Sox earn their party

For all the right reasons, the Red Sox got back to drinking beer in the clubhouse last night.

Champagne, too.

A four-year postseason drought that included two of the sorriest Red Sox seasons in recent memory ended with a joyous, raucous and drenching celebration as the Red Sox let their beards down to celebrate their first AL East title in six years in front of 37,215 fans who look to be back in mad love with their team again. The Red Sox never trailed, holding on for a 6-3 victory over the Blue Jays. With the best record in baseball, the 94-61 Red Sox are in the driver’s seat for home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Three Septembers have come and gone since the last playoff appearance, with the club bottoming out with a last-place finish a year ago. This one felt like a long time coming.

“It doesn’t seem like yesterday — it’s kind of like riding a bike, you don’t really forget how to spray champagne,’’ said Jon Lester, whose 100th career win was just the latest in what has been a standout second half. “It’s a great night. All the guys that have been here the last three years have been through a lot of ups and downs and downs and ups. I hope those guys really let this soak in, sit back and enjoy it.’’

Among the group of pitchers who took heat for drinking beers in the clubhouse during September 2011, Lester was the only one to apologize and take responsibility for poor choices. All season, he and other veterans with bruised pride backed up a missing winning tradition with actions that led to win after win after win, with no losing streak longer than three games all season.

Last night, every facet of the balanced team was on display: a strong start by Lester (seven innings, five hits, one run, two walks, eight strikeouts), timely hitting (three RBI from Mike Carp), good defense and good enough relief pitching.

Lester put the finishing touches on his superb second-half campaign — 5-2, 1.80 ERA in his last nine starts — that will more than likely mean he’ll be on the mound Oct. 4 for Game 1 of the Division Series.

“Any time you can have that stability from a homegrown guy who ironically enough nails down his 100th win tonight himself, there’s a lot of things that have come together this season and tonight’s another one,’’ said manager John Farrell.

The celebration was spirited and very wet, with the clubhouse spray-and-hug scene eventually moving onto the field where players and their families danced and drank and hugged some more, in front of a few hundred or so fans.

In between beer can punts into the crowd, team leader Jonny Gomes expressed the dynamic he encountered in his first year with the Sox.

“Since the days of spring training, obviously it took more than 25 guys but 25 baseball junkies, just playing ball the right way,’’ he said. “I know the core guys here, I know Pedey, and Ells and Big Papi and they were not going to allow last year to happen again.”

Gomes spoke with a soldier’s helmet on his head.

“It’s time to put your hard hat on,” said Gomes. “It’s definitely not done. This is going to be for 24 hours but it’s been about seven months in the waiting so we’re definitely going to celebrate this one.”

As the players celebrated what they always felt could come to them, Gomes issued a challenge to fans who might still be on the fence.

“I don’t think we’re too concerned about that but there is room on the bandwagon if people want to jump on,’’ he said.