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With a win against the Orioles Wednesday, the Blue Jays won their first AL East title since 1993. To mark the occasion, we look back at our story that followed the 1993 clincher game, a 2-0 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sept. 27, 1993.

For a split second after Kevin Reimer grounded into the game-ending double play, everyone stood still. Here's a team, the Toronto Blue Jays, that has won four American League East titles in five years, one AL pennant and a World Series. What happens when it wins another division crown on a cold night in Milwaukee with the stands near empty?

Well, you still celebrate, though you apparently do it with a bit of restraint. The players on the field looked to the dugout. The players in the dugout looked to the field and decided, what the heck, that they'd run out there anyway. There was no jumping up and down. There was plenty of hugging, but on a night when it's 5C and damp in Milwaukee, hugging's not a bad idea even if it's to celebrate a tax audit.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Paul Molitor, center, and fellow Blue Jays charge out of the dugout following their win over the Brewers. (Roberto Borea/AP)

"It was definitely a little different," third baseman Ed Sprague said after the 2-0 victory over the Brewers."They needed to throw all the elements at us - the Yankees were winning in Baltimore, it rained, we had an umpire delay and Cal Eldred (the Milwaukee starter) threw a good game."

Pat Hentgen threw a better game, though. He maintained his superb road record with a fine 6-2ŗ innings. Hentgen was in trouble a couple of times. The Brewers had two on with one out in the fifth. They also had runners on first and second with nobody out in the sixth. On both occasions, Hentgen made pressure pitches to escape any damage and will go for his 20th win Saturday in Baltimore.

"They had their chances to score runs," pitching coach Galen Cisco said."But Pat always seemed to come up with the right pitch at the right time."

Two things could have happened last night to clinch it for Toronto. The New York Yankees could have been beaten by the Baltimore Orioles in a game that began 30 minutes before the Jay tilt. But by the time Eldred threw the first pitch in Milwaukee, the Yankees had built a solid lead in Baltimore.

Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston is about to be doused by an unidentified player as Rickey Henderson, right, looks on. (Joe Picciolo/AP)

It would take a lot of imagination to say the Jays felt pressure, though."We had seven games to play," Hentgen said,"and needed to win one. I didn't feel too nervous at all. Somehow I think we would have won one of the other games."

The ALCS opens a week tonight in Chicago against the White Sox, who clinched the West division last night.

Last night's Jay celebration might have been relatively muted, but the post-game horseplay was at an all-time high. Willie Canate showed he'd good for something other than pinch running and intestinal disorders. He dumped coolers of water and iced milk on various players and coaches.

To be honest, this probably wasn't a huge deal for the Joe Carters and Robbie Alomars of the team. They want another World Series ring.

It was a big deal to Paul Molitor, who gave the Jays the only run they'd need, in the second inning. The man who spent 15 years in a Brewer uniform received standing ovations when the Jays were here in June, but he expected a negative reaction last night. Instead, there was another standing ovation when Molitor strode to the plate in the second inning. The cheers were even louder after Molitor walloped Eldred's first pitch over the seats in left field.

Paul Molitor, left, gets doused with champagne by teammate Mike Timlin in the clubhouse after the game. (Joe Picciolo/AP)

"I came in here tonight much more comfortable than in June," Molitor said."Then, the focus was all on me. Tonight, the focus was on clinching. To get the first pitch and hit it out of the park was a tremendous feeling."

Another Jay who had a special feeling was Sprague. He hit that pinch- hit home run that turned around the 1992 World Series. But he was a role player on that team. This year, he was a starting third baseman. Sprague scored last night's second run - he singled, went to third on Pat Borders's double and scored on a sacrifice fly.

"To play 162 games you really get an idea of what it takes to win a championship," he said."As a bench player you get caught in the ups and downs. As an everyday player you learn to keep things more in perspective."

It was an unusual night, even without the clinching. There was a six- minute delay in the bottom of the second inning, when plate umpire Ken Kaiser needed treatment after taking a pitch on the elbow. Also, the middle innings were played during a steady downpour.

A cynic might say that another unusual aspect was the Jays receiving good setup work - Tony Castillo got the final out of the seventh and Mike Timlin was perfect in the eighth. Duane Ward, as usual, was almost flawless in the ninth.