Yankees Set AL Record For Wins

As the Yankees walked off the field, the scoreboard flashed "112 Wins!" Fans were on their feet, chanting and cheering.

Inside the clubhouse, it was a far different story. No champagne. No celebration.

Yes, they set the AL record for victories. That means a lot, but then again, it doesn't.

"We enjoy it. We're not taking it for granted," Bernie Williams said after Friday night's 6-1 win over Tampa Bay shoved the '54 Indians out of the record book. "However, we're looking toward higher goals. We know we have a lot ahead of us."

In a typical dominating performance by New York, Williams overtook Boston's Mo Vaughn for the AL batting lead, and Derek Jeter became the first Yankees shortstop in nearly a half century to get 200 hits. Jeter also passed Chicago's Ray Durham for the league lead in runs scored.

"This season is speacial," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. We've won more games than any other team in the American league for as long as baseball's been in existence."

The

New York's Orlando 'El Duque' Hernandez allowed one run and four hits in five innings of work Friday night. (AP)

They need wins over the Devi Rays in their final two games to become the first major-league team since Cleveland in 1954 (111-43) to play .700-ball over an entire season.

Only the 1906 Chicago Cubs, who went 116-36, had more wins than these Yankees.

"You can't take that away from us," Tino Martinez said. "It's going to be tough to beat."

Orlando Hernandez (12-4) and Andy Pettitte both tuned up for the playoffs, with Pettitte making his first relief appearance since May 1, 1996. Hernandez, who could either start or relieve in the postseason, allowed one run and four hits in five innings.

"It's a thing, a great thing, A great feeling," Hernandez said.

Pettitte, who probably will follow David Wells and start Game 2 of the playoffs, allowed two hits in three shutout innings.

"It was a positive outing. I'm ready to go," said Pettitte, who has struggled all year. "I've been saying for a couple of weeks that I'm ready for it."

Jeter went 2-for-4, giving him 201 hits and scored twice to raise his total to 126. He is the first Yankee to reach 200 hits since Steve Sax (205) in 1989 and the first shortstop since Phil Rizzuto (200) in 1950.

For Jeter, the regular-season records won't mean much until the winter.

"No one is going around here talking about the record," he said.

Williams went 2-for-2, increasing his average to .337 and moving one point ahead of Vaughn, who went 2-for-4 against Baltimore.

"If it's going to happen, it's going to happen," Williams said. "I can't worry about that."

Dave Eiland (0-1) was pounded for all six runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings. He sounded in awe of his former team.

"You can't sit here and say they are weak in this area or weak in that area because they aren't," he said. "You'd be hard pressed to find a weakness."

Williams put the Yankees ahead with an RBI single in the first, but Miguel Cairo's run-scoring single tied the score in the third. New York then broke open the game with five runs in the bottom half.

Martinez hit an RBI grounder for a 2-1 lead, Tim Raines hit an RBI single and Jorge Posada had a run-scoring double. Scott Brosius then singled in two runs, raising his RBI total to 98.

But rather than talk about the win, they thought ahead. Remember, the '54 Indians lost to the Giants in the World Series. They were swept 4-0.

"Suddenly somebody gets a head of steam," Torre said. "When Tuesday comes, we start from scratch."

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