. After a sacrifice, Dave Justice was intentionally walked and Manny Ramirez struck out. Fryman then connected for his 25th homer.

Seattle 5, Tampa Bay 2--Paul Abbott won for the first time in seven years and Ryan Radmanovich hit his first home run in the majors as the Mariners won at Seattle.

Abbott, who had a ligament in his elbow replaced last season, hadn’t started since July 5, 1993, when he was with Cleveland, and hadn’t won since July 12, 1991, when he was with Minnesota.

Abbott, 30, allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

“This was huge,” Abbott said. “It’s a monkey off my back.”

Detroit 8, Chicago 6--Luis Gonzalez hit a two-run triple in a five-run second inning to lead the Tigers at Chicago.

The White Sox had won four in a row.

Catcher Joe Siddall drove in three runs for the Tigers with a pair of RBI singles and contributed a successful suicide squeeze bunt in the fifth.

“You’re taking a chance,” Detroit Manager Lance Parrish said of the suicide squeeze. “You’re hoping they’re not looking for it.”

Siddall had the first multi-RBI game of his career.