PHILADELPHIA —Believe it, Philly. The Fightin’ Phils are going to the playoffs.

Considered all-but-out of contention just 2 1/2 weeks ago, the Philadelphia Phillies overcame a huge deficit in the standings, caught the Mets and won their first NL East title since 1993 on the final day. Ryan Howard hit his 47th homer, 44-year-old Jamie Moyer pitched 5.1 gutsy innings and the Phillies, backed by a crowd going crazy, beat Washington 6-1 Sunday to end a 14-year playoff drought.

Reliever Brett Myers tossed his glove underhanded straight in the air and jumped off the mound after striking out Wily Mo Pena to end it. Pat Burrell ran out of the dugout and hugged Myers and everyone piled on.

“All I wanted to do was tackle Brett,” Burrell said. “This has been an incredible ride and we’ve got to keep going.”

The Phillies also needed help up I-95, and got it from Florida. The Marlins beat the Mets 8–1 to ensure there wouldn’t be a tie-breaker playoff game today.

The Phillies rallied from seven games down on September 12, matching the biggest September comeback in major league history. Philadelphia and the Mets went into the last day tied for the division lead.

Now, the Phillies advance to the postseason for only the 10th time in their history. They’ll host Game 1 of the first round against an undetermined opponent, most likely starting Wednesday.

“With everything that’s going on this year, the people that have doubted us and counted us out, now we’re here,” Howard said. “We’re going to celebrate right now and get ready for Wednesday. There’s only one more celebration to try and go for now and that’s the whole thing.”

Somehow it seems fitting the Phillies enjoy success the same season they became the first team in professional sports to lose 10,000 games.

“You can’t put it in to words,” center fielder Aaron Rowand said. “Nobody gave us a chance. I think it shows the character of the guys on this team and how together this team is. No matter what the stakes are, we’re never going to quit. It’s paid off for us this year.”

* * *

The Colorado Rockies late-season surge set up one wild finish.

The Rockies will face San Diego in a one-game tiebreaker for the NL wild-card spot, forcing the playoff with a 4–3 win yesterday over the NL West champion Arizona Diamondbacks.

A single by Matt Holliday set up the Rockies’ go-ahead, three-run burst in the eighth inning, then closer Manny Corpas held off Arizona’s two-run rally in the ninth. It was the Rockies’ 13th win in 14 games. San Diego and Colorado will play today at Coors Field for the final playoff spot in the majors.

The Padres, who missed a chance to clinch the slot by losing their last two games at Milwaukee, plan to pitch ace Jake Peavy. The Rockies have not said who will start for them.

This will be baseball’s first one-game playoff since 1999, when the Mets beat Cincinnati 5-0 for the NL wild card.