BOSTON — The first thing Red Sox manager Terry Francona wanted to make sure he did when he arrived at Fenway Park yesterday was to check in with Manny Ramirez.

After the club clinched its first division title in 12 years on Friday night, the majority of the Red Sox players celebrated in style. Ramirez, along with outfielder J.D. Drew, were not at the ballpark as the bubbly began to flow, so Francona was interested to see whether Ramirez knew the team won the A.L. East crown.

“I’ll make sure Manny’s aware that we won,” Francona said before last night’s game.

The timing of the Sox’ celebration was put on hold because their game, a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, ended almost an hour before the final outcome of the Yankees-Orioles game. So some of the Boston players, including Ramirez, Drew and even captain Jason Varitek, left the ballpark before knowing whether the club finished in first place.

Drew’s wife is eight months’ pregnant and his son was recently taken out of a body cast after hip surgery. When Drew arrived home, the Yankees and Orioles were tied at 9.

“There are other responsibilities,” Drew said. “I couldn’t wait that extra hour and a half to see things through.”

To make things even more interesting, Baltimore erased a five-run deficit and finally won in the bottom of the 10th inning. The Sox’ Kevin Youkilis was across from Fenway at a local establishment with his family, and when the Orioles tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, he hustled back to the clubhouse.

Reliever Hideki Okajima left and returned. Varitek came back in street clothes. But, no Ramirez and no Drew.

“I think we were missing some guys,” said Francona. “Some guys made it back, but I don’t know about everybody. I tried to make the rounds and I know there were guys who were here who I didn’t see. To be honest, I don’t know. The circumstances were unique to begin with, and once all hell broke loose … I know a couple of guys snuck back in and I don’t know how they did it.”

Drew was having a conversation with teammate Coco Crisp in the clubhouse yesterday afternoon and said he was having more fun watching the celebration on TV.

The scene on the field and in the clubhouse was certainly exciting for the players, fans and everyone involved. What made it interesting was Jonathan Papelbon’s attempt at an Irish jig on the infield grass with his theme song “I’m Shipping up to Boston,” by the Dropkick Murphys, blaring over the sound system.

“He looked, to me — I don’t want to call him a moron — but the only thing that was better than [that] was him in the clubhouse in his jock,” Francona said. “That’s him. He is a young, carefree great kid. That wasn’t a show — well it was — but that’s him. He was just having a lot of fun. With that said, when he gets on the mound, he’s all business and he competes. It’s a good mix.”

While Papelbon was performing Riverdance in black spandex shorts and swimming goggles, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein came over, gave his closer a hug and must have told him to go easy so as to not get hurt.

“At least he had his clothes on,” Francona said.

Speaking of Epstein, he was receiving text messages from former Red Sox utility man Kevin Millar, now with the Orioles.

Because the Sox were kept in suspense for almost an hour, waiting to see whether Baltimore would beat New York, Boston’s clubhouse wasn’t decked out and prepared for a celebration. The players who remained at Fenway were watching the game, hoping to crack open some libations.

It wasn’t your typical final-out celebration.

“I would rather do it on the field,” said the Sox’ Mike Lowell while waiting to learn the club’s fate. “That’s a very satisfying feeling to make that last out on the field, especially at home with the fans going crazy.”

Epstein echoed that statement when the Sox were finally able to congratulate one another.

“This isn’t how you envision it when you envision doing it at home,” Epstein said. “You think about getting that last out and everyone rushing the field, but this one is special in its own way. It’s appropriate for the crazy season this one was.”

The party continued well into the night and even earlier yesterday morning. Many of the players joined fans at a local tavern with the music blasting and the drinks flowing. Because of the late partying, the clubhouse yesterday afternoon was a bit subdued.

Still, there were games remaining before embarking on the club’s attempt to win two World Series championships in four years, and the players could easily switch gears from party mode to all business again.

“It would be nice to have a day off,” said Youkilis. “But we have to stay game-ready, and we have to be on top of our game. For us, moving forward, we have to try to get better and work on the things that will make each player click on all cylinders. This is where it gets exciting. You can throw out all the stats because everyone is back at zero. Now it’s not about the best stats; it’s about winning ball games.”

Eleven more, to be exact.

jmcdonal@projo.com