BOSTON (AP)—Torii Hunter(notes) emerged from the visitors’ clubhouse at Fenway Park to spray champagne over the fans and family gathered there. Erick Aybar(notes) did him one better, handing over bottles of bubbly to those who came from California to see the Los Angeles Angels go for the sweep.

History gave no reason to hope for such a celebration.

The Angels and Vladimir Guerrero(notes) shrugged off their postseason failures and swept away the Red Sox on Sunday, scoring three runs off Jonathan Papelbon(notes) in the ninth inning to beat Boston 7-6 and advance to the AL championship series.

It was the first postseason sweep in Angels franchise history. And they did it against the team that has knocked them out of the playoffs the previous four times they met.

“I told you guys earlier: It’s going to be a different scene,” Hunter said in the clubhouse afterward. “Vladdy came through. That’s probably one of the biggest hits of his career. They’ve been waiting for him to do it, and he did it.”

Papelbon was one strike away from extending the series with three different batters, but Aybar singled on a two-strike pitch, Chone Figgins(notes) walked after fouling off a full-count offering and Bobby Abreu(notes) fouled off three straight pitches before doubling in one run.

Hunter was walked intentionally before Guerrero singled the first pitch to center and Figgins and Abreu raced home to give Los Angeles a 7-6 lead. Major league saves leader Brian Fuentes(notes) pitched the ninth, and when Aybar caught Dustin Pedroia’s(notes) popup to end the game, pumping his right arm even as he tracked the ball with his left, the Angels advanced.

“It’s nice to be going home and playing again, instead of going home and it’s over,” said pitcher John Lackey(notes), who was part of the Angels teams that were eliminated by Boston in three times in the previous five years. “This is the most fun for me, and I’ve got a ring. That says a lot.”

An eight-time All-Star and former AL MVP, Guerrero has a .321 career batting average, 407 regular-season homers and 1,318 RBIs. But he’d managed only one extra-base hit in 69 at-bats going into Game 3, and he had one RBI in 19 playoff games since his grand slam against Boston in the 2004 division series.

And he came through against Papelbon, who had never before allowed a run in 27 postseason innings.

“You’re not going to get to him too often. But we did this afternoon,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “And I felt great for Vlad. hopefully, that’s a momentum-builder for him. … I know he’s relieved. He’s excited about contributing. And hopefully it will be the start of something good.”

For the AL West champion Angels, it was a chance to extend their tribute to pitcher Nick Adenhart(notes), who was killed in an April car crash with a man who has been charged with drunken driving. As they streamed out of the dugout to celebrate, Game 2 winner Jered Weaver(notes) carried Adenhart’s jersey onto the field.

“When it comes down to honoring Nick Adenhart, and what happened in April in Anaheim, yes, it probably was the biggest hit (of my career),” Guerrero said. “Because I’m dedicating that to a former teammate, a guy that passed away.”

The Angels open their first ALCS since 2005 on Friday against the New York Yankees, who beat the Twins 4-1 on Sunday night to complete a three-game sweep.

“We’re finally here,” said Angels owner Arte Moreno, who bought the team in 2003, a year after they won their only World Series. “I think that the fourth time’s a charm. It’s great for us, because we’ve been knocking on the door for a while.”

Los Angeles trailed 5-1 early, was behind 5-2 after seven innings and still down 6-4 when Papelbon retired the first two batters of the ninth.

The crowd that just one inning earlier had been primed for a celebration quietly filed out of the ballpark for the last time in 2009, having seen the wild-card Red Sox beaten.

“The season doesn’t wind down. It just comes to a crashing halt,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “You go into the top of the inning excited because you think you’re going to keep playing. Half an inning later, you’re going home. So it’s disappointing.”

Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan…
AP – Oct 11, 5:10 pm EDT

The Red Sox had won 12 of 13 postseason games against the Angels heading into the series, including an 11-game winning streak that dated back to Dave Henderson’s homer off Donnie Moore in the 1986 ALCS. Henderson, not coincidentally, threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Sunday, even adding a little jump and twist like the one he did after he helped propel Boston to within one strike of the ’86 World Series title.

Hendu’s shot in Game 5 sent the Red Sox to a win by the same 7-6 score.

Boston didn’t win it that year, but they ended their 86-year championship drought in 2004 after sweeping Los Angeles in the first round. The Red Sox swept out the Angels again in ’07 en route to a second title, and beat them in four games last year before losing to the Tampa Bay in the ALCS.

Darren Oliver(notes) earned the victory after getting one out in relief, and Papelbon took his first career postseason loss. The Red Sox closer had converted seven of his previous eight postseason save opportunities.

Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan…
AP – Oct 11, 5:10 pm EDT

But after Billy Wagner(notes) put two on with two out in the eighth, the Red Sox were forced to bring Papelbon in with a 5-2 lead. He gave up a two-run single to Juan Rivera(notes) that made 5-4 before picking pinch-runner Reggie Willits(notes) off first base.

After Mike Lowell’s(notes) RBI single made it 6-4 in the eighth, Papelbon got Maicer Izturis(notes) on a foul popup and pinch-hitter Gary Matthews Jr.(notes) on a fly ball to center. Abreu lined a double off the Green Monster to cut the lead to 6-5.

The three runs Boston scored in the third inning were more than it had scored in the first two games of the series combined. In fact, Boston had scored a total of two runs in 32 postseason innings before taking a 3-0 lead on Sunday.

NOTES: The Red Sox hadn’t been eliminated in Boston since the Chicago White Sox finished off a three-game sweep in the 2005 first round. … Mike Napoli(notes) was hit by a pitch in the second inning, but Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez(notes) argued that it hit the end of his bat. Napoli was also hit in Game 2 by Josh Beckett(notes), who argued that the batter didn’t make any effort to get out of the way.

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BOSTON (AP)—Brad Penny pitched six solid innings after Tim Wakefield won a rain-shortened complete game, and the Boston Red Sox finished a doubleheader sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 7-3 victory Wednesday night.

Wakefield (2-1) tossed a five-hitter for his second consecutive complete game in the opener, a 10-1 victory that was called after seven innings because of rain. Kevin Youkilis, Nick Green and Mike Lowell each hit a two-run homer.

Penny (2-0) allowed two earned runs in the finale of the day-night doubleheader as the Red Sox extended their winning streak to seven games after a 2-6 start. Jeff Bailey hit a three-run homer and David Ortiz had a two-run double against Francisco Liriano (0-4).

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Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera are among the most decorated players in Yankees history. On Tuesday, they made a piece of Major League Baseball history as well.

Pettitte tossed seven strong innings to earn the win and Rivera recorded the save with a scoreless ninth as the Yankees beat the A’s 5-3 at Yankee Stadium. It was the 57th time a Pettitte victory was saved by Rivera, which ties the duo for first place all time with Bob Welch and Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, who combined on 57 wins for the Athletics from 1988 through 1994.

Rivera is sure to follow Eckersley into the Hall: The diminutive right-hander has lost little, if any, of his trademark dominance even as he approaches his 40th birthday. Rivera had perhaps his most impressive season ever last year, when he surrendered a career-low 41 hits and six walks in 70 2/3 innings, posted a 1.40 ERA—just shy of his career low of 1.38—and converted 39 of 40 save opportunities. He’s 4-for-4 on save opportunities this year and has yet to allow a run or issue a walk in six innings.

Pettitte showed signs of fading last year, when he finished with his second-highest ERA ever (4.54) and posted a 5.35 ERA after the All-Star break. Pettitte’s resume is similar to the one fashioned by Welch, who went 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA over 17 big-league seasons and fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after just one year.

But Pettitte, in his 15th big-league season, has 217 wins—fourth most among active pitchers and one more than Curt Schilling, who is considered more likely than not to reach the Hall—and a 3.88 ERA in the most hitter-friendly era ever. He was a core member of the Yankees’ four world championship teams from 1996 through 2000 and is 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 35 postseason starts.

And Pettitte is still adding to his credentials. He lasted seven innings for the third time in three starts Tuesday and has a 2.53 ERA with just two walks in 21 1/3 innings. Perhaps he’ll add another line to his resume Sunday, when he and Rivera get their first chance at surpassing Welch and Eckersley in the record books.

YANKEES 5, A’S 3: Johnny Damon had an RBI single during a four-run second inning and added a solo homer in the sixth as the Yankees won in the Bronx. Damon, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui had two hits each, while Brett Gardner had a two-run single in the second and robbed ex-Yankee Jason Giambi of an extra-base hit with a spectacular catch in the first inning. Andy Pettitte allowed two runs in seven innings, and Mariano Rivera earned the save with a scoreless ninth.

Notes, Quotes

• RHP Chien-Ming Wang, who has an ERA of 34.50 after three starts, will have his next turn in the rotation skipped and will head to the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa, where he will throw 100 pitches in an extended spring training game Thursday as he and the Yankees try to get him untracked. Pitching Thursday would put Wang in line to pitch for the Yankees next Tuesday, but manager Joe Girardi told reporters he wasn’t sure who would start for the Yankees that night against the Tigers.

• OF Johnny Damon appeared in his 2,000th career game Tuesday. Damon has appeared in at least 141 games every season since 1996, his first full year in the bigs, and has made just one trip to the disabled list.

By The Numbers:   20—Homers hit by the Indians (11) and Yankees (nine) in the first four games at the new Yankee Stadium—the most ever hit in the first four games at a stadium in major league history.

Quote To Note:   “(It’s) like a painting you’ve been staring at a long time. And now it’s different. Still great. But different.”—Yankees captain Derek Jeter, talking to the New York Daily News about switching from the old Yankee Stadium to the new one.

Roster Report

The Yankees certainly absorbed their share of embarrassing moments during a week in which they went 4-3 against the Rays and Indians. The Yankees’ three losses were by a combined margin of 47-11 and were “highlighted” by Nick Swisher’s mound debut in a 15-5 loss to the Rays, a 12-2 drubbing by the Indians in the first game at the new Yankee Stadium and a 22-4 rout by the Indians two days later in which the Yankees gave up a team-record 14 runs in the second inning. There are plenty of concerns about Chien-Ming Wang, who was the losing pitcher in two of the routs, as well as the bullpen leading up to set-up man Brian Bruney and closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera. But A.J. Burnett displayed dominant stuff in a pair of starts and the Yankees are averaging 5.4 runs per game even though the likes of Mark Teixeira (.206) and Hideki Matsui (.194) have started slow.

Player News:  

• OF Xavier Nady learned he would not yet need season-ending Tommy John surgery on his injured right elbow. Nady, who was hurt while throwing the ball a week ago against the Rays, will spend the next three weeks rehabbing his arm before he begins hitting. If Nady encounters no hiccups, he’ll return to the lineup as the designated hitter to minimize the stress on his elbow. Nady underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2001 season.

• DH Hideki Matsui had fluid drained from his troublesome left knee Thursday. Matsui, who underwent surgery on the left knee following last season, was out of the starting lineup for five straight games last week but is back.

• RHP Brian Bruney’s run of perfection ended when he gave up a run on two hits in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 5-3 win over the Athletics. Entering the game, Bruney had retired 20 consecutive batters in his last seven appearances, including 12 by strikeout.

Medical Watch:  

OF Xavier Nady (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 15. He will try to rehab the injury without surgery.

DH Hideki Matsui (left knee surgery in September 2008) won’t play in the field before June.

3B Alex Rodriguez (arthroscopic right hip surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He resumed baseball activities April 13 and could be back as soon as late April. He could have more extensive surgery during the offseason, although he is indicating that might not be necessary.

Rotation:  

LHP CC Sabathia

RHP A.J. Burnett

LHP Andy Pettitte

RHP Joba Chamberlain

RHP Chien-Ming Wang

Bullpen:  

RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)

RHP Brian Bruney

LHP Damaso Marte

LHP Phil Coke

RHP Edwar Ramirez

RHP Jose Veras

RHP Jonathan Albaladejo

RHP Steven Jackson

Catchers:  

Jorge Posada

Jose Molina

Infielders:  

1B Mark Teixeira

2B Robinson Cano

SS Derek Jeter

3B Cody Ransom

INF Ramiro Pena

Outfielders:  

LF Johnny Damon

CF Brett Gardner

RF Nick Swisher

DH Hideki Matsui

OF Melky Cabrera

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NEW YORK (AP)—Melky Cabrera turned on a fastball and sent it soaring into the right-field stands, down an entryway in the bleachers that sparked remaining fans to sprint for the sought-after souvenir.

After all the homers at the new Yankee Stadium over the past week, the first homestand in the $1.5 billion ballpark just had to end with a home run. And not just any homer, but the first game-ending shot in the stadium’s brief history.

Cabrera’s 14th-inning drive, the fifth home run of the game, concluded a 4-hour, 57-minute marathon Wednesday, a 9-7 Yankees win over the Oakland Athletics. It was the 26th home run at the stadium, one more than the previous record for the first six games at a major league venue. That had been established at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium in 1955, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“I understand everybody’s making a big deal out of home runs,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. “Melky’s ball would have been out of anywhere. It’s not like there’s cheap home runs being hit.”

The switch-hitting Cabrera connected from both sides of the plate, also homering in the second batting right-handed against Brett Anderson after a drive by Hideki Matsui. Jeter also homered for the Yankees, whose four homers raised their homestand total to 14.

“The last one would have gone out anywhere,” Oakland manager Bob Geren said.

Beaten out by Brett Gardner for New York’s center-field job during spring training, Cabrera is 4-for-16 with four homers and six RBIs in the new home. He flung his batting helmet a few steps before crossing the plate and getting mobbed by teammates.

“The manager showed enough confidence that he puts me in when he has to,” Cabrera said through a translator. “Anywhere the manager wants to use me, I’m going to be ready.”

New York’s latest outburst obscured another shaky outing from CC Sabathia, 1-1 with a 4.81 ERA in four starts since signing a $161 million, seven-year contract to join the Yankees as a free agent. New York won four of six on the homestand, getting outscored 32-6 in the two losses to Cleveland and winning the remaining games by a combined 27-18.

“We had some interesting games, to say the least,” was manager Joe Girardi’s assessment.

There were 481 pitches, of which 225 were thrown by New York. Jose Veras (1-1), the seventh Yankees pitcher, had career highs of 46 pitches and 3 1-3 innings.

Veras gave up a tiebreaking double to Jhonny Peralta in the April 16 stadium opener. He walked his first batter in this one, Jason Giambi, and went to a 2-0 count on Matt Holliday before inducing a flyout. That was the first of a streak of 10 straight outs, capping 7 1-3 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief for New York’s bullpen.

“I let my team down the first game,” he said.

Dan Giese (0-2), claimed off waivers from the Yankees two weeks earlier, allowed the winning homer one out after Nick Swisher’s leadoff walk. On Saturday, Giese gave up a game-ending, two-run homer to Toronto’s Lyle Overbay in the 12th inning of a 4-2 loss.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Giese said. “Coming to a new team, you want to establish yourself.”

Sabathia feels much the same way. He allowed seven runs—six earned—six hits and four walks in 6 2-3 innings with two strikeouts, and he was booed by the crowd that seemed far smaller than the 43,342 announced on the rainy afternoon.

In 24 1-3 innings, he’s walked 14 while striking out just 12.

“I’m just trying to be too fine,” he said, “trying to throw right to the corners.”

Kurt Suzuki put the A’s ahead with a three-run homer in the second, a drive reaffirmed by umpires following a video review that determined there was no fan interference with left fielder Johnny Damon. On Sunday, Jorge Posada’s homer to right was upheld, a drive on which the Indians claimed a spectator reached over, as Jeffrey Maier did on Jeter’s key home run against Baltimore in the 1996 playoffs.

“They are on top of it,” New York’s Mark Teixeira said of the fans. “It’s going to happen a lot, unfortunately, but that’s the way they built the stadium.”

After Jeter homered for a 5-4 lead in the fourth, Sabathia gave up an RBI single to Mark Ellis in the sixth.

Jeter hit an RBI double off Michael Wuertz in the bottom half and scored on Teixeira’s single, but Sabathia allowed his first two runners to reach in the seventh, then gave up Giambi’s run-scoring grounder. Following a trip to the mound by Girardi to check on his pitcher, Sabathia stayed in and allowed Holliday’s tying single.

New York Yankees’ Hideki M…
AP – Apr 22, 6:31 pm EDT

Giambi also scored on Jack Cust’s third-inning infield grounder, when Jeter threw home only to find that Posada had vacated the plate to back up first.

“It’s my fault,” Posada said.

New York could have built a lead in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs, but Russ Springer struck out Cabrera and retired Gardner and Jeter on popups.

All the home runs are likely to generate continuing debate. Seventeen went to right field, raising suspicion that there might be a wind tunnel.

“It will take many more games to test and prove the wind theory,” Accuweather.com said. “There is the tremendous human factor to be considered; pitching and batting skills of both the Yankees and visiting teams.”

Notes

Gardner’s broken bat Tuesday night that went into the stands was taken by Jacob Smith, the 10-year-old cousin of MSNBC broadcaster Keith Olbermann. At the old Yankee Stadium in 2000, Olbermann’s mother, Marie, was hit by an errant throw from Yankees 2B Chuck Knoblauch. … Monday’s rainout was rescheduled for July 23 at 7:05 p.m. … Oakland rested 3B Eric Chavez against Sabathia.

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TUCSON, Ariz. — There was little movement in the Manny Ramirez talks on Saturday, although Scott Boras, the agent for Ramirez, and Ned Colletti, the Dodgers general manager, exchanged several telephone calls.

“We spoke,” Colletti said in a text message late Saturday afternoon. “[It was] cordial and informative. [We're] still talking.”

Earlier in the day, Boras told MLB.com in a telephone interview that “right now there’s nothing new.”

Boras’ last offer was for a non-deferred two-year deal worth $45 million — $25 million for 2009 and $20 million for 2010 with an opt clause in favor of Ramirez after the 2009 season. Prior to that, he had also floated the idea of a two-year deal worth $55 million if deferred over five years.

Boras said he was still awaiting a response to his latest proposal.

The Dodgers’ last offer, rejected by Boras, was two seasons at $45 million deferred over five years with no interest: $10 million each for the first four years and $5 million to be paid out in the fifth year.

Colletti didn’t travel Saturday with the Dodgers, who defeated the Rockies, 13-5, at Hi Corbett Field, staying behind at the Camelback Ranch complex for scheduled baseball operation meetings.

Owner Frank McCourt is expected to be in Phoenix on Sunday for the opener of the new ballpark at Camelback Ranch. The Dodgers play the White Sox, the two teams that share the complex.

McCourt conducted the meeting on Wednesday at his Dodger Stadium office that included Boras and Colletti at which the Dodgers mapped out their latest proposal, their fourth since November, including the offer of salary arbitration that Ramirez turned down.

Earlier in the day, Boras told MLB.com in a telephone interview that “right now there’s nothing new.”

Boras’ last offer was for a non-deferred two-year deal worth $45 million — $25 million for 2009 and $20 million for 2010 with an opt clause in favor of Ramirez after the 2009 season. Prior to that, he had also floated the idea of a two-year deal worth $55 million if deferred over five years.

Boras said he was still awaiting a response to his latest proposal.

The Dodgers’ last offer, rejected by Boras, was two seasons at $45 million deferred over five years with no interest: $10 million each for the first four years and $5 million to be paid out in the fifth year.

Colletti didn’t travel Saturday with the Dodgers, who defeated the Rockies, 13-5, at Hi Corbett Field, staying behind at the Camelback Ranch complex for scheduled baseball operation meetings.

Owner Frank McCourt is expected to be in Phoenix on Sunday for the opener of the new ballpark at Camelback Ranch. The Dodgers play the White Sox, the two teams that share the complex.

McCourt conducted the meeting on Wednesday at his Dodger Stadium office that included Boras and Colletti at which the Dodgers mapped out their latest proposal, their fourth since November, including the offer of salary arbitration that Ramirez turned down.

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TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees will have two buses gassed and ready to hit the road on Sunday morning. Alex Rodriguez is planning to be on one of them.

A meeting that had reportedly been set for Rodriguez to meet with Major League Baseball officials may be in jeopardy, as A-Rod is currently in the lineup batting cleanup for an exhibition contest against the Cincinnati Reds at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla.

“I should be, unless I hear otherwise,” Rodriguez said. “I’m on the road trip — 9 o’clock bus.”

Rodriguez has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his three seasons with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03. MLB intends to speak with Rodriguez about security issues and his past involvement with performance-enhancing drugs, a meeting that will likely take place in Tampa.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that Rodriguez is looking to push the date of the meeting back. Sunday was to be Rodriguez’s final game with the Yankees before he reports to the Dominican Republic squad for the World Baseball Classic.

“I think that Alex is hoping that it’s possibly not tomorrow, a later date,” Girardi said. “He talked to me a little bit today about it, that he’s hoping it’s not tomorrow.”

Rodriguez’s name remained circled on a travel roster posted in the Yankees’ clubhouse, and Girardi said he was weighing whether to use Rodriguez at third base or as a designated hitter — not considering the idea that Rodriguez would be absent.

But Girardi could not be 100 percent certain that Rodriguez — 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly in Saturday’s 7-3 loss to the Twins — would be in uniform for the first pitch on Sunday.

“I’m sure if they made him meet at 1 o’clock, I guess there’d be a chance,” Girardi said. “Right now, I’m expecting him to be able to play.”

Though the meeting is intended to be non-disciplinary in nature, The Associated Press reported that Rodriguez will be accompanied by a personal lawyer and representative from the MLB Players Association.

The New York Times reported on its Web site early Sunday morming that Rodriguez will be interviewed by Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball’s executive VP of labor relations & human resources, and members of MLB’s department of investigations.

According to The Times, the officials want to know who provided Rodriguez with performance-enhancing drugs and whether that person had access to Major League clubhouses.

Officials also want to know about Rodriguez’s relationships with Angel Presinal, a trainer banned from big league clubhouses, and with his cousin, Yuri Sucart. A-Rod said Sucart repeatedly injected him with a banned substance that was brought into the United States from the Dominican Republic.

Sucart was spotted after an exhibition game on Wednesday in Dunedin, Fla., picking up Rodriguez in a burgundy sport utility vehicle. After that incident, the Yankees informed Rodriguez that Sucart was no longer welcome at ballparks during Spring Training and the regular season.

Rodriguez said that his plan is to play in the game on Sunday and then drive across the state with Dominican Republic teammates Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte to Jupiter, Fla., where the club is setting up camp for the Classic. He said that leaving Yankees camp for the tournament would be a nice break.

“It’s a lot more intense than Spring Training, I will say that,” Rodriguez said. “As far as baseball, anytime there’s international play — it’s kind of like NCAA basketball, a double-elimination bracket — the intensity obviously gets up to a level that’s probably a little bit higher than the Major Leagues.”

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — If Johan Santana is unable to start the Mets’ first game — and the chance of that has increased at least marginally since he developed tightness in his pitching elbow — his love for his country may be the genesis of the problem. Patriotism could be the reason, pitching coach Dan Warthen said Saturday morning after Santana laid out a scenario that might push his first exhibition-game start into the third week of March.

Warthen believes Santana’s desire to pitch for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic prompted the Mets’ primary starter to “push too hard” to prepare, and that the tightness that Santana now feels behind his left elbow is a result of the push.

“As patriotic as he is,” Warthen said, “I believe he really wanted to pitch for his country. They only have two big things [in Venezuela] — soccer and baseball. And, in baseball, Johan is the cheese.”

Warthen acknowledged Santana’s readiness for the Opening Day assignment against the Reds in Cincinnati on April 6 may become compromised by the delay. The pitcher already is behind other starters in preparing for the season and is likely to be further behind before he begins to make progress.

Warthen did not dispute a timetable that would have the pitcher’s first start happen after March 10. But Santana, who has yet to pitch to a batter, said he needs to pitch batting practice three times before he makes a start to regain command of his pitches. And the first batting practice session is not yet scheduled.

The plans Saturday morning as Santana disappeared into the trainer’s room for treatment were to have him throw a light bullpen session Sunday, and, if he emerged from that without negative effects, to schedule him for a batting practice session. That session would likely come after at least two days off. And each subsequent BP would come after at least two days’ rest, and probably more.

The bullpen session and two days off after it, three batting practice sessions with only two days’ rest between them, plus three days’ rest before the first start, would push that start to March 14. And Warthen acknowledged Santana might require more rest than that equation provides. Starting on March 15, and then pitching every fifth day thereafter and increasing the workload by one inning (or 15 pitches) each time out wouldn’t allow Santana to make six starts and still have time to recover for Opening Day.

Warthen said he wants Santana to have thrown about 90 pitches in a game before his first in-season start; Santana used 80 as the number.

So, Santana’s pitching April 6 already appears to be in question. The pitching coach didn’t want to make a prediction, but Warthen did allow this: “A little dicey.”

Warthen said he hasn’t discussed the situation or the possible effect of preparing for the World Baseball Classic with Santana.

“I’m going by 40 years experience and what I know of Johan,” he said, though Santana didn’t agree with the coach’s thinking.

Warthen has shared his theory with manager Jerry Manuel, who made the decision, according to Warthen, to “take [decision making] out of Johan’s hands.”

Santana had maintained a desire to pitch in the Classic even when others suggested the Mets eventually would ask him to excuse himself because of the knee surgery he underwent Oct. 1. The club never said no, but the Classic eliminated Santana because of the high cost of insuring a player coming off surgery.

The club was quite comfortable with the decision. Its $137.5 million investment in Santana already has paid dividends. He placed third in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season, having won 16 games and having led the league in ERA and innings. But five seasons remain on the contract.

The basis for the Mets’ caution is self-evident.

“We won’t be pushing him,” Warthen said.

Later, Manuel indicated the Mets’ objective is to make sure Santana makes all the starts the club had planned, as if to say the timing of his first start — Opening Day or at some point later in the first week — is not critical.

Manuel said Friday the club’s general course of action in this scenario is to be “extra, extra, extra” cautious. Santana said he expects to meet with Manuel, Warthen and, probably, the trainers Sunday. Manuel had left for Lakeland, Fla., — a 150-mile bus ride — by 8 a.m. ET Saturday.

The tightness, the pitcher said Saturday, was in his triceps tendon. The Mets have not ordered any tests for the pitcher. And Warthen noted that Santana is a particularly strong and well-conditioned athlete, which will accelerate the process of preparation — once it begins.

Neither the pitcher nor general manager Omar Minaya expressed concern. “I’m totally confident Johan Santana knows when he has to be ready,” Minaya said.

Santana used the word “hopefully” several times as he discussed his circumstances. That word hadn’t been included in his comments in previous days. He was certain then that “This is nothing to worry about it.”

However, Santana said “Hopefully, next week I’ll start facing hitters” Saturday morning. And — more ominously — he said “I’m fine. It’s just that the tightness is not something normal for me.”

Before leaving Saturday afternoon, Santana indicated he had experienced more tightness that usual.

When Santana mentioned Opening Day, he said, “Hopefully, I’ll be ready for April 6.”

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Six-run first inning helps LA trim magic number to three

LOS ANGELES — Joe Torre gathered his club Tuesday night for a pregame meeting and therapy session. The Dodgers responded with a six-run first inning and a 10-1 blowout of the Padres, combining with Arizona’s loss to cut the magic number to clinch the National League West to three with five games to play.

Over the weekend, the Dodgers lost two of three to the Giants (getting blanked Sunday), while the D-backs trimmed the lead to two games by winning their last three, including Monday, when the Dodgers were off.

“I felt tension Sunday, for whatever reason,” Torre said. “I didn’t feel it was worrying about Arizona creeping up, but the fact we were trying to get something done and thinking too much instead of playing the game and that can get in the way.

“The only thing I said is to try to be aggressive. The other day in the 1-0 game, it looked like we were tentative. I remind them to be aggressive and be who you are instead of trying to do everything right and try not to make mistakes.”

You could say it worked, as the first seven Dodgers hitters against rookie San Diego left-hander Wade LaBlanc reached base, including a two-run hustle double by Manny Ramirez and a three-run homer by Nomar Garciaparra, getting his first start since spraining his knee last week as the replacement for James Loney.

“To jump on them early was huge,” Garciaparra said.

The two RBIs gave Ramirez 51 since he was acquired, joining Carlos Beltran as the only players to have at least 50 RBIs in both leagues in the same season.

The Dodgers were able to coast from that first-inning windfall for their biggest margin of victory since April 30. Chad Billingsley struggled with his rhythm, enough that pitching coach Rick Honeycutt made two trips to the mound in the first three innings.

But Billingsley’s fastball got him by to beat the last-place Padres, pitching six innings to improve his record to 16-10. Billingsley also drove in a pair of runs with a squeeze bunt and RBI single. His 3.17 ERA is seventh in the league and his 199 strikeouts are second. In his past seven starts at Dodger Stadium, he’s 6-0 with a 1.65 ERA.

“Coming out and scoring six runs really allowed me to relax a little more and kind of work on things and try to get my rhythm back,” said Billingsley, who is in line to start Game 2 of the playoffs next week. “I was really trying to stay relaxed out there and keep a good rhythm.”

In the fifth inning, Blake DeWitt sealed it with a three-run homer, shaking out of a 3-for-17 slide. Russell Martin, batting .200 in the 14 preceding games, reached base four times with a pair of hits and a pair of walks.

“It would be nice [to wrap up at home],” DeWitt said. “If it doesn’t happen, you’ve just got to keep playing.”

The Dodgers still have a chance to clinch by Thursday, the regular-season home finale against Padres ace and Dodgers killer Jake Peavy, if the D-backs cooperate. Or they can do it themselves.

“We have to win the next three and put this thing to sleep,” said Torre, not expecting help.

Sounds simple enough.

“The calm he brings, it has an effect,” said Andre Ethier, moved into the cleanup spot by Torre to provide added protection for Ramirez. “Some guys might not really pay attention to where the team’s at in the bigger scheme and there might be more anxiety than necessary. Maybe we don’t realize how good a situation we’re in right now.

“He [Torre] addressed it. He told us not to let that out of our frame of mind. We had the off-day and we see Arizona win and we start to feel pressure and uneasiness because they won and we can’t do anything about it. He addressed it today and told us it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. We’re the ones in the good situation to be in.”

The huge lead allowed Torre to rest his regular relievers and follow Billingsley to the mound with a trio of rookies — James McDonald (graduate of the Los Angeles RBI program), Ramon Troncoso and Scott Elbert — each throwing one scoreless inning.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Defending champs back in postseason for fifth time in six years

BOSTON — With the thirst for postseason champagne lingering around the Red Sox for a second straight night, not even overwhelming American League Cy Young Award favorite Cliff Lee was going to prevent the corks from popping. The Red Sox truly earned their 5-4 victory in this Tuesday night clincher against the Indians, getting to the normally dominant Lee for two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

Now that they’ve solidified their fifth postseason berth in the past six years, the Red Sox can go about the business of trying to become Major League Baseball’s first repeat World Series champions since the 2000 Yankees.

“It feels great,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “It’s probably a little different each time, different emotions, but it certainly doesn’t become less enjoyable or less satisfying, and it’s nice to know that we have more baseball to play. We’ll see how the week unfolds and keep everybody healthy, feeling good, and try to win, and see what happens.”

Though the 92-65 Red Sox are still in mathematical contention for the American League East title, their most likely entry into the playoffs will be as the Wild Card winner, which would earn them an AL Division Series matchup with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a best-of-five set that would start in Anaheim on Oct. 1 or 2.

The only way the Red Sox can win the AL East is to run the table over their final five games and have the 95-62 Rays go 1-4. Tampa Bay would win the division if the teams finished with the same record, because it won the head-to-head season series. For Boston, it was just thrilled to know that they are one of the eight teams moving on.

When it was over, the Red Sox playfully jumped on top of each other before retreating to the clubhouse for the celebration. Several players also came back on the field to celebrate with the fans.

“It feels great,” said Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay. “I can’t really describe it right now. I’m just jumping around like a kid. We’ve been on the doorstep for a while, but to finally get in and be able to celebrate, it does feel pretty special for me. Especially the journey that I carved to get here.”

By earning their spot into the postseason, the Red Sox officially eliminated the Yankees, who are out of the postseason for the first time since 1993.

Veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the only player to be on Boston’s past eight postseason entries dating back to 1995, earned the win, allowing six hits and four runs (all of which were scored in the fifth inning) over six innings. Wakefield walked one and struck out six.

“It was unbelievable,” said Wakefield. “I thought we’d squeak it out last night, but the guy who we were facing tonight was, obviously, a hurdle but our offense did a great job.”

Fittingly, Kevin Youkilis (two-run homer in the fourth) and Dustin Pedroia (two-run double in the fifth) provided two of the biggest hits of the night. They’ve been Boston’s most consistent offensive players all season.

And it was equally appropriate that Bay, who has been so productive since coming over in the trade for Manny Ramirez on July 31, drove in the go-ahead run, a two-out RBI single up the middle in the fifth.

Indians manager Eric Wedge opted to intentionally walk Youkilis, giving Bay a chance to come up big again.

“Not that you need any incentive, but sometimes somebody gets walked in front of you, you want it a little extra,” said Bay. “It was nice to get it, and to have it hold up. The bullpen came through huge, and it held up. My hit at that point put us ahead, but you look at David [Ortiz], you look at Youk, you look at [Pedroia]. Everybody pitched in today, and that’s kind of the way it’s been since I’ve been here.”

Doing it against Lee meant something as well, considering that the postseason is always filled with top-notch opposing starters.

“If we’re going to win, we’re going to have to beat guys like that,” said Bay. “To come out and do it just kind of shows what this team is made of.”

Clinging to a 5-4 lead after reliever Manny Delcarmen loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, Francona went to lefty Hideki Okajima to face Victor Martinez. And Okajima, amid a tense, eight-pitch at-bat, got Martinez to pop a 3-2 pitch to Youkilis to end the threat.

Jonathan Papelbon came on to escape a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the eighth. He then navigated the ninth for save No. 41, giving the Fenway faithful good reason to erupt.

“It’s amazing,” said Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp. “This is where you want to be at this moment. There’s nothing better. We’ve still got a chance to try to go all the way.”

The first step is complete.

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Boston’s victory knocks New York out of Wild Card contention

ORONTO — Joe Girardi had spoken optimistically of keeping his Yankees alive in the postseason discussion, even against long odds. His reasoning? There had not been an ‘X’ affixed to the club’s name in the American League standings. Those last hopes for a miracle were dashed on Tuesday, as the Red Sox defeated the Indians, 5-4, at Fenway Park. With the victory, the Red Sox secured a berth and officially ended New York’s string of 13 consecutive playoff appearances.

While Girardi and many players had hoped for a miracle, the mathematics of the situation were impossible to ignore. To keep Yankee Stadium open past Sunday, the Yankees were going to need an awful lot of help.

“This is when character shows up,” Girardi said on Sunday. “To me, this is when I like to watch people really work and see the character. You can evaluate a lot about people this time of year. For me, this is a very important week as we move forward and prepare for next year. Character means a lot and we’re going to find out over the next week.”

There had been a moral victory of sorts on Sunday, as the Yankees took the field for their final game at Yankee Stadium knowing that a loss would eliminate them from playoff contention.

A general stadium atmosphere mirroring the seventh game of the World Series was not coincidental. Not only did the Yankees intentionally plan to create an October-like setting for the Cathedral’s sendoff, but the club secured a 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, while quite literally fighting for its playoff existence.

“It almost felt like a playoff series that we had just won, as far as how emotionally tired I am right now, and physically,” Andy Pettitte said. “It’s really weird.”

The Yankees’ playoff dynasty has been well-chronicled, beginning with a Wild Card in 1995 and highlighted by four World Series titles over a five-year span from 1996-2000. The Yankees also appeared in the 2001 and 2003 Fall Classics, but had found it more difficult to advance in recent years.

New York lost a 3-0 lead to the Red Sox in the 2004 AL Championship Series and has not been able to move past the first round since. Last year, the Yankees were eliminated in a four-game AL Division Series by the Indians, a series remembered for a strange Game 2 incident when a swarm of Lake Erie midges unnerved rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain.

The Yankees entered the 2008 campaign with high hopes under new manager Girardi, who donned uniform No. 27 and made little secret of his intentions to bring home the elusive 27th World Series title.

But Girardi rarely had access to his Opening Day lineup due to a slew of injuries — at various times, Girardi was without catcher Jorge Posada, outfielder Hideki Matsui, third baseman Alex Rodriguez, Chamberlain and No. 1 starter Chien-Ming Wang for extended periods. Wang did not pitch after June, and Posada was lost for the season after July.

Additionally, the club banked on major contributions from young players, who were not able to fulfill expectations. Rookies Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy both opened the season in the starting rotation and remain winless, having battled through injuries and time in the Minor Leagues.

Second baseman Robinson Cano drew criticism for a perceived lack of hustle during a disappointing campaign, and Melky Cabrera regressed from being New York’s starting center fielder to a spare part. Chamberlain’s transition from the bullpen to the rotation ended with shoulder tendinitis in an Aug. 4 start and leaves his 2009 plans uncertain.

The season did have its bright moments. Mike Mussina — removed from the starting rotation last August — bounced back in a huge way and, at age 39, is one victory shy of his first 20-win season.

Derek Jeter surpassed Lou Gehrig for the hits record at Yankee Stadium with 1,274 — a mark that can never be broken — and Mariano Rivera had one of his most automatic seasons while pitching in save situations, converting 37 of 38 opportunities. New York’s victory over Baltimore on Sunday moved them to a season-high 14 games over .500.

“It’s been a good run,” Jeter said. “We have a new Yankee Stadium opening next year and attendance has been on the rise each year. It’s not something that is easy to do.”

In the end, though, it was not enough for the Yankees to avoid the prospect of a dark October in Yankee Stadium’s final season. Club co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said Sunday that discussions will begin in the next few weeks on a number of important decisions the team must make to shape their roster for a postseason run in 2009, when the Yankees will open their brand new $1.3 billion facility across 161st Street.

With the Yanks’ elimination, he teams that have the longest current run of consecutive postseason appearances are the Red Sox, Angels and Cubs, who will appear in their second straight this season.

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