NEW YORK (AP) — Nashville native Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox won their third consecutive AL East championship Thursday night, clinching arch rivals the New York Yankees, winning with an 11-6 victory in enemy territory.

Betts homered, doubled twice and drove in five runs, finishing with four hits as the Red Sox shelved Giancarlo Stanton’s go-ahead grand slam in the fourth inning.

You Betts Believe It

Betts, a top contender for AL MVP, opened the game with a double off the left-field fence against Masahiro Tanaka and scored on Martinez’s single. Betts added a two-run single in the second, then doubled and scored in the fifth.

Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a tying home run in the seventh and Xander Bogaerts put the Red Sox ahead with a sacrifice fly. Betts, Bogaerts and Bradley continue to bring an enthusiasm to the game that is inspiring to watch.

With a playoff berth already secured, Boston (104-49) closed out a once-tight division race with nine games to spare. J.D. Martinez and the Red Sox, alone in first place since July 2, will open the postseason at home in Fenway Park on Oct. 5 against an opponent to be determined.

“We haven’t won what we want to win yet,” Betts said in a champagne-soaked clubhouse. Betts has continually checked off records that have stood for decades. Adding to the Red sox records. he hit his 100th career homer July 6, 2018 making that homer his 5th lead off home run of the season and his 16th for his career.

And he hasn’t stopped there. He tied Dom DiMaggio for most home runs; he hit for the cycle on August 10, 2018m as the first to do so in the 2018 season, the 20th in Red Sox history and the first Boston Red Sox to do so in 20 years.

Thursday night, Betts launched his 30th home run in the eighth, a three-run shot off All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, who was activated from the disabled list Wednesday.

His baseball coach from  high school, Mike Morrison, who is in regular contact with Betts stated “it was so much fun to  watch Mookie and his team win in enemy territory. Nothing he does surprises me anymore.”

Never before had Boston finished in first place three years in a row . The club needs one victory to match the franchise record held by the 1912 World Series champions.

“To be able to do it here — obviously we know the history,” Cora said. “It feels great.”

The Red Sox head to Cleveland for their next series.

“They’ve had a solid year. You can’t deny that,” Stanton said. “You never want it to be here that they get it. We gave it what we got. They can celebrate now. We’ve got time to celebrate later. They just kind of weren’t going to be denied today,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.