The Phillies gained their first National League East title in 14 years when they beat the Washington Nationals 6-1 and the New York Mets lost to the Florida Marlins 8-1.

"This is a fairytale," Phillies reserve pitcher Kyle Kendrick, who started the season in the minor leagues, told reporters.

The Phillies and the Mets entered the final day of the season tied for the NL East lead, but the Mets quickly fell out of the race when they gave up seven runs in the first inning of the loss to the Marlins.

Colorado kept their playoff hopes alive when they beat the West Division champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3 and the San Diego Padres lost 11-6 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Rockies and Padres will meet in a one-game showdown in Denver on Monday to determine the National League's wildcard entry in the playoffs.

The winner takes on the Phillies in Philadelphia on Wednesday to start the National League division series. The Central Division champion Chicago Cubs play at Arizona in the other NL series.

Ryan Howard staked Philadelphia to a 3-0 lead over Washington with a two-run single in the third inning, then hit his 47th homer of the season as the Phillies came from seven games behind New York on September 12 to claim the championship.

"A lot of people counted us out," Howard told reporters. "That's why they call us the Fightin' Phillies. We're going to celebrate, the whole town of Philadelphia is going to celebrate, but we're going to come back on Wednesday ready to go."

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who predicted in January Philadelphia would win the division, drove in a run with a sixth-inning triple and also had a single.

Rollins' triple made him the fourth player in Major League history to have 20 home runs, 20 triples, 20 doubles and 20 stolen bases in a season.

* The Florida Marlins scored seven runs in the first inning to end the Mets' hopes for the postseason. Veteran Mets pitcher Tom Glavine was rocked for five hits and seven runs before leaving with one out in the first.

* Brad Hawpe's bases-loaded, two-run double in the eighth inning sparked Colorado to a 4-3 home win over Arizona. The win was the 13th in 14 games for the Rockies. Matt Holliday started the Colorado rally with a single and finished the day 1-for-3 to win the National League batting title with a .340 average.

* San Diego blew a 3-0 lead in their loss to Milwaukee. The Padres could have claimed the NL wildcard spot with a win.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina)