Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones celebrates with fans after a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014, in Baltimore.Patrick Semansky/The Associated Press
Camden Yards was rocking with anticipation of the Baltimore Orioles first American League East title victory since 1997 and, when the final out happened, the players were only too happy to share the experience with the fans.
After trouncing the Toronto Blue Jays for the second consecutive outing - 8-2 on Tuesday night, to clinch the division - the Baltimore players mobbed one another in a giant group hug that broke out behind second base.
Then the party moved briefly indoors to the Orioles' clubhouse where players wearing protective goggles sprayed untold litres of expensive champagne throughout every nook and cranny of the quarters before returning to the field to continue the party with the fans.
Adam Jones, Baltimore's star centre fielder, wandered slowly down the right field line waving an orange Baltimore pennant as he interacted with ecstatic fans that were leaning over the railings offering their heartfelt congratulations.
Right fielder Nick Markakis, the longest-tenured member of the Orioles, walked around the infield, his face caked with the remnants of a whip-creamed pie.
""It's an awesome experience," Markakis said. "We worked hard all season long to get to where we are now, and we got step one out of the way. Now we've got a couple more steps to go ... Just taking it all in and the experience itself is something I'll never forget.
Surveying all the mayhem from the top steps of the dugout was Baltimore manager Buck Showalter, who all season has pushed the right buttons to bring the Orioles to where they are today.
"You get older, you want to get a good angle and a good seat and see good people get a return for what they put into it and what they're trying to achieve," Showalter said. "And this is a huge step, to get a chance now. We've got to figure out a way to win 11 games."
"There's probably not a better strategy guy in the game," added reliever Darren O'Day of Showalter. "He sees things days in advance. He put guys in opportunities to succeed. It was pretty special."
The Orioles were able to prevail despite losing three key players over the course of the season in Matt Wieters, Manny Machado and, most recently, Chris Davis to a drug suspension.
And they deserve full credit for being able to accomplish what the Blue Jays couldn't – being able to step up during a rare season when neither the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees were going to be a factor to claim the brass ring in the East.
On the other side of the diamond, the dejected Blue Jays players could only watch the celebration for a few moments before shuffling off to the quiet solitude of their own clubhouse.
Toronto, with a record of 77-73, still has a shot at claiming one of the A.L.'s wildcard playoff berths but the odds are heavily stacked against the Blue Jays as they are sitting five games out with just 12 more games to play in the regular season schedule.
Toronto pitcher Drew Hutchison struck out 11 over 6.1-innings of work, but was rocky over the first two innings where he surrendered home runs to Steve Pearce and Jimmy Paredes that staked the Orioles to a 4-2 lead they would not relinquish.
Hutchison said pitching in the amped up atmosphere of Camden Yards is something that all players covet.
"I mean, that's what you want," he said. "Obviously the result isn't and watching what we have to watch is probably the worst thing you can experience as a player and it's something that you never want to have to experience again.
"We still have some games left here and we know what the odds are and all that. But with respect to that we just need to win as much as we can and see what happens. We still have a lot to play for with our pride."
Toronto manager John Gibbons said nobody should be surprised what the Orioles have been able to accomplish this season.
"When you look at their team, it's a good ball club, good solid pitching, all-around players," Gibbons said. "They've gritty, hard-nosed type players. And you see that."