Round numbers are easier to remember, and forty games over .500 is so rare in the Phillies' history that I thought it worth looking at how this team arrived there - and how the other teams that came near to that point also fared.

April - 18-8
Longest winning streak: 5 games (4/20-4/24)
Longest losing streak: 2 games, twice (4/18-4/19 & 4/25-/4/26)
Starters wins: Halladay 4, Lee 2, Hamels 3, Oswalt 3, Blanton 0, Worley 1

May - 16-13
Longest winning streak: 4 games (5/25-5/28)
Longest losing streak: 4 games (5/14-5/17)
Starters wins: Halladay 3, Lee 2, Hamels 4, Oswalt 0, Blanton 1, Worley 1, Kendrick 1

June - 17-10
Longest winning streak: 7 games (6/10-6/16)
Longest losing streak: 4 games (5/31-6/4)
Starters wins: Halladay 3, Lee 5, Hamels 2, Oswalt 1, Worley 1, Kendrick 1

July - 17-8
Longest winning streak: 5 games (7/19-7/24)
Longest losing streak: 2 games (7/27-7/28)
Starters wins: Halladay 3, Lee 1, Hamels 3, Worley 4, Kendrick 1

August - 18-7
Longest winning streak: 9 games (7/29-8/6)
Longest losing streak: 2 games (8/24-8/26)
Starters wins: Halladay 3, Lee 5, Hamels 1, Oswalt 2, Worley 2, Kendrick 1

Overall record: 86-46
1976 at end of August: 83-47 Finished 40 games over .500. 101-61
1977 at end of August: 81-50 Finished 40 games over .500. 101-61
1993 at end of August: 82-50 High point was 35 games over .500
2010 at end of August: 74-58 High point was 33 games over .500

As best as I can figure, 41 games over .500 in late August of 1976 (82-41 & 83-42) is the most games over .500 by any Phillies team. (This has been confirmed by media reports and the Elias Sports Bureau.)