With a big divisional lead, lots of depth and injured players regaining their health, Torre may be able to use the season's final four weeks to fine-tune a top-notch roster for the playoffs.

Expos 8, Cardinals 3 Montreal won its sixth straight game and opened the biggest divisional lead of the season in the National League East by beating visiting St. Louis.

Incentive for both - the divisional lead with three games left - is supreme.

The Tigers held at least a share of the divisional lead from then onwards, holding their largest lead of 7 games on September 6.

With the fourth straight loss, the Broncos fell to a 6-4 record as the Chargers improved to a 7-3 record and took the divisional lead.

The bigger their divisional lead gets, the more stunning is the manner in which they increase it.

In September the Mets had 3.5 game divisional lead over the Philadelphia Phillies with 17 games left to play.

But over the six weeks of shooting, they had a 10-9 record to drop into a duel with the Utah Jazz for the divisional lead.

The Raiders own the largest divisional lead in the N.F.L., two games over 5-4 Seattle, and share the best mark in the conference with Pittsburgh.

It is the Orioles' heftiest divisional lead since 1979, and their 38-15 record has rekindled memories of 1969, the last time they sprinted to such a formidable start.