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via (@donutsandsoda)

BOOM!!!!! 

Piece, inserted.

The Phillies didn’t gain any ground with their 3-2 win over the Metropolitans last night, but thanks to Ryan Howard’s two-run, two-out ninth inning blast, they kept pace with the Cardinals and everybody else, and will remain four games back of the #FifthandFinal playoff spot.

Here are the current Wild Card standings:

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Howard talked about the home run after the game: [CSN Philly]

“I was struggling, period. There's no secret about it,” Howard said. “Even throughout the entire game today, I struggled trying to catch up to the fastball. My swing was a little long. I just caught up to a fastball and was able to get a big hit.

“Maybe I blacked out. Maybe I ought to black out more often.”

 

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We can’t embed the video of the home run because MLB doesn’t understand social media and 2012. So here’s a link to watch it. Check out pussy magnet Kevin Frandsen at the 1:15 mark showing us his O-face:

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Don’t worry, female readers, that sensation you just experienced is normal. In fact, it’s beautiful. All done? OK, good. Let’s continue.

Tom McCarthy positively butchered the call on the play. The ball was – long – gone when it left Howard's bat, but you would never know that by listening to T-Mac’s warning track, wall routine. The ball landed in the second deck in what is already a massive Citi Field. And – transition! – it’s perfect timing for Lindsey Butler’s video, a Jurassic Park-Tom McCarthy mashup:

Well done.

Finally, the Washington Nationals are running a BOGO on tickets for the stretch run. Feel that Natitude. Feel it.

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via (@PhillyTerp11)