Oakland on verge of elimination after being swept by Texas, which clinches AL West.

The Texas Rangers finally clinched the AL West on their own, and they did it in typical style--with the long ball.

Rafael Palmeiro hit Texas’ second grand slam in as many games, setting the team record for home runs in a season and powering the Rangers to a 10-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday that sealed their second consecutive division title and third in four years.

Texas finished off second-place Oakland with a weekend sweep that enabled the Rangers to celebrate on their own field for the first time. Another first was doing it with a victory; Texas learned it had clinched in 1996 and ’98 during games they lost.

Oakland’s lost weekend also put the A’s on the verge of being eliminated from the wild-card race. Boston’s magic number dropped to two despite the Red Sox losing 8-5 to Baltimore.

“We had a good year,” A’s outfielder Matt Stairs said. “But the Rangers kicked our butts.”

The Rangers, who broke the team record of 221 home runs set in 1996, are on course for a first-round meeting with the New York Yankees, the only team they’ve ever played in the postseason. New York has won six of seven against Texas in those series and gone on to win the World Series both times.

This time, though, the Rangers are prepared.

“Absolutely,” said Juan Gonzalez, who had three hits and drove in two runs. “Because we’re a better team.”

The partying began as soon as pitcher Mike Venafro stepped on first base with the final out. Everyone from the dugout and bullpen rushed to the field and gathered near the mound as a flag reading: “Texas Rangers 1999 AL West Champions” was unfurled from the center-field scoreboard.

Behind second base, the three outfielders gathered with middle infielders Royce Clayton and Mark McLemore. Instead of their usual postgame handshakes, they spontaneously locked arms around each other’s shoulders and began dancing in circles.

“You never like to see a celebration at your expense,” Oakland’s Randy Velarde said. “On the other hand, the Rangers deserve it. We made mistakes and they got after us pretty good.”

But part of the joy was relief from a team that came into the series in an offensive funk and having lost four of five to teams with losing records.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

WILD CARD

*--*

W L GB Boston 89 66 -- Oakland 84 72 5 1/2

*--*

Games remaining

* Today, Baltimore at Boston, 4 p.m.

* Tuesday, Boston at Chicago, 5 p.m.; Oakland at Angels, 7 p.m.

* Wednesday, Boston at Chicago, 5 p.m.; Oakland at Angels, 7:30 p.m.

* Thursday, Boston at Chicago, 5 p.m.; Oakland at Angels, 7 p.m.

* Friday, Boston at Baltimore, 4 p.m.; Seattle at Oakland, 7:30 p.m.

* Saturday, Seattle at Oakland, 1 p.m.; Boston at Baltimore, 4 p.m.

* Sunday, Boston at Baltimore, 10:30 a.m.; Seattle at Oakland, 1 p.m.