Red Sox 5, Twins 2

Boston – The 12-year wait for the Boston Red Sox is over. At last, they’re the AL East champions.

Moments after the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees, completing Boston’s clinch, Red Sox players popped champagne corks in their clubhouse while thousands of fans jumped up and down in nearly empty Fenway Park.

“I pulled my hamstring jumping off the couch,” manager Terry Francona said.

More than an hour earlier, Boston reduced its magic number to one with a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

And with those results, coupled with Cleveland’s 5-3 victory over Kansas City, the AL playoff pairings were set: The Los Angeles Angels will open at Boston, and the wild-card Yankees will start at Cleveland.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12) pitched eight strong innings against the Twins. He won for just the second time since early August, and David Ortiz homered for the fourth time in seven games.

Orioles 10, Yankees 9, 10 inn.

Baltimore – Alex Rodriguez hit his 54th homer, drove in four runs and scored twice. But a rare blown save by Mariano Rivera and a Boston victory officially ended New York’s run of nine straight division titles.

Melvin Mora bunted in the winning run in the 10th inning.

Rodriguez has 155 RBIs, tied with Joe DiMaggio for the 10th most in Yankees history and the highest total since 1937.

Johnny Damon also homered for New York, which became the first team in major-league history to hit 200 home runs in eight consecutive seasons.

New York is assured the AL wild card and will open the playoffs at Cleveland.

The Yankees took a 9-6 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

White Sox 5, Tigers 2

Chicago – Paul Konerko hit a three-run home run, and Jim Thome hit his 506th career homer to lead Chicago. Javier Vazquez pitched 72â3 solid innings for the White Sox.

Mariners 6, Rangers 4

Seattle – Rookie Jeff Clement hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Blue Jays 5, Devil Rays 4

Toronto – Adam Lind hit a two-run homer, and Matt Stairs added a solo shot.

Angels 2, Athletics 0

Oakland, Calif. – John Lackey took over the American League lead in earned-run average, and Vladimir Guerrero homered and drove in two runs. Lackey (19-9) allowed two hits in seven innings, struck out two and walked none, lowering his ERA to 3.01.