01:00 AM EDT on Friday, September 26, 2003

BOSTON -- They threw a playoff-clinching celebration last night at Fenway Park -- and a full-scale lovefest broke out.

When the final out was recorded in the Red Sox' 14-3 rout of the overmatched Baltimore Orioles -- on a called third strike from Ramiro Mendoza, no less -- the party started.

As the American League wild-card entrants, the Red Sox qualify as the team with the best second-place record. But there was nothing self-conscious about the party, no apology for not finishing first.

The sellout crowd -- the 65th in succession at Fenway -- erupted as Red Sox players sprinted from the dugout to the mound. With the media held at bay behind the first-base line, the players had the middle of the diamond to themselves to bask in their achievement.

Kevin Millar grabbed a microphone and thanked the fans, then told them

that the Sox were set to "cowboy up." Next, the PA system cued up Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A," and Millar, as he had done by the magic of videotape for the final month and a half of the season, danced without a trace of embarrassment.

The fans roared their approval.

Along the first base line, principal owner John Henry poured champagne and passed out plastic cups. Drenched later by players in the jubilant clubhouse, Henry, wiping champagne from his eyes, said he had intended to pass out full bottles.

"Someone said to me, 'Are you nuts?' " Henry said, shrugging.

On this night, everybody was.

John Burkett jumped up and down, shaking up a bottle, and mocked his own performance the night before, when the Sox could have clinched but didn't, largely because their starter lasted exactly one-third of an inning.

"I pitched 1/27th of the game last night," he cried, and teammates hugged him.

In a clubhouse that looked like something from the set of a science-fiction TV series -- bright lights, everything draped in plastic, wires and cords tracing across the floor -- Damian Jackson leaped from one protected piece of furniture to another, emptying every bit of beer and champagne on anyone in his path.

Jason Varitek, part of the 1998 and 1999 playoff teams, spoke of how special this edition of the Red Sox had been.

"With all the crazy wins and losses we had," said Varitek, "a lot of other teams would have been 81-81."

Manager Grady Little, sipping from a bottle of bubbly, surveyed his euphoric bunch and quickly shifted his thoughts to what lies ahead.

"It's good to get it done tonight," Little said, "so the people can celebrate here. But now we can monitor Pedro. We didn't want Pedro to have to go out and pitch eight or nine innings (tonight in St. Petersburg)."

Across the room, Theo Epstein was busy drying off and soaking up the atmosphere. This team wears his imprint -- from David Ortiz to Bill Mueller to Todd Walker to Millar -- but while others were passing champagne, the young general manager was sharing credit.

"I never would have been so immodest to think that this would happen," said Epstein. "But it feels great to be part of something very special."

Nearly six months after it began, the Red Sox' regular season reached its destination point last night.

The cast has changed considerably since Opening Night, when Shea Hillenbrand (now with Arizona) was the starting third baseman, Jeremy Giambi (out for the season following shoulder surgery) was the DH and the featured bullpen arms included Chad Fox (now with Florida) and Mendoza (wasting away in Red Sox exile).

Gone last night was the bullpen-by-committee and Casey Fossum from the starting rotation. In their place was Byung-Hyun Kim (obtained in May) as the closer and Jeff Suppan (obtained in July) as the No. 5 starter.

By the middle innings, it looked like Senior Night, with Little freely substituting for the regulars, many of whom received nice ovations as they left the Fenway Park field for the final time this regular season. Even David McCarty -- thought to be covered in mothballs -- emerged to make his first appearance since Sept. 6, and just his third this month. Old friend Bill Haselman got his first major-league at-bat of the season.

Wednesday in Oakland, it begins again. For the next few days, the Red Sox can rest the regulars and get everything in order for the Division Series.

But last night was a night to celebrate.

"October Baseball Returns to Fenway Park!" read the message on the scoreboard.

Last night, September baseball -- and all that came before it -- seemed special enough.