Posted at 5:32 p.m., Saturday, September 22, 2007
Baseball: Red Sox first in majors to clinch playoff berth
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox became the first team in the majors to clinch a playoff spot this season, rallying on ninth-inning home runs by Jason Varitek and Julio Lugo to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 8-6 today.The victory assured the Red Sox of at least the AL wild-card spot. They held their 2 1/2-game lead in the AL East over New York, which beat Toronto 12-11 in 10 innings.
Boston trailed 6-5 when Varitek led off the ninth with an opposite-field homer to left off closer Al Reyes (3-3). Eric Hinske then doubled and scored one out later when Lugo homered.
Eric Gagne (4-2) pitched a perfect eighth for the win. Jonathan Papelbon worked the ninth for his 36th save in 39 opportunities.
Carlos Pena homered twice for the Devil Rays, including a go-ahead, three-run shot in the seventh. He has 42 home runs and 116 RBIs — Pena played 18 games with Boston last season.
