Infield Single Gives Pujols Batting Title

After all his extra-base hits, Albert Pujols won the closest batting race in National League history thanks to an infield single in the seventh inning.

The St. Louis slugger went two for five to barely hold off Todd Helton, and the Cardinals beat Arizona, 9-5, Sunday at Phoenix.

Pujols finished at .3587 and Helton finished at .3585 for Colorado.

“Can you imagine? You get 590 at-bats and it comes down to one at-bat the last day,” Pujols said.

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Colorado 10, San Diego 8 -- Helton had two hits but was denied a last shot at the batting title when he was intentionally walked by Rod Beck in the top of the eighth inning.

“Obviously I wasn’t too pleased with that last at-bat,” Helton said.

Padre Manager Bruce Bochy, who had been ejected in the seventh inning, apologized to Helton.

“I was out of the game; the coaching staff didn’t know,” Bochy said. “There’s no way we would have done that had we known the situation. It was a shame he didn’t get another shot.”

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Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 2 -- Greg Maddux earned his 289th career victory and the National League East champions clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with the victory in the last game at Veterans Stadium. The Phillies are moving to a new ballpark next season.

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Pittsburgh 3, Chicago 2 -- Jack Wilson’s homer ended a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning at Chicago.

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Florida 4, New York 0 -- Mike Lowell hit a double for the host Marlins in his return from a broken hand.

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Montreal 2, Cincinnati 1 -- Brian Schneider hit a two-run double at Cincinnati.

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Houston 8, Milwaukee 5 -- Jeff Bagwell homered twice for the host Astros.