AL EAST CHAMPS! Sox win first division title since '95

Sox 5, Minnesota 2
WP: Matsuzaka (15-12)
LP: Slowey (4-1)
SV: Papelbon (37)
HRs: BOS-Papi (35); MIN-Morneau (31)

SUMMARY
The Boston Red Sox ended the 10-year stranglehold the New York Stankees held on the American League East, first by knocking off the Twins at Fenway and then by watching Baltimore come back to defeat the Stanks in 10 innings, and for the first time since 1995 the Red Sox can call themselves division champs.

#1 STUNNER Daisuke Matsuzaka 8IP, 6H, 2ER, 2BB, 8K, 2HR
Although there was no shortage of candidates for this one, Dice-K's effort stands out as reason number one why Boston clinched the division tonight. He held the Twins scoreless for six inning while the Boston offense built a big enough lead, and even though he falteres a bit in the seventh, he still gave the club a much-needed quality after a month of disappointing outings.

GAGME Mariano Rivera 1IP, 3H, 3ER (NYY vs. BAL)
I know, he didn't play in this game. But if he hadn't blown a three-run 9th inning lead against the Orioles, people wouldn't be dancing down Comm Ave in nothing but their skivvies right now.

Thanks again, Mariano. What, no tip of the cap?

RECAP
So I didn't get to see most of this game, and I found out the Stanks lost well after the fact, but who the hell cares, because I still get to say

THE RED SOX ARE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST CHAMPS, BABY!

Sorry, I just got done watching Dick Vitale on the USF football game.

By the time I got home from work and then coaching my son's LL game, this one was just about in the books. I came in just in time to see Dice-K surrender his only two runs of the game in the seventh, and then I got to watch Big Papi blast another homer run in the 8th, Matsuzaka bounce back with a three-batter eighth, and finally Papelbon close the division-clinching win out with a 1-2-3 ninth.

And now the Sox have the satisfaction of knowing that despite a late-season slide that saw the Stanks slice a mammoth lead into a minuscule margin, despite numerous costly injuries and a couple of untimely slumps, Boston has weathered the baseball battles of the 2007 season and come out as the best team in the best division in baseball, with a chance to end up with the best record in the game.

And as I get ready to hit the sack hard in a few minutes, I'm sure my dreams will be filled with visions of champagne showers, giddy grown men acting like kids, and Jonathan Papelbon dancing around the Fenway infield in nothing but his Under Armor and a pair of goggles.

Enjoy it tonight, boys.

Soon enough it will be time to get back down to the business of winning another meaningful title.