The Phillies are NL East champs for the 5th straight year!

For the 5th year in a row, the Phillies are NL East Champions!  A great start by Roy Oswalt and an offensive explosion in the bottom of the 8th sealed the deal as the Phillies beat the Cardinals, 9-2, and clinched the division faster than they ever have in their history.  It is also the 11th NL East division title, tying them with the Braves for the most titles since the NL East was formed in 1969.

All that is left now for the Phillies is to clinch the best record in the NL and that will give them a homefield advantage in every series because the National League won the All-Star Game.  While their goal will certainly be to have the best record in baseball, and the most wins in team history, expect the regulars to have plenty of rest down the stretch as the Phillies gear up for another postseason.  With the big three pitchers and an offense that has awoken in the second half of the season, everything seems lined up for an exciting October.  What a time to be a Phillies fan!