While a great amount of focus is being placed on the playoff hunt (as it should be) and the back and forth nature of the tops teams in each division, it is easy to sometimes overlook some of the more exhilarating games that happen between the teams not destined for postseason. Sure, the Red Sox are still leading the A.L. wild card berth and are closing in on division leaders Tampa Bay; the Cubs are still playing solid team ball and holding their lead in the N.L. Central; the Twins and Sox are locked in a war of attrition for A.L. Central; and the Angels have basically been playoff bound for over a month now. But, in the lower echelon of the N.L. East last night there was a wild game to say the least. The matchup between the Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves (3rd and 4th respectively) was certainly not a pitcher’s day. In the end, the 16-14 score more closely resembled the final score for a football game or R.B.I. Baseball for Nintendo. The game’s first run came on the fourth pitch via a homerun shot tallied by Josh Anderson, and featured 6 lead changes and 36 hits en route to its ninth inning finale where the Braves scored 2 runs and the Marlins were unable to answer back. Florida answered backed in the bottom of the 1st with 3 runs scored then went silent for silent until the bottom of the fourth. During their silence Atlanta tallied up nine more runs, 5 in the 3rd and 4 in the 4th. It would have seemed that the normally low scoring Marlins were destined for another indolent defeat until their 6-run 4th inning and 4-run 5th inning. In the end, however, the Braves rallied back to take the lead in the sixth, be tied again in the 8th, and then win it in the 9th. The whole matchup was a crazy affair with the excitement and action of a big playoff game. If the bar is set this high at the 3rd/4th place level, just wait to see what October has in store for all you baseball fans.