The Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. - Once they got their chance to go head to head, the Anaheim Angels showed the Oakland A's which team was best in the AL West.
After chasing the Athletics all September, the Angels scored three times in the eighth inning to beat Oakland 5-4 Saturday and clinch their first division title in 18 years.
The teams were tied for first place when the series began Friday, and many expected the race to come down to the last day of the season. But Anaheim ended the suspense with two consecutive wins.
"I knew our guys weren't going to melt," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We have a lot of very, very talented players."
Darin Erstad hit a tying, two-run double, then scored on Garret Anderson's single as the Angels earned their first playoff berth since 2002, when they won the World Series as the wild card.
It's still not clear whom the Angels will face in the first round of the playoffs - either the Yankees or Boston.
Twins 5, Indians 5, suspended