51.   But the last three weeks of a baseball pennant race are hard on romance, not to mention smoke and mirrors.

52.   But the more I think about it, the Mets have been caught in a twilight zone between a pennant race and a wild-card race.

53.   But the Mets are in the pennant race because of a balance of powerful offense, enigmatic starting pitching and nearly flawless relief.

54.   But the club desperately desires at least one veteran pitcher to lead an otherwise young starting staff into a possible pennant race.

55.   But Valentine expressed some optimism that the team would stay in the pennant race.

56.   By most measures, the Rangers have been exiled from the pennant race since mid-July.

57.   Call the Astros persistent and perseverant, and heretofore oblivious to the pressures of a budding pennant race.

58.   Chad Fonville might be a rookie, might have been playing Single-A ball last year, might not know what a major-league pennant race is like.

59.   Chipper Jones has been a world champion but has never been part of a real pennant race.

60.   Claire had been seeking a veteran second baseman to help in the pennant race.