Relief ace Jonathan Papelbon celebrates with catcher Kevin Cash after last night’s final out at Fenway Park. Papelbon picked up his 41st save as Boston locked up at least a wildcard berth in the A.L. playoffs.

The Providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

BOSTON — In some ways it was typical Red Sox. In other ways, it was totally different when the Sox clinched a playoff berth last night.

It was the same because it was the left fielder who was one of the heroes, the guy who drove in the winning run. But it was a very different leftfielder on a very different kind of Red Sox team.

This time it was Jason Bay who came up with the decisive hit, driving in MVP candidate Dustin Pedroia with the winning run with a single in the fifth inning as the Sox edged Cleveland, 5-4. Pedroia had knocked in Jacoby Ellsbury with the tying run.

It assured Boston of at least a wildcard berth, the team’s fifth playoff appearance in the last six years. It was fitting since Bay, with his low-key attitude, is typical of the 2008 Sox.

“I’m not trying to do what he did,” Bay said when asked about replacing Ramirez. “I’m trying to help out, play a little defense, run the bases, whatever it is needed. The bottom line is we’re in right now and that’s step one.”

He said it with champagne running down his face in a wild Sox clubhouse. The team might be more low key than previous Boston teams, but it was not that way in celebrating.

The Sox were in full celebration mode with champagne flying all over the clubhouse and an on-field celebration, as well. Perhaps because it has had so many hurdles thrown in its way, the team went all out to revel in moving on.

It beat Cliff Lee, the major league’s best pitcher this year. And it did it with a host of players, from Tim Wakefield and Jonathan Papelbon, to Dustin Pedroia and Alex Cora, to Bay and David Ortiz, making major contributions.

“It took a group effort. All of us played very well tonight,” said Wakefield, the winning pitcher. “It’s been a hard [year], but it’s been a fulfilling one, that’s for sure.”

“We had a lot of injuries this year. I’ll remember everything we went through, all the tribulations,” said Papelbon, who recorded the last four outs to earn his 41st save. “The persistence we had was incredible.”

“It’s hard to get in, but we’re in,” said general manager Theo Epstein, who stood near the manager’s office and away from the mayhem that left most others drenched in champagne and beer. “We’re really happy. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. We’re trying to keep this in perspective, but we’re happy to get in.”

“We’ve had to handle a lot of frustration and that’s always a key point in having a successful season,” said manager Terry Francona.

Others were not worried about perspective.

At one point, Kevin Youkilis stood in the middle of the clubhouse, his mouth open, trying to drink in champagne being sprayed at him from six feet away by Sean Casey. At another point, Ellsbury ran behind a group of reporters, tying to escape a champagne and beer shower from several teammates.

After it quieted down a bit, Bay stayed and savored the moment. After spending his career in Pittsburgh, he made no attempt to hide his glee and the chance to play in October.

“It’s been great,” he said. “I feel like I’m just another complimentary piece to the puzzle. We have so many good guys. Every night, it’s somebody new. We’ve gotten great pitching. It’s been a whole bunch of little parts, everybody doing their own thing. I think that’s kind of helped me not press. I got off to a good start and the guys helped me relax.

“I’m a first timer. It feels great,” he said. “It’s something you can definitely get used to.”

The game that clinched the spot was an exciting one worthy of a postseason contest. Facing Lee, who had won 11 games in a row and had not lost in 78 days, the Sox went up, 2-0, and then fell behind, 4-2.

The won it with three runs in the fifth. Kevin Cash, Ellsbury and Pedroia all had hits to close it to 4-3 and leave runners on second and third with one out. Lee struck out Ortiz. Cleveland manager Eric Wedge ordered Youkilis, who had homered earlier, intentionally walked to load the bases.

Bay made the Indians pay when he singled back up the middle to score the tying and go-ahead runs.

The Indians made it tense to the finish. They loaded the bases in both the seventh and the eighth.

They would have tied it in the seventh if not for a terrific diving stop by Cora. The Indians put runners on first and second with two outs off Manny Delcarmen. Jhonny Peralta then hit a shot back up the middle. It appeared headed into center, but Cora made a diving stop. He could not get an out, but the play forced Josh Barfield, the runner at second, to stop at third.

Hideki Okajima was brought on. Dealing with inherited runners has not been a strength for him this season, but he did the job this time. He ran the count to 3-2 on Victor Martinez. Martinez fouled off two pitches, then lofted a pop foul to first that Kevin Youkilis caught to end the threat.

In the eighth, a walk, a single and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. Papelbon, the third pitcher of the inning, was brought on after Javy Lopez walked Grady Sizemore to load the bases. On Papelbon’s first pitch, Jamey Carroll hit a hard grounder to second that Pedroia fielded and flipped to Cora at second to end the threat.

pkenyon@projo.com