Salisbury: Phillies raise NL East Championship flag, set sights on getting John Middleton’s trophy back

So, the Phillies whiffed (20 strikeouts) on their first two chances to lock up the National League East title over the weekend in New York. Look at the bright side, though: It gave them the opportunity to share the accomplishment with 42,386 of their best friends back home in Philadelphia.
For weeks upon weeks, the Phillies seemed destined for this moment. They took over first place in the division back on May 3, before the leaves had even fully popped on the trees. They opened a 10-game lead on June 11, just as the kids were about to get out of school. The lead got cut in half a few times in the heat of the summer, and again this weekend with those two losses in New York.
But on a cool Sout...