A day short of six months after hope began, it ends in Houston, with hope only for the home team.
Statistical note: barring rainouts today (and it doesn't appear there will be any) -- and also barring any wild-card ties after today's action -- every team will wind up with 162 decisions. (It's not 162 games for every team -- the Astros and Reds will have 163, because of a June 30 rain-shortened tie game that was made up as a doubleheader the next day.)
If so, that will be the first time that has happened since 1993.
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You already know what's at stake for Greg Maddux; he hasn't had an under-.500 season since his rookie year, 1987.
I was surprised in reading Oswalt's stats, about how many of his career starts have been against the Cubs -- 16 of 144, 11%, or somewhat more than you'd expect, even given the fact that the Cubs and Astros are division rivals.
Enough talk. Let's go out on a high note.
Discuss amongst yourselves.