DETROIT, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Bill Mueller and Albert Pujols won batting titles Sunday as the regular season of the 2003 major league baseball campaign closed.
Pujols, who owns nearly every offensive record for a player over his first three years in the majors, edged Todd Helton of Colorado for the National League crown.
In the American League, Mueller batted .326 and edged teammate Manny Ramirez (.325), last year's winner, and New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (.324).
Also, Detroit beat Minnesota, 9-4, to avoid matching the 1962 New York Mets' record of 120 losses in a season.
"There's definitely a sense of relief," said Tigers manager Alan Trammell.
In other notables, there were stadium closings in Philadelphia and San Diego, Alex Rodriguez of Texas and the Phillies' Jim Thome won the home run titles, Toronto's Carlos Delgado and Colorado's Preston Wilson on the RBI crowns, Roy Halladay led the majors with 22 wins, and Eric Gagne of Los Angeles set a record with 55 consecutive saves.
