JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- For the second straight year, the New York Mets will enter the final day of the regular season in contention for a wild card berth.

A scenario that seemed unlikely two days ago became reality when New York's Rick Reed blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-0, tonight, hours after the Milwaukee Brewers topped the Cincinnati Reds, 10-6.

The Mets (95-66), in search of their first postseason appearance since 1988, moved into a tie with the Reds for the fourth and final playoff berth in the National League.

"I'm proud of the guys. We needed a little help and we got it," New York manager Bobby Valentine said. "I think it's our time to get hot and the breaks are starting to come our way."

The Mets' postseason hopes appeared remote Thursday night after they lost to the Atlanta Braves in 11 innings and fell two games behind both Cincinnati and the Houston Astros. But help came from the Brewers, who defeated the Reds each of the last two days while the Mets won for the third time in four games tonight.

In fact, the Mets are in an even better position than last season, when they entered the final day one game behind the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants for the wild card. But New York completed the collapse by losing at Atlanta, their fifth straight defeat. The Cubs and Giants both lost and needed a one-game playoff the following day that was won by Chicago.

New York appeared on the verge of another season-ending swoon, but has managed to bounce back from a seven-game slide. The Mets are trying to join the 1962 Giants as the only teams to overcome two games in the standings with three remaining.

Reed was the difference tonight, tossing a three-hitter and striking out a career-best 12 for his fourth career shutout.

If the Mets defeat Pittsburgh in Sunday's series finale, they are assured of no worse than being involved in a one-game playoff on Monday afternoon. Former Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser, shelled by the Braves on Tuesday, will start Sunday for the Mets.

The Houston Astros (96-65) lead the Reds by one game in the NL Central after Jose Lima pitched 7 2/3 innings in a 3-0 blanking of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Should the Mets and Reds win Sunday and the Astros lose, New York would win the wild card and Cincinnati and Houston would meet Monday for the Central Division title.

The Astros will start 21-game winner Mike Hampton on Sunday in the final regular season game at the Astrodome.

The Brewers chased Juan Guzman after 2 1/3 innings today and took advantage of a pair of errors to score seven times in the third against the reeling Reds.

"We're still in this thing and we still have a chance. We just have to find a way to win this thing," Reds outfielder Greg Vaughn said. "I'm not going to go home and beat myself (up) over it. If we don't win tomorrow, it doesn't matter what the other teams do."

Former Met Pete Harnisch will start for the Reds Sunday against Cal Eldred.

The world champion New York Yankees assured themselves of homefield advantage throughout the American League playoffs tonight with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

"It's something we wanted to get, but we still have to win on the road," said Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. "But it's definitely good to open at home and have a potential deciding game at home."

New York (98-63) will begin the Division Series on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium against either the Texas Rangers or Cleveland Indians. The Yankees beat both in the 1998 playoffs en route to the franchise's 24th World Series title.

New York clinched the AL East title for the third time in four years at Baltimore Thursday night.

The AL Central champion Indians (97-64) had a chance to secure at least the second-best record in the AL but lost to Toronto, 7-3, this afternoon. Cleveland still can clinch the second-best record with one more win or a loss by West champion Texas (95-65) at Anaheim tonight or Sunday.

Should the Rangers and Indians finish tied, the Rangers would win the tie-breaker and face the Boston Red Sox in the Division Series beginning Wednesday.

The Red Sox claimed the wild card with a win over the White Sox in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Boston has earned consecutive playoff berths for the first time since 1915-16. A World Series title has eluded the franchise since 1918.

The NL East champion Braves (102-59) clinched home field throughout the NL playoffs with Thursday's win over the New York Mets. Atlanta has captured an unprecedented eight straight division titles.

Last week, the Arizona Diamondbacks (99-61) secured the NL West in only their second year. The Diamondbacks broke the mark of the 1995 Colorado Rockies, who made the playoffs as a wild card team in their third season. Arizona has wrapped up the No. 2 spot and will open the postseason at BankOne Ballpark.