the finish line

Tommy Hanson, the former Mississippi Braves ace, made his last start of the season for Atlanta on Thursday night (no decision in a 2-1 defeat vs. Washington) and thus closed his case for National League rookie of the year honors. He’s got a strong one. He went 11-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 21 starts and was a big reason the Braves made a late run at the playoffs. That should count for something. Of course, Ole Miss alumnus Chris Coghlan emerged as a .300 hitter in the leadoff spot for Florida and helped the Marlins stay in the race until the final week, as well. Coghlan went 4-for-9 with three runs in Florida’s wins over Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday, losses that severely damaged Atlanta’s chances of catching Colorado. … Though it was a meaningless game for playoff-bound Philadelphia, it might be a sign of trouble that former Meridian Community College star Cliff Lee continued to stumble down the stretch in a loss to Houston on Thursday. Lee started 5-0 with Philly after coming over from Cleveland. He is 2-4 with a 6.13 ERA since then. … What a weird series Boston experienced against Toronto early this week. First, the Blue Jays swept the three games at Fenway and hit 13 homers in the process. On Tuesday night, when Adam Lind came to the plate looking for his record-tying fourth homer of the game, former Mississippi State star Jonathan Papelbon plunked him on the elbow with apparent intent, though he wasn’t ejected. On Wednesday, Roy Halladay baffled the BoSox on three hits in a 12-0 rout. Hattiesburg native Joey Gathright, whose primary role has been pinch runner since Boston recalled him, got two of those hits, including a sixth-inning single that broke up the no-hitter. … Minnesota won Thursday’s beanball-marred series finale at Detroit and thus remained in the fight for the American League Central title, 2 games out with three left. The Twins won 8-3 despite making four errors (one by ex-Rebel Matt Tolbert, in as a defensive replacement at third base). It was a class act by Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, the former Jackson Met, to apologize to the Tigers for pitcher Jose Mijares inexplicably throwing at Adam Everett in the eighth inning. The Tigers retaliated by hitting Delmon Young. Though Young was visibly upset, possibly at Mijares, Gardenhire said the Tigers did what they needed to do in that situation.