PHOENIX — It took San Diego until the final inning of the final game to lock up the NL West title.

That's fitting, because these Padres have a penchant for doing things the hard way. They watched as Trevor Hoffman, baseball's career saves leader, gave up consecutive home runs yesterday before closing out a 7-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"It's kind of the way it's gone," San Diego manager Bruce Bochy said. "Nothing is easy."

The Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers each finished with 88-74 records, and both teams had already clinched playoff spots. San Diego earned its second straight division title and the Dodgers got the wild card because of the tiebreaker — the Padres went 13-5 against Los Angeles this season.

Tomorrow, the Padres will open the playoffs at home against St. Louis in a rematch from last year that the Cardinals swept. The Dodgers will start the postseason Wednesday at New York.

Hoffman, the major league saves leader with 482, gave up consecutive home runs to Chad Tracy and Conor Jackson. Hoffman wound up with his 46th save in 51 chances.

Woody Williams (12-5) allowed four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings for San Diego.

Brandon Webb (16-8), a Cy Young Award candidate, allowed seven runs in four innings, his shortest start of the season.

"Nothing to take away from the Diamondbacks, I believe we were just meant to win the division," Williams said. "But they gave us all that we could handle and never quit from the word 'go.' "

Dodgers 4, Giants 3: Visiting Los Angeles won what might have been Barry Bonds' final game for San Francisco. After Ramon Martinez hit a tying, two-run double in the sixth inning for the Dodgers, Jason Repko stole a base and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on Julio Lugo's single. Bonds — 21 home runs from tying Hank Aaron's all-time record of 755 — made good with his final swing against the Dodgers, hitting a double in the sixth and then calling it a day. Bonds is not signed for 2007, and hasn't announced his intentions.

Brewers 5, Cardinals 3: St. Louis won its third straight NL Central title despite losing to visiting Milwaukee. The Cardinals, who lost nine of their last 12, avoided perhaps the biggest September collapse in major league history when the Astros were eliminated, losing to the Braves 3-1. The final out in that game came with one out in the bottom of the fifth and the Brewers leading 5-0, prompting a huge ovation from a sellout crowd. Relieved manager Tony La Russa gave congratulatory hugs in the dugout.

Braves 3, Astros 1: Houston, the defending NL champions, came up short in their comeback and were eliminated from the Central race yesterday when John Smoltz pitched six shutout innings for host Atlanta. Smoltz (16-9) gave up six hits and struck out five. He walked three and also hit a batter.

PIrAtes 1, Cincinnati 0: Freddy Sanchez had two hits, and Xavier Nady's third hit of the game drove in the only run as host Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati. Nady's go-ahead hit came in the eighth against Todd Coffey (6-7).

Mets 6, Nationals 2: Frank Robinson was honored before his final game as Washington manager and the visiting Mets tuned up for the playoffs with a victory. David Wright and Shawn Green each had two hits in the second inning, when the Mets scored six runs on nine hits.

Cubs 8, Rockies 5: Juan Pierre hit a go-ahead single in a three-run seventh inning and host Chicago beat the Rockies in what was likely Dusty Baker's final game as manager for the Cubs, who finished last in the National League (66-96). After the game, Cubs president and CEO Andy MacPhail resigned.

Marlins 3, Phillies 2: Jason Wood hit a bases-loaded, one-out infield single in the 11th inning to score the winning run against visiting Philadelphia in what was likely the last game with Florida for manager Joe Girardi who guided the team to a 78-84 record. Marlins starter Dontrelle Willis threw only 19 pitches before leaving with a sore left triceps. Dan Uggla hit his 27th homer.