Derrensmouth » New York took control in the second quarter with

MIAMI - For a change, the Marlins wont spend the off-season as cellar dwellers.Clinching an escape from last place, the Marlins rallied in their home finale Thursday to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4. Casey McGehee had three RBIs, including a two-run, tiebreaking double in the seventh inning.The victory ensured the Marlins (76-82) will end a streak of three consecutive last-place finishes in the NL East. The Marlins wound up 42-39 at home, their first winning record since Marlins Park opened in 2012.It was a good way to end the season at home and leave a good taste in your mouth, McGehee said. The futures bright. We took a lot of positive steps this year, and I think the expectations should be high next year. Im looking forward to it.Thanks to a four-run seventh, Tom Koehler (10-10) finally reached double figures in victories for the first time. He had gone winless in his six previous starts despite a 3.50 ERA.The offence picked me up in a huge way, Koehler said. Its amazing how the mood can change in seven minutes.Koehler allowed four runs in seven innings. Steve Cishek pitched a perfect ninth for his 39th save in 43 chances.Philadelphia (72-87) sewed up last place in the division and finished 36-45 on the road.Phillies rookie David Buchanan gave up two runs in 5 1-3 innings and remained without a victory in nine starts since Aug. 10, even though he allowed less than four earned runs in his final 16 starts.I hope I made a good impression, and hope I can take this momentum into spring training and earn a spot, Buchanan said.The Marlins trailed 4-2 before scoring four runs on five hits against Jake Diekman (5-5) in the seventh. An error by third baseman Cody Asche allowed one run to score, and Donovan Solanos single tied the game before McGehee put the Marlins ahead.They scored more than two runs for only the fourth time in 13 games since losing NL home run leader Giancarlo Stanton to a season-ending facial injury.That seventh inning was a huge relief, manager Mike Redmond said. Thats exactly what weve been waiting on. That was an exciting way to finish the year at home.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies 2B Chase Utley has largely avoided needing treatment while missing only seven games at age 35. He has a chance to play in 155 games, his highest total since 2009.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Jerome Williams (6-7, 4.71), who hasnt allowed an earned run in his past two starts, takes the mound for the Phillies when they open their final series of the season Friday at home against Atlanta.Marlins: Top Miami prospect Andrew Heaney (0-3, 5.33) makes his first start since July 5 in the second game of a doubleheader Friday at Washington. RHP Jarred Cosart (4-3, 2.29) pitches for the Marlins in the first game.ROUGH DAY, ROUGH YEARThe Phillies Ryan Howard struck out four times and leads the majors with 188 strikeouts while batting only .219.ATTENDANCEThe Marlins will finish last in the National League in attendance for the ninth time in 10 years at 1.7 million, a per-game average of 21,386. They drew an enthusiastic crowd of 24,259 Thursday.To win the final game and have the crowd behind you feels good, Koehler said. Hopefully they come out again next year and get ready for a little bit longer season. Nmd r1 Uk Sale .The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Adidas Nmd Chukka Outlet .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday. http://www.nmdukonlinestore.com/nmd-chukka-trainers-outlet-deals.html . -- After a year spent travelling the world, Brooks Koepka suddenly is in a position to play a lot more golf at home. Cheap Adidas Nmd Wholesale . -- The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a US$2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation. Ultra Boost Wholesale .com) - Quarterback Cardale Jones will return to Ohio State next season.SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Even against the Western Conferences worst teams, nothing is coming easy for the New York Knicks right now. Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points, J.R. Smith tied a franchise-record with nine 3-pointers and the Knicks held off a furious rally to beat the Sacramento Kings 107-99 Wednesday night and move a game closer to the final playoff seed. "We needed all of them, Ill tell you that," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said, shaking his head in relief. A night after a lacklustre 127-96 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers, the Knicks avoided a monumental collapse to another of the leagues cellar-dwellers. New York led by 24 in the third quarter before Sacramento surged back, and the Knicks needed a scintillating shooting performance from its leading men to snap a two-game skid. Smith scored 29 points on 10-for-19 shooting, including 9 for 12 from long distance. Anthony shot 12 for 21 from the floor and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. "That was big time," Anthony said. New York (30-42) is two games behind Atlanta for the final playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference after the Hawks (31-39) lost 107-83 to Minnesota. DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists to carry the Kings, who played without injured point guard Isaiah Thomas (bruised right quadriceps). Ray McCallum made his first start in Thomas place alongside fellow rookie Ben McLemore, and the two shook off a slow start to bring the Kings back. McCallum had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. McLemore scored 16. But New York outshot Sacramento 54.8 per cent to 47.8 per cent and finished 15 for 26 from 3-point range. "The 3-point line killed us," Kings coach Michael Malone said. "You have J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony, thats going to be tough to beat." About the only thing that kept the Kings close most of the night-- besides Cousins -- was free throws. Sacramento shot 27 for 35 on free throws, while New York finished 12 for 13. Sacramento scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter and finished with a flurry of highlights to give the Knicks a scare. Cousins three-point play overr Amare Stoudemire trimmed New Yorks lead to 96-94 with 4:30 remaining, sending most of the announced crowd of 15,494 roaring to their feet.dddddddddddd Smith answered with a 3-pointer, and Tyson Chandler came back with a dunk to put the Knicks up 101-94. After McCallum made two free throws, Anthonys 15-footer with 1:36 to play sent a cluster of fans to the exits, and the rest soon followed. "We know what they wanted to do," Cousins said, "but we have to go out there and execute." The Knicks already assured themselves of a losing season with an embarrassing loss in Los Angeles on Tuesday night with new team president Phil Jackson in attendance. The former Lakers coach, a longtime nemesis of Kings fans, was nowhere to be found in Sacramento on this night. Not that the Knicks shouldve needed Jacksons presence to get by a rebuilding Kings team that is far from the franchise he often led the Lakers past in the playoffs during Sacramentos glory years. New York took control in the second quarter with 20-6 run highlighted by defence and dunks. Chandler capped the spurt with an alley-oop from Smith that put the Knicks up 54-38. Anthony added two 3-pointers to extend New Yorks lead to 74-50 with 6:17 remaining in the third quarter, slapping his headband with his fingers as he backpedaled on defence each time. Smith squashed Sacramentos final rally by making all three of his 3-point attempts in the fourth, moving the Knicks playoffs hopes back in the right direction. "Ive been to (the playoffs) the last four or five years now, and to be home watching it on TV is not going to be any fun," Woodson said. "So Im desperately pushing these guys to try and get em in there, because then a new season starts and anything is possible." NOTES: The teams split the two-game season series, with each winning on the others home floor. ... The last time the Kings started rookies in the backcourt was when Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette started in a loss to Houston on April 8, 2012. ... New Yorks five-game road trip resumes Friday at Phoenix. ... Sacramento begins a three-game trip at Oklahoma City on Friday. ' ' '