Holy shit. The Orioles celebrated their win with fireworks. They know what they just did. They just shut the door on the Yankees quest for a 12th straight AL East title.

The Sox got some huge help from Baltimore. Melvin Mora laid down a bunt with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the 10th to squeeze home the winning run. Amazing. And it followed a thrilling stand in the top of the inning, and a dramatic (and highly improbable) 3-run comeback by Baltimore against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the 9th.

As I and other sensible fans predicted, the Yankees lost two games during the final six-game stretch. And that was all the Red Sox needed in order to secure the AL East before the weekend. Now the Sox will probably split the final two games against the Twins. But it is now official: The Red Sox have won the AL East Division for the first time since September 1995, the month I first moved to New York City.

Celebrate good times, Boston! The Angels will come to town for game 1 of the ALDS on Wednesday.