Top News:
Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Phils trim NL East magic number to one — Howard's homer, Utley's double back Blanton's solid effort — PHILADELPHIA — The ball seared through the mist, rising quickly into the black sky as it went, illuminated only by stadium lights and thousands of white rally towels.
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Associated Press:
Howard goes deep, Phillies edge closer to NL East title — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ryan Howard hit his major league-leading 48th homer, Joe Blanton pitched six effective innings and the Philadelphia Phillies moved closer to clinching the NL East title with an 8-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
Bill Conlin / Philly.com:Brace yourself for wild weekend in baseball's homestretch
Discussion:
Bats
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 160: Yankees at Red Sox — YANKEES (87-72) — RED SOX (94-65) — Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 1.38) has never faced any of the Boston hitters. — Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-2, 2.80) vs. the New York hitters. — Notes: The Yankees have won seven of eight and 10 of their last 12. ...
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Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Hart, Weeks send Crew atop Wild Card — Mets lose to Fish; Brewers can clinch playoff spot Saturday — MILWAUKEE — At some point on Saturday morning, a local liquor store will deliver 20 cases of champagne and 20 cases of beer to Miller Park's home clubhouse. — Now it's up to the Brewers to pop the cork.
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Pat Borzi / New York Times:
Brewers Take Lead in Wild Card — MILWAUKEE — The last time the Chicago Cubs faced the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, on July 31, the capacity crowd was so full of Cubs fans that Chicago center fielder Jim Edmonds received a standing ovation after his second home run of the day.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Rays crowned AL East champions — Club clinches division after Red Sox lose to Yanks at Fenway — DETROIT — Anticlimactic, maybe, but take nothing away from the Rays — the 2008 American League East champions. — After taking a 6-4 loss to the Tigers on Friday night in front of a crowd …
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Associated Press:
Rays clinch AL East despite loss — DETROIT (AP)—The wait is over. — The Tampa Bay Rays won their first AL East title late Friday night when the Boston Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees. The Rays lost 6-4 to the Detroit Tigers earlier and had to sit through the rain-delayed Boston loss before celebrating their championship.
Mike Nichols / MetsBlog.com:
postGame: Marlins 6 Mets 1 — The Mets lost to the Marlins by the score of 6 to 1 tonight at Shea Stadium. — For a recap, boxscore and stats, click here. — Now I'm wishing it rained. — The Marlins mean business and completely throttled the Mets from the start tonight.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:Marlins put Mets' playoff hopes in peril
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Rick Gano / Associated Press:
ChiSox lose fourth straight, stay in 2nd — CHICAGO (AP)—A missed opportunity and a sloppy performance left the White Sox in second place and had manager Ozzie Guillen as frustrated as he's been all season. — “That's the only thing I hear, ‘We have a chance.’ We don't have a chance …
Geoff Baker / Mariners Blog:
Bedard: no labrum tear, could start season on-time — It looks like Erik Bedard is not as bad off as had initially been feared. He underwent surgery today to remove a cyst in his shoulder area and also to have “a minor labral debridement.” — But a medical update issued by the team …
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Liriano roughed up in blowout loss — Twins maintain half-game lead as White Sox fall as well — MINNEAPOLIS — After pulling off their biggest win of the season on Thursday night against the White Sox, the Twins' veteran players tried everything to assure that the club wouldn't suffer …
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Latest “This is SportsCenter” Ad to Feature Stephen King — User Rating: / 1 — PoorBest — Is it because the Red Sox are headed to another postseason, or that Halloween is around the corner? — Starting Monday the 29th, the latest ESPN “This is SportsCenter” …
Associated Press:
Sheets will toe mound for Brewers against Cubs — MILWAUKEE — Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets will start Saturday against the Cubs despite a sore elbow that forced him to leave his last appearance on Sept. 17 against Chicago. — Sheets says he's ready to pitch and he feels like his arm is ready to let him return to the mound.
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse
Associated Press:
Mariners hint they may hire woman as next GM — SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said his team is vetting a wide range of general manager candidates, pointedly leaving open the possibility of Seattle hiring the first female general manager in major league history.
