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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Phillies clinched their
first National League East title since 1993 with a victory over
Washington on Sunday as the New York Mets completed a monumental
collapse.
Jamie Moyer tossed 5 1/3 effective innings and
Ryan Howard homered and drove in three runs as the Phillies defeated
the Nationals 6-1 in their regular season finale.
The triumph, coupled with the Mets’ 8-1 loss
to the Florida Marlins, gave the Phillies their first NL East
division title since their NL pennant-winning season in 1993.
The Mets’ fate was sealed when starter Tom
Glavine could not get out of the first inning.
Cody Ross and Dan Uggla both had a two-run
double in the opening frame as the Marlins tagged Glavine for seven
runs.
The Mets lost for the 12th time in 17 games,
completing one of the most colossal collapses in major league
history.
The Mets held a seven-game lead with 17 games
left on September 12. No team with that big a lead with as many
games left failed to finish in first place. New York also lost nine
of its last 10 home games.
In Philadelphia, Jimmy Rollins continued to be
an offensive catalyst with two runs scored and a triple—his 20th
of the season for the Phillies, who celebrated around the
pitcher’s mound after Brett Myers struck out Wily Mo Pena looking
for the final out.
Myers tossed his glove skyward and players,
coaches and manager Charlie Manuel were all soon gathered around the
mound area.
--AFP
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