September 26

The Tigers beat Minnesota, 5-1, in the last game played in Detroit this season to establish a Comerica Park record with their 52nd victory at home, one more win than in the ballpark’s inaugural season in 2000. The club, however, is unable to contend this year due to its poor performance on the road, presently 19 games below .500.

Adam Wainwright also notches win number 19, as St. Louis beats Colorado, 6 – 3, to clinch the NL Central title.

Bronx native Sonia Sotomayor, the Supreme Court’s newest member, throws the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium, a strike right down the middle of the plate, before watching her team defeat the Red Sox, 3-0. In 1995, Justice Sotomayor, as a U.S. District Judge, issued an injunction which led to ending the nearly eight-month-long baseball strike.

The Dodgers also clinch a spot in the postseason with an 8 – 4 victory over Pittsburgh, highlighted by a two-run pinch single by Jim Thome. Manager Joe Torre leads a team to the playoffs for the 14th straight year, tying a record held by Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves.

CC Sabathia wins his 19th game, giving up one hit in seven innings in a 3 – 0 Yankees victory over Boston. Newly-appointed Supreme Court judge Sonia Sotomayor, a lifelong Yankees fan better known in baseball circles for her ruling that ended the 1994 strike, throws the ceremonial first pitch to Jose Molina.

Minnesota continues its late surge, winning its 11th in 12 games, 11 – 6 over Kansas City. Denard Span collects four hits and six RBI in the win.

The Rays, although they suffer a 6-4 defeat to the Tigers, win their first American League East title when the Red Sox lose to the Yankees later in the evening. Skipper Joe Maddon and just a few players remained in the Comerica Park clubhouse to watch the end of the rain-delayed contest in Boston which brings the title to Tampa Bay.

The Yankees crush the Red Sox, 19 – 8, on a rainy night at Fenway Park. Back-up shortstop Cody Ransom hits two homers while Robinson Cano drives in 5 runs and Brett Gardner 4 more in the rout. Boston’s loss means that Tampa Bay officially clinches the AL East division title. It is the first time since 1997 that neither Boston nor New York has won the AL East. Tampa Bay had never won 70 games in a season before this year.

The Brewers move one game ahead of the Mets in the National League Wild Card race with a 5 – 1 win against the Cubs. Rickie Weeks’ three-run home run in the 7th is the big blow for the Brew Crew. Seth McClung pitches four innings of scoreless relief for the win.