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ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Braves became the first team in major league history to win a division with a losing record at home, suffering a season-ending 4-2 loss to the Florida Marlins. Atlanta, which clinched its 10th straight division title on Friday, finished 40-41 at Turner Field. The Braves posted a 48-33 mark on the road. Despite its struggles at home, Atlanta finished two games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East. But the Braves failed to reach 90 wins in a full season for the first time since 1990. At 88-74, Atlanta finished seven games worse than last season's 95-67 mark. "That's the reason we're in the playoffs, the way we've played on the road," Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said. "I don't think there's any doubt about that. It's fitting that we don't have the home-field advantage. I feel good about it. We can win anywhere." John Mabry snapped a 2-2 tie with a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth inning before Mike Lowell added an RBI single in the ninth as the Marlins (76-86) salvaged the finale of the three-game series. Florida was 79-82 in 2000. Lowell also doubled in two runs in the top of the first to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead. He reached 100 RBI for the first time in his career with the sacrifice fly in the eighth. "I was swinging no matter where and no matter what," Lowell said of his at-bat in the eighth. "It was a 3-1 slider. I started thinking there's no way I'm walking. If it (100 RBI) was attainable, that was my goal." A.J. Burnett (11-12) earned the win, allowing two runs and seven hits over seven innings with a walk and eight strikeouts. Vic Darensbourg tossed a scoreless eighth before Braden Looper recorded the final three outs for his third save in six chances. It marked the final game for Florida manager Tony Perez, who will move into the team's front office next season. "I just wanted to win the last game," Perez said. "I didn't get emotional." Tim Spooneybarger (0-1), the fourth of five Atlanta pitchers, suffered the loss, allowing the run in the eighth. "We got all the pitchers in that we needed to get in and all the hitters some at-bats, which is good," Braves manager Bobby Cox. "Physically, we're ready to go." Damian Moss gave up two runs and just one hit over four innings in his first major league start. He also walked six. Atlanta got back one run on Wes Helms' inside-the-park homer with two outs in the fifth, the Braves' first since Kenny Lofton accomplished the feat at San Diego on May 28, 1997. The ball glanced off the glove of center fielder Eric Owens and rolled into the right-field corner. "When I leave the plate, if it is a single, I am thinking double," Helms said. "If double, I am thinking triple. I always run hard. I don't take anything for granted." The Marlins, however, thought the play should have been ruled an error all the way and took issue with the official scorer. "Unbelievable," Burnett said. "This is the big leagues." Atlanta tied the contest in the sixth on Andruw Jones' sacrifice fly. The Braves threatened in the ninth, putting runners on the corners with one out. But Looper got Steve Torrealba to ground into a game-ending double play.
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