Don Mattingly always believed this moment would come, even when others thought his time had passed.

After 14 seasons, 1,785 games and an array of individual awards, Mattingly will finally play in the postseason.

Mattingly ensured it Sunday, hitting a home run that helped the New York Yankees clinch the wild-card spot and their first postseason appearance since 1981 with a 6-1 victory over the Blue Jays at Toronto.

No active major leaguer, and no Yankee in history, has played more games without ever reaching the postseason.

"I know I'd said I would make it someday," he said, somewhat softly. "I never gave up that feeling, that hope. I always felt that way, I had faith."

As soon as the last out was made, Mattingly pounded his fist into his glove. He knelt down in the middle of the diamond, touching the turf with his hand, before hugging and embracing his teammates.

Mattingly, at age 34 and possibly in his last season with New York, joined the Yankees in 1982, the season after they lost the World Series to the Dodgers. He went on to win an MVP award, a batting title and nine Gold Gloves at first base, but seemed destined to join Ernie Banks, Ralph Kiner and Ferguson Jenkins among those who never got an opportunity in October.

Mattingly's solo homer in the fifth was the highlight of New York's fifth consecutive victory and its 11th in 12 games. Sterling Hitchcock (11-10) rewarded Manager Buck Showalter's confidence by pitching the Yankees to their 12th consecutive victory over the Blue Jays this season.

The win ended the Yankees' longest postseason drought since the first 18 years in franchise history. That stretch stopped when Babe Ruth led them to the 1921 World Series. Since then, their longest slump had been from 1965-75. NEWHAN, ROSS

Copyright, The Times Mirror Company; Los Angeles Times, 1995.