Phuck Yeah

Cole Hamels -- the biggest stud in the NL East this weekend -- pitched lights out Friday night, striking out 13 batters with a filthy fastball and a nasty curve, over eight shutout innings to pull the Philadelphia Phillies into first place.

With a little offensive help from infield duo Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, Ryan Howard's 45th homer and a fielder's choice from Hamels himself, the Phillies blanked the Washington Nationals, 6-0 and took control of the division.

The Phillies were seven games behind the New York Mets after losing to the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 12th, and hadn't been at the top once until they tied the Mets on Thursday night. While the Mets have done everything but win, the Phillies have taken 12 of 15 since then.

It's been fourteen long years, but it's not over yet. The Phils' magic number is two heading into the second game of the final three-game series of the season against the Nats at 2:30pm ET, with Adam Eaton on the hill. The pressure is on, now that the Mets beat the crap out of the Marlins at Shea Stadium this afternoon, 13-0.

[Newsday]