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NEW YORK — With many of the greatest names in Mets history set to help close Shea Stadium on the final day of the regular season Sunday, Johan Santana reminded everyone this past week just how legends are made in this city.

Knowing the Mets' dire situation, Santana — who had won Tuesday — walked into the manager's office Thursday and demanded to pitch on short rest for only the second time in his eight-year career. He didn't have to ask twice.

When Jerry Manuel handed him the baseball for Saturday's game against the Marlins, the manager hoped he would never get it back. He didn't.

Santana fired a three-hit shutout, striking out nine, to lead the Mets over the Marlins, 2-0, and then flipped the ball into the stands behind the home dugout. Given the unreliable state of his bullpen, Manuel was happy to see it wind up in the seats rather than in the manager's hands, and later paid his ace the highest compliment.

"Wow, wow, wow, wow," he said. "I think if I had to describe that one, I'd say that was gangsta. That's gangsta. That's serious gangsta right there."

In Manuel-speak, there is no greater praise, and Santana (16-7, 2.53 ERA) did nothing less than save the Mets' season. The Phillies clinched their second straight NL East title with Saturday's win over the Nationals, but the Brewers' loss to the Cubs dropped them into a tie with the Mets in the wild-card race heading into Game No. 162.

"We got life," Carlos Delgado said. "There's hope. We've got something to shoot for."

All because of Santana. After throwing a career-high 125 pitches Tuesday to keep the team's playoff hopes alive, Santana didn't hesitate to return on three days' rest for the first time since Game 4 of the 2004 Division Series against the Yankees.

This one felt every bit as important, and Santana responded by pitching the Mets' first complete game on three days' rest since David Cone in 1990. It was the team's first shutout on short rest since Dwight Gooden did it in 1987.

"That's why we went out and got this guy," general manager Omar Minaya said. "You definitely envision a day like today when you make a deal, when you sign a player like that. But to be honest with you, I never envisioned a day like this on three days' rest."

That's why it was important for Santana to shrug off a 20-pitch first inning and finish with an economical 117 pitches. When he came to bat with one out in the seventh, the crowd of 54,920 gave him the loudest standing ovation to that point.

Santana improved to 9-0 with a 2.09 ERA in his 17 starts since July 4. At Shea, Santana is 6-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his last nine starts.

Phillies clinch

PHILADELPHIA — The Fightin' Phils are going back to the playoffs. Just getting there won't be good enough this time.

Jimmy Rollins made a sliding stop with the bases loaded to start a game-ending double play, and the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their second consecutive NL East title by holding off the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Saturday.

Rollins went to his knees to snare Ryan Zimmerman's sharp grounder toward the middle. He made an accurate flip to second base with his glove and rejoiced when Chase Utley's relay throw completed the double play.

A sellout crowd of 45,177 rocked Citizens Bank Park, waved rally towels and watched the Phillies earn back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 1980-81.