Yankees 3, Orioles1 (Yanks win series, 3-2)

CC was the difference, but Tex was the signifier. In my car, racing around with erancds during the early innings, somehow when Tex stole second against a Bal'mer team not holding him at all--they were, I later saw, very nearly in "defensive indifference" mode, the kind of posture you take when you're up by nine runs late, not locked in a 0-0 brawl against the best lefthander in the American League with the season on the line--I somehow knew it was over. Thrills and chills in the eighth--ball streaks under Jeter's glove, CC mishandles a bloop combacker--but, overall, huge control. A shame they don't have MVP for the ALDS.