Mets Solidify Position for Upcoming September Collapse

Forgive New York fans for celebrating just a bit harder than usual last night. After all, they are coming off a big win on the last Friday before the month-that-shall-not-be-named. Carlos Beltran's dramatic grand slam put his team up by three on the Marlins heading into the bottom of the ninth. The Mets bullpen then shut the door in characteristic fashion...which is to say they allowed four hits and two runs before stranding the winning run at second. The W increased New York's lead in the NL East to two, because... • Keep the Change, Barack ...earlier in the day, the Phillies dropped a 3-2 decision to what I presume is John McCain's favourite Chicago team. Alfonso Soriano homered in the bottom of the seventh to grab the lead and, in true Don Henley fashion, the Cubs didn't look back (you can never look back). Philly fans will be complaining today about a blown call at first that killed a potential seventh-inning rally, but I couldn't find anything about this in the box score. • Won't Someone Put an End to this Small-Market on Small-Market Violence? Wild card? What wild card? The Twins thrashed Oakland 12-2 to inch within a half-game of the AL Central-leading White Sox, who put up a timely goose egg in an 8-0 loss to the Boston Other Sox. Minnesota's J.M. Twins (trademark pending) combined for nine hits, five RBIs, three runs scored, 22,000 tickets sold and one cat saved from a tree. They then jointly adopted the cat, whom they christened "Johan Santana".