New York's loss coupled with Philadelphia's 6-1 win over Washington gave the division title to the Phillies and sent the stunned Mets home for the winter wondering how they squandered a seven-game cushion over the final 18 days of an excruciating season.

Now, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez and the rest of this talented team will forever be remembered alongside the 1964 Phillies and other famous failures for skidding to one of baseball's most monumental collapses.

No major league team had owned a lead of seven games or more with 17 to play, or been up by at least seven on Sept. 12 or later, and failed to finish in first place.

New York's meltdown also matched the blown largest in September. The 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates (Sept. 1) and 1934 New York Giants (Sept. 6) also led by seven games in the final month only to tailspin.

The Mets topped the NL East by seven games after play on Sept. 12 and appeared a lock to wrap up consecutive division titles for the first time in franchise history.

Then everything fell apart.

The Phillies authored a three-game sweep at Shea Stadium from Sept. 14-16 — giving them wins in the final eight meetings between the teams this year — and the Mets never recovered.

Doomed by inadequate starting pitching and a leaky bullpen that looked exhausted down the stretch, New York lost 12 of its last 17 games, committing 21 errors in the process.

Luis Castillo struck out to end New York's latest lackluster defeat against a second-division club, prompting perhaps the final round of boos at Shea Stadium this year.