Red Sox Bag Playoff Berth

Boston clinches at least a wild card, still leads the Yanks
By Caroline Zimmerman,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 23, 2007 12:47 PM CDT
Red Sox Bag Playoff Berth
Boston Red Sox pitcher Eric Gagne, right, and catcher jason Varitek, second from left, gets high-fives from teammates Hideki Okajima, left, of Japan, and Josh Beckett, second from right, after the Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 8-1, during a baseball game Friday night Sept. 21, 2007, in...   (Associated Press)

The Red Sox became the first team to clinch a playoff spot last night with an 8-6 win over Tampa Bay. Boston trailed 6-5 heading into the ninth but got homers from Jason  Varitek and Julio Lugo. The only question now is whether Boston will get the wild-card spot or hold off the Yanks to win the division.

After the final out, BoSox players took five minutes to convene near the pitcher's mound to celebrate, AP reports. "I think we all feel like we have huge aspirations," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. Heading into today's action, Boston led the Yankees by two and a  half games in the East. (More Boston Red Sox stories.)

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