Christine's secret

After the Phillies finished off the Braves 6-2 tonight in their typical late-season thrilling fashion, I asked Christine if she would finally be comfortable with the likely 2.5-game lead over the Mets. After some pressing, she finally wiggled four fingers at me. It took me a minute to figure out she was indicating the magic number. Evidently, she's been keeping track for days - back when the Phillies were in second place and needed a combination of 14 Phillies wins and Mets losses to repeat as division champs. I was stunned that she was able to keep that from me for this long. She didn't want to jinx it. {I still don't want to jinx it. I'm blaming Greg if they blow it.}

Greg Golson has played in three games, but tonight will be considered his debut in Phillies lore. Thanks to another strong outing by J.A. Happ, the score was tied at 2 when Greg Dobbs pinch hit a single to open the 8th. Golson came in to run. After a botched pickoff, Golson motored to third. Then, when Jayson Werth grounded to third, Golson scampered home and had a great slide under the tag.

Pat Burrell put it away with a three-run homer.

In the 9th, Charlie Manuel stood by his word that he wouldn't go to Brad Lidge, so Ryan Madson took his role of making things interesting. After Chipper Jones singled, Brian McCann appeared to hit a homer and Cholly came with the hook for Madson. But then the umpires reversed their call, ruling it a ground-rule double. Madson stranded both runners to end the game.

If you need a downside to the night for the Phillies, the Cubs win over the Mets clinched the top playoff seed for Chicago. Guess the Phils will have to settle for No. 2.

Red Sox: I have a feeling that the Phillies may clinch a playoff spot before the Red Sox. I know they're playing well, it just seems very protracted for a spot they had seemingly wrapped up weeks ago. They lost to the Indians, 4-3, postponing the celebration.

Josh Beckett couldn't get it done - four runs in six innings. Let's hope that's his last clunker of the year and that we soon see playoff Josh. We're now 2.5 behind the Rays, six up on the idling Yankees.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]