PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howards farewell game with the Philadelphia Phillies was filled with standing ovations and ended with a win.Cesar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, and the Phillies beat the playoff-bound New York Mets 5-2 on Sunday.Howard, the last player remaining from the 2008 World Series championship team, was honored in a pregame ceremony. The Phillies are planning to pay Howard a $10 million buyout instead of exercising a $23 million club option for 2017.Its amazing the appreciation from the organization and the fans, Howard said. To have it recognized, itll live with me forever.Howard, who turns 37 next month, thanked fans and the organization and saluted teammates in an emotional speech. The 2006 NL MVP choked up a few times and fought back tears when he told the crowd: My family has grown with all of you.Howard was 0 for 4, but he received several standing ovations and got a curtain call after popping out in the eighth. He finished the season with a .196 batting average and hit 25 homers, tying Maikel Franco for the team lead.Howard got a final ovation after Tommy Joseph replaced him to start the ninth. He embraced Joseph near first base while Phillies and Mets players clapped. Howard then walked through the dugout and hugged everyone before coming out to wave to fans.I didnt know what to expect, Howard said. Seeing the people and the videos, it hit me all at once. It was great. Philadelphia will always be home.Howard isnt ready to call it a career, especially after a strong finish -- he hit .267 with 11 homers and 29 RBI in only 101 at-bats from Aug. 1 on.I know theres more in the tank, he said. Ill know when its time.The defending NL champion Mets clinched the top wild-card spot on Saturday and will play the Giants at Citi Field on Wednesday.Manager Terry Collins gave most of his regulars a day off and ace Noah Syndergaard was pushed back to start the wild-card game.Were really excited, Collins said. Its great for the fans and our guys are pumped up.Mets starter Gabriel Ynoa allowed one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Defensive miscues cost New York in the seventh.Andres Blanco started the inning against Erik Goeddel (2-2) with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored the tying run on a double error by first baseman Lucas Duda, who booted pinch hitter Cody Asches grounder and then threw it wild to first.Hernandez ripped a single to right to make it 3-2 and Jimmy Paredes followed with a sacrifice fly for a 4-2 lead.Franco was 4 for 4, including an RBI single in the third that gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead.Colton Murray (1-1) pitched one inning in relief of Jerad Eickhoff to earn his first career win despite allowing a run. Hector Neris finished for his second save.The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the seventh when Kevin Plawecki lined a double to right-center. The ball initially froze center fielder Odubel Herrera, who couldnt recover in time to track it down.Matt Reynolds hit a double with two outs in the sixth and scored on Alejandro De Azas single to tie it at 1-1.ONTO THE NEXT ONEThe Mets have won at least one series in each of their last four trips to the postseason.STARTING TIMEEickhoff gave up one run and four hits, striking out eight in six innings. He finished the season 11-14 with a 3.65 ERA.BABY STEPSThe Phillies improved their win total from 63 in 2015 to 71. They have missed the postseason five straight seasons after winning the NL East title five consecutive years from 2007-11.UP NEXTSyndergaard (14-9, 2.60 ERA) was 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in four postseason appearances last year, including three starts. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Cheap China Jerseys . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. http://www.wholesalecheapnflchinajerseys.com/ .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. NFL Jerseys China . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. Wholesale China Jerseys . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers forward Deshawn Freeman and coach Steve Pikiell had some discussions about Freemans zero-rebound effort against Niagara, and whatever was said made a difference.Freeman followed up with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Rutgers defeated North Texas 66-53 in the Scarlet Knight Showcase on Wednesday night.I had no energy (against Niagara), said Freeman, who got his third double-double of the season. Grabbing rebounds gives me a lot of energy.Nigel Johnson and Mike Williams had 10 points each as the Scarlet Knights moved to 5-0 for the first time since 2000-01.Shane Temara had a career-high 16 points for the Mean Green (1-3), who lost their third straight. Deckie Johnson added 13 points and seven rebounds. North Texas played without second-leading scorer Jeremy Combs, who was resting a sore ankle.Trailing 25-24, Rutgers scored seven straight to start the second half and take the lead for good. Leading 43-40, the Scarlet Knights put it away with an 18-2 run to go up 61-42 with 2:52 remaining.The win was keyed by a hard-nosed defensive effort, which Pikiell preaches.I know you would say this game was a little bit ugly but I think it was beautiful, Pikiell said. We couldnt score and it didnt matter.North Texas coach Tony Benford liked how his team hung tough while playing short-handed.I thought we played hard, he said. We are down five scholarship guys. When we get our whole team back, we will be very competitive.BIG PICTURENorth Texas: The Mean Green allowed a season-low in points by holding Rutgers to 36.5 percent shooting (23 of 63), but only shot 33.3 percent (19 of 57) and were outrebounded 53-38. We wanted tto do everything we could to control tempo and stay in the game, Benford said.dddddddddddd I thought we did that early on, but we couldnt keep them off the glass.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have not defeated a team with a winning record yet, but their best start in 16 years earned them one vote in the AP poll. Rutgers has not been ranked since it finished No. 18 in the final poll of 1978-79. We dont talk about that, we talk about the team were playing and what we need to do, Pikiell said. People look at records, I look at tape. Rutgers entered the game among the national leaders in offensive rebounding (fifth, 18.25), rebounding margin (seventh, 18.5), and total rebounds (ninth, 48.5).GOOD AND BADThe 66 points tied a season-low for Rutgers and the 53 were the least it allowed this season.UGLY OFFENSERutgers made its first 3-pointer then missed 13 straight and finished 3 for 20 from behind the arc. North Texas had eight shots blocked, including five by Candido Sa.PLEASED TO MEET YOUThis was the first meeting between the two schools, and it left North Texas 1-10 against Big Ten competition.PIKIELL PERFECTAt 5-0, Pikiell continued to add to the best start for a Scarlet Knights coach beginning his tenure.UP NEXTNorth Texas: The Mean Green hosts Niagara on Friday to kick off a five-game homestand. North Texas plays nine of its first 12 games at home.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights host Hartford Friday, and will attempt to go 6-0 for the first time since 1975-76, when the schools lone Final Four team won its first 31 games. ' ' '