DETROIT ? Love ’em or hate ’em, the New York Yankees can’t be denied one thing: They know how to win.

Penciled in as champions before they even threw a pitch or swung a bat this season, the Yankees made it official on Saturday by winning their fifth straight AL East title with a 3-2 victory against the Detroit Tigers.

“It’s amazing,” said pitcher David Wells, who returned to the Yankees as a free agent in 2002 after two seasons in Toronto and one in Chicago. “These guys keep going and going and going. The last seven or eight years this team has been penciled in to win it.

“But you know what? We’ve gone out and done it.”

Andy Pettitte pitched seven strong innings and Mariano Rivera returned from the disabled list as the Yankees clinched a playoff spot for the eighth straight year.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Pettitte (12-5) is the first pitcher since 1961 to get at least 12 victories in each of his first eight seasons. And in helping the Yankees lock up their 11th division crown since 1969, he also sent the Tigers to their 100th loss.

“This one is special,” said Pettitte, who spent two months on the DL earlier this year. “It’s tough to continue to win every year and have the drive and desire that we have.”

Pettitte (12-5) is a prime example of New York’s resolve this season.

The left-hander spent the first two months of the season on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis. But since the All-Star break, Pettitte has been the club’s most consistent starter.

Pettitte allowed five hits, walked two and struck out six in winning his fourth straight start. He is 10-2 since July 11.

Mariners 6, Angels 4

Seattle Anaheim third baseman Troy Glaus’ throwing error led to four unearned runs in the fifth inning as the Angels were prevented from wrapping up their first playoff berth in 16 years with a loss to Seattle.

The Angels’ magic number to clinch the AL wild-card is one, with seven games remaining. Anaheim trails Oakland by two games in the AL West with seven games to go.

Athletics 6, Rangers 3

Oakland, Calif. Pinch-hitter Greg Myers had a tiebreaking single and Oakland’s bullpen pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings as the Athletics defeated Texas to open a two-game lead in the AL West. One day after the A’s clinched a playoff berth, they moved closer to winning the AL West for the second time in three years.

Jeff Tam (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth for the win.

White Sox 14, Twins 4

Chicago Magglio Ordonez homered twice and drove in four runs, and Carlos Lee added a grand slam in seventh inning as Chicago defeated Minnesota.

Red Sox 3, Orioles 0

Baltimore John Burkett allowed two hits in eight innings, and Nomar Garciaparra drove in a run and scored one as Boston avoided elimination in the wild-card race by beating Baltimore.

Devil Rays 4, Blue Jays 3

St. Petersburg, Fla. Carl Crawford hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning as Tampa Bay rallied to beat Toronto.

Damian Rolls had a one-out single off Pete Walker (9-5) and scored on Crawford’s double to left-center field off Felix Heredia.