71.   The Yankees have served notice that, like the Braves, they are prepared to take command of the division race and win it going away.

72.   They are the San Diego Padres, and welcome them, unexpectedly as it may be, to the wackiest division race in the major leagues.

73.   They almost sank themselves out of a division race in April.

74.   They trail the Rockies by a game in the division race and had their lead over idle Houston cut to two games in the NL wild-card hunt.

75.   They were in second place in the division race, four games behind the Astros.

76.   They are back in the division race.

77.   This also, after all, was a day for big-time baseball stars, a division race and a tense, emotional game between contenders.

78.   This division race will stretch until the last day of the regular season.

79.   This was a three-game set the Cubs had hoped to use as a springboard to get back into the division race.

80.   This year Key just might make the difference in the division race.