The Phillies finished off their 2011 regular season in style by eliminating the rival Atlanta Braves and finishing the season with a franchise record 102 wins. The Phils win tonight caps off an epic collapse on the part of the Braves, who now go down in history as the only team to blow a lead of at least eight games for a playoff spot in September. Its basically impossible for a Phillies fan to envision a more enjoyable final game of the 2011 regular season.
To make it even more agonizing for Braves fans, Atlanta had a one run lead going into the ninth. However, one time rookie of the year candidate Craig Kimbrel blew the save, his 3rd this month, when Chase Utley hit a sac fly to plate Pete Orr. The misery was prolonged for another four innings until Hunter Pence singled in Brian Schneider to put the Phils up 4-3 in the 13th. David Herndon came on and struck out Chipper Jones (another awesome part of the way this season ended) before getting Freddie Freeman to hit into a double play to end the Braves season.
The Cardinals, who were 10.5 games back in the wildcard on August 26th, routed the Astros 8-0 tonight earning them the NL wildcard and a trip to Philadelphia for the NLDS which starts Friday.