Doug Mirabelli also homered for Boston, making it 10-1 in the sixth with a three-run shot that bounced off the base of the flagpole that holds the 2004 World Series Champion pennant.

The Red Sox have not repeated as World Series champs since 1915-16.

Now they’ll have a chance.

Jaret Wright (5-5) subbed for Mike Mussina, who will start Tuesday against the Angels. Jason Giambi, who has been bothered by back spasms, was the only other New York regular to take the day off. Wright allowed three runs, three hits and five walks in 3 1-3 innings.

He left after Bill Mueller homered and Tony Graffanino walked starting a five-run fourth. Johnny Damon singled and, one out later, David Ortiz got his major league-leading 148th RBI.

The big hit in the inning came from Ramirez, who even hustled around the bases — after his usual pause to watch the ball bounce into the center-field bleachers. It was his 45th homer of the year, matching a career high; he has nine homers and 19 RBIs in his last 12 games.

Ramirez threw out Jeter when he tried to stretch a Wall shot into a double in the first. Jeter slid headfirst into second base and walked off the field gingerly but stayed in the game until the fourth. The Yankees announced that he was taken out so that he could keep his knee iced as a precaution.

“Jeter’s OK,” Torre said. “He was a little gimpy.”

Although the Yankees had a chance to avoid a trip to California after the game, their victory on Saturday deprived the ballpark of the drama of the winner-take-all playoff on Oct. 2, 1978 — exactly 27 years earlier — that Bucky Dent won with his popup into the Green Monster’s net.

Schilling gave up singles to three of the first four hitters, but Jeter was erased on Ramirez’s play and the others were stranded when Hideki Matsui grounded out to first.

Notes: Schilling tied Mickey Lolich on the strikeout list with 2,832. ... The Red Sox hold a 36-35 edge over the Yankees since the start of the 2003 season. They’ve each won one AL pennant. ... Ramirez, who also walked twice, was 17-for-44, a .386 batting average in his last 12 games. ... Ortiz had a single, two walks, a strikeout and ended the season with a .300 batting average (.2995008). ... Rodriguez went 0-for-3 and won the AL home run race over Ortiz 48-47. ... Rodriguez and Jeter finished first and second in runs scored in the AL, the first time the Yankees accomplished that since Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris each scored 132 runs in 1961.

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