NEW YORK — Soaked to the skin with champagne, Mark Teixeira stood on the giant "NY" logo in the Yankees clubhouse and shouted like crazy.

"Tastes good!" he hollered.

Favored to win the World Series since opening day, the New York Yankees celebrated like playoff newcomers after beating Boston, 4-2, yesterday to clinch the AL East title and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Absent from the playoffs last season, the Yankees put a bow on this title with their major league-leading 100th win.

"Everything is clicking right now," winning pitcher Andy Pettitte said. "When you miss out, it makes you a little more hungry to get back there."

Maybe that's why Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and a roomful of All-Star multimillionaires went wild, chanting and jumping and spraying each other with bubbly. Teixeira and many others wore goggles to stave off the sting — of victory, that is.

Hideki Matsui's go-ahead single in the sixth inning energized the damp fans and put them on notice that a party was coming. The first real bash at the new Yankee Stadium began with a familiar scene — Rivera on the mound, closing out another clincher.

Catcher Jose Molina leaped up from behind the plate even before Rivera had fielded Jacoby Ellsbury's soft comebacker for the final out. The Yankees swarmed Rivera on the first-base side of the mound.

Despite the defeat, the Red Sox remain in firm control of the wild-card race. Their magic number is two to beat out Texas for the final playoff spot.

ROYALS 4, TWINS 1:

Zack Greinke worked out of several jams in seven innings to bolster his AL Cy Young Award chances and Yuniesky Betancourt hit a three-run homer for host Kansas City. Greinke (16-8) worked out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the third inning and escaped two other tight spots to drop his baseball-best ERA to 2.06.

RAYS 7, RANGERS 6:

Fernando Perez drove home the go-ahead run with a squeeze bunt in the ninth inning for visiting Tampa Bay, which overcame a five-run deficit. Ben Zobrist hit a two-run single in the eighth and ninth for Tampa Bay, which avoided its second sweep in Texas this season.

WHITE SOX 8, TIGERS 4:

Carlos Quentin hit a three-run homer in his second straight game, and rookie Daniel Hudson earned his first major league victory for host Chicago. Hudson (1-1) allowed two runs in six innings.

ANGELS 7, ATHLETICS 4:

Kendry Morales homered and drove in three runs, and host Los Angeles snapped its first four-game losing streak of the season. Morales had three hits and Mike Napoli also homered for the Angels.

INDIANS 9, ORIOLES 0:

Kelly Shoppach hit a three-run homer, David Huff pitched eight innings and host Cleveland extended Baltimore's skid to 10 games. Huff (11-8) allowed five singles and two walks.

BLUE JAYS 5, MARINERS 4:

Pinch-hitter Adam Lind had a tying RBI single in the eighth inning and Rod Barajas followed with a go-ahead double, helping host Toronto beat Seattle.