Phillies Magic Number: 1!

Never. A. Doubt. Last night, our Fightin’ Phils clinched at least a tie for the the NL East title with an 8-4 victory over the Washington Nationals and a Mets’ loss to Florida. (Thanks, guys!) Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer and Chase Utley hit a bases-loaded double to life the Phils.

A win today at 4 pm over the Nats (on FOX) would give the Phillies a second straight division title. A Mets loss would do the same. So would a win or a Mets loss on Sunday.

The Phillies won 90 games for only the 12th time in their 126-year history. The Phils haven’t won consecutive division titles since the 1980 World Series win and the first half of the strike-shortened 1981 season. (The only other time the Philadelphia National League baseball club strung together division crowns was when it won three in a row from 76-78. The Phils have won the NL East eight times since baseball began divisional play in 1969.)

The Mets are now actually a game back in the Wild Card as well, as the Brewers won last night. Everything’s kind of going right for the Phillies right now; there’s even a dude on Arizona with more strikeouts than Ryan Howard. But if the Mets miss the playoffs! Ha, ha–Oh, let’s not count our eggs before they’re hatched (and all in one basket). Now go win a second straight division title, Phillies. For the first time in my life. Uncle Cholly, we never doubted you.