DETROIT ? Mike Maroth and the Detroit Tigers left the field for the final time feeling like winners.

The Tigers avoided the 1962 New York Mets’ modern-day record for losses, finishing their best six-game stretch of the season with a 9-4 victory over Minnesota Sunday.

“Believe it or not, I can look back on this year with a smile on my face because of how this season ended,” said Maroth, the first pitcher since 1980 to lose at least 20 games.

Detroit (43-119) used a seven-run sixth inning to win for the fifth time in six games, allowing the expansion Mets (40-120) to keep the unwanted distinction of having the most losses since 1900.

“We’re not going to worry about what people say about our record,” Dmitri Young said. “We got it together down the stretch and played some top-notch baseball. I’m leaving here happy. The only sad thing is we finally got rolling as a team, and now we are breaking up for the winter.”

With the 18,959 fans at Comerica Park standing and cheering and Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration” playing after the final out, the Tigers players hugged each other on the field as the scoreboard flashed “Victory!”

Maroth (9-21) gave up two runs on eight hits and won for the third time in four starts.

Detroit, which came back from an eight-run deficit the previous night, hadn’t scored more than five runs or had six hits in an inning this season until its outburst in the sixth.

Young hit the go-ahead single, and Craig Monroe followed with a two-run homer, a 415-foot shot to left, as eight of the first nine Tigers got hits. They received a standing ovation after their big inning.

It seemed inevitable that the Tigers would reach the mark they wanted no part of when their 10th straight setback Sep. 22 broke Philadelphia’s AL record of 117 losses.

Detroit's Craig Monrow, left, celebrates his two-run homer with Dmitri Young. The Tigers defeated Minnesota in their season finale Sunday in Detroit and avoided matching the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in a season.

Yankees 3, Orioles 1

New York — David Wells (15-7) earned his 200th win and was pulled by manager-for-a-day Roger Clemens as the Yankees ended their regular season with a victory.

Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer, and Drew Henson got his first major-league hit for the Yankees, who begin the playoffs Tuesday afternoon at home against Minnesota.

Derek Jeter went 0-for-3 and finished at .324, two points behind Boston’s Bill Mueller and one behind Manny Ramirez in the AL batting race.

One day after earning his 310th win, Clemens made out the lineup and managed the team in place of Joe Torre.

Devil Rays 3, Red Sox 1

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Bill Mueller won his first batting title with the lowest average for an AL champion in 31 years.

Mueller went 0-for-1, grounding into a forceout as a pinch hitter, finishing at .326. The last time the AL champion had an average that low was when Minnesota’s Rod Carew hit .318 in 1972. It was also the lowest average for a batting champion in either league since Atlanta’s Terry Pendleton hit .319 in 1991.

Victor Zambrano (12-10) got the victory as Tampa Bay (63-99) won its second straight and avoided becoming the 11th team to lose 100 games in three straight seasons.

Blue Jays 6, Indians 2

Toronto — Carlos Delgado hit a grand slam and finished the season with a major league-leading 145 RBIs. Delgado, who hit four home runs Thursday night, hit his 42nd homer in the first off Cliff Lee (1-1). It was his second grand slam of the season, and ninth of his career.

The Blue Jays, who set a preseason goal of 85 victories, finished with 86. The Indians went 68-94, their worst record since going 57-105 in 1991.

Josh Towers (8-1) allowed just one run on seven hits in 72/3 innings.

Mariners 9, Athletics 3

Seattle — Jamie Moyer set a club record with his 21st victory as Seattle completed a series sweep over AL West champion Oakland. Moyer (21-7), an All-Star for the first time this season, pitched six innings and gave up three runs — two earned — on seven hits.

Ted Lilly (12-10) gave up Bret Boone’s 35th homer to end his scoreless innings streak at 22 innings.

Angels 4, Rangers 1

Anaheim, Calif. — Scott Spiezio hit a tiebreaking two-run single, and Barry Wesson hit his first major-league homer as defending World Series champion Anaheim ended its dismal season.

Anaheim’s 77-85 record was 22 games worse than last season, when the Angels set a franchise record with 99 victories and won their first World Series title.

Scott Shields (5-6) allowed a run and five hits in seven innings for the Angels, who became the sixth AL franchise since 1900 to improve by at least 20 wins one season — and then slide back by 20 or more losses the following year.

John Thomson (13-14) took the loss for the Rangers, who finished last for the fourth straight season with a 71-91 record in Buck Showalter’s first season as manager.