Yanks Clinch their 5th in a Row

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The Yankees clinched their 5th Eastern League Division Championship in a row, defeating the Boston Red Sox by about 9 games. Here is the article taken from Yankees.com:

Another year, another title for Yanks
By Tom Singer / MLB.com

Andy Pettitte allowed five hits, walked two and struck out six over seven innings. (Paul Sancya/AP)

DETROIT -- So that's what a fifth consecutive division title is like. Sweeter. Louder. Wetter.

"No questions, it's tough to repeat," Joe Torre said, awash in his usual late-September mixture of tears & champagne. "You have to make sure not to get too high, or too low.

"We've really done it seven years in a row, with a Wild Card in there, which is nothing to be embarrassed about. It's not easy."

Even when the New York Yankees make it look that way. Or, at least, make it look routine.

The win that nailed down their fifth AL East title in a row was anything but easy, a 3-2 nailbiter over the docile Tigers.

Still, here they were, celebrating another postseason with eight games left in the regular season. And if you expected a laid-back, calm reception to the club's 41st historical pennant -- well, then you don't understand the effort that goes into these things.

"If it ever gets old, you should stop playing," said Derek Jeter. "Winning is why you play team sports."

"This takes so long to do," Torre said. "That other stuff (the playoffs) ... you get caught in a whirlpool. But this race takes so long to run, and when you get here, it's a great reason to celebrate."

It had begun sedately enough on the Comerica Park field. With two outs in the ninth, and only one out left in the faint pulse of the Boston Red Sox, the 25,432 fans seemed more jacked about the imminent development than were the Yankees.

Much of the crowd stood in ovation as Steve Karsay prepared to deal to Damion Easley. They weren't excited about the Tigers' 100th loss. Rather, they felt compelled to salute the Yankees' sustained excellence.

When Karsay blew the race-ending third strike past Easley, the fans roared. Two lines of Yankees, one from the dugout and another from the bullpen, converged near the mound, for handshakes, fist-knocks and some light hugs.

It looked nothing more than the usual postgame greeting lines.

Underneath the stands, however, corks were popped and lids were flipped. Bubbly was sprayed on everyone and everything.

It was a somewhat surprising blowout for a team that has been to five of the last six World Series, winning four of them. For a team that won't settle for anything less than another ultimate victory.

But those who have been through this before cast a glance at the first-timers, and said, "This one's for you."

"For the new blood, it's a great experience for those guys," Bernie Williams said. "Even as we're celebrating, our eyes and minds are someplace else. This is just the first step, and we want to keep celebrating stops.

"But the new guys don't yet know anything about what's next. This is all they know now."

"It's good to see the guys new to the team," said Andy Pettitte, whose seven-inning brilliance made clinching possible on a day a makeshift lineup generated little offense. "Wanting to let them share in it is a big part of what keeps you going during the season."

Added Jeter, "We've got a lot of first-timers. This is great for the new guys."

One of the first-timers sat in front of his plastic-protected locker and peeled off a soaked tee-shirt.

"It's crazy, coming back here to my old city for this," said Jeff Weaver, who used to be a Tiger and now is an AL East champion. "Everything happens for a reason. I now look forward to the second season."

Don't they all. The Yankees will open defense of their AL pennant a week from Tuesday, when they host the AL Wild Card, either Anaheim or Oakland, in Game 1 of the Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

"This stuff here is pretty grounded," said Mike Stanton. "Our goal is the World Series, so this is only the first of four stops."

"Yeah," Jason Giambi said, "but you can't dance if you don't get invited."

This was a dry Giambi speaking. Though he did not come out and say it, he probably was amazed by the relative serenity around him. The last two seasons, he celebrated playoff entries in Oakland with the A's, occasions on which they buried the notion of laid-back Californians.

"With the A's, we were exhausted after playing 162 games," Giambi said. "We were just glad to get in the first round. With this team, we want to keep going."

With that in mind, Giambi had sat out the clincher, resting for a second straight day with his stiff back. "The most important thing now is to be healthy for the playoffs," he said.

Going further, the most important thing may be to have Mariano Rivera healthy for the playoffs.

And so far, so good. The most perfect element of a perfect afternoon was Rivera's perfect inning in his first appearance after a month-long DL pit-stop with a sore shoulder.

"Felt good. No pain," said Rivera, who began his outing by throwing three straight balls to his first batter, but rebounded to record three straight outs.

"He was a little jumpy at the start," Torre said, "but once he started throwing strikes, he was good."

The only wrinkle was that Rivera's stint occurred in the eighth. Karsay then got the ninth, also working a perfect inning to secure the title with his 12th save, and eighth in eight opportunities since Rivera went on the DL on August 19.

Torre felt he owed Karsay that spotlight.

"He earned the right to be out there for this occasion," the manager said.

The occasion definitely was in Pettitte's mind as he took the mound for what would turn out to be his fourth consecutive victory.

"Obviously, it's a big day, with the chance to wrap it up. And I wanted to do it," the lefty said. "I'm glad I got the opportunity to pitch this game for us - and to win it."

Was there ever a doubt? Saturday brought the Yankees' first opportunity to clinch, and they converted. They don't waste many chances, any day, any year.

Ask David Wells. He departed the Bronx as a winner after the 1998 season. He returns three seasons later, and nothing has changed.

"These guys are awesome," Wells said. "They just keep going and going. It's a great feeling to be back in the middle of this, to get the chance to pitch for a great team. You're only as good as the guys backing you up.

"I'm thankful for that," added Wells, whose 17 wins top the staff. "Now I want to get at the postseason, when I really shine. At least, I have in the past and hope can do it again.

"I've missed three years. I started to fade away. Now it's all happening again."

Some deja vus are better than others.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.