Mets, Braves clinch MLB playoff spots in dramatic doubleheader

The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets both secured their spots in the MLB postseason by splitting Monday’s doubleheader at Truist Park, a dramatic afternoon that featured an instant classic in Game 1.

New York won the opener to clinch their spot first, a wild game that featured three lead changes in the last two innings, Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead home run in the ninth proving the decisive blow.

In a must-win situation after the gut wrenching loss in the opener, Atlanta had to dig deep for Game 2. Grant Holmes got the start after ace Chris Sale was scratched and came through in the clutch, giving up just one hit in four scoreless innings. The Braves bullpen combined for five shutout innings, hanging on for a 3-0 win.

In the wild-card round beginning Tuesday, the Braves will face the San Diego Padres and the Mets will visit the Milwaukee Brewers for the best-of-three series.

Here’s how Monday unfolded in Atlanta

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FINAL: Braves 3, Mets 0 

The Braves bounced back from a crushing loss in the opening game of the doubleheader to clinch their wild-card spot with a 3-0 win in the 162nd game of the season.

Braves add insurance runs: Atlanta leads 3-0 through seven

Needing a win to clinch a postseason spot and clinging to a 1-0 lead, the Braves gave themselves a bigger cushion in the seventh inning, getting a two-run single from Marcell Ozuna.

Game 2: Atlanta leads 1-0 through five

Grant Holmes, Daysbel Hernández and Dylan Lee have combined to keep the Mets scoreless through six innings and have Atlanta nine outs away from securing a spot in the postseason after the crushing loss in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Grant Holmes cruising for Braves, Atlanta leads 1-0 through three

Starter Grant Holmes is giving the Braves exactly what they needed, facing the minimum with six strikeouts through three innings. Holmes had tossed 1 ⅔ innings in Sunday’s loss to the Royals, but was able to come back Monday having thrown only 21 pitches in that outing.

Braves take second-inning lead in Game 2

Gio Urshela hit an RBI single in the bottom of the second off Mets starter Joey Lucchesi to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead in a game that it must win to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

A Braves victory would send Atlanta to San Diego for the wild-card series, with the Mets heading to Milwaukee.

Game 2 underway: Must-win for Braves

The teams had to get right back on the field after the Mets’ stunning win in the first game of the doubleheader that clinched New York’s spot in the postseason. After ace Chris Sale was scratched, Grant Holmes got the start for Atlanta with Joey Lucchesi on the mound for the Mets.

Chris Sale scratched for Braves

Atlanta ace Chris Sale was scratched from starting the second game of Monday’s doubleheader after dealing with back spasms.

The presumed NL Cy Young winner hadn’t pitched since Sept. 19 and was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 29 starts after joining the Braves in an offseason trade with the Red Sox.

FINAL: Mets 8, Braves 7

Edwin Diaz held on in the bottom of the ninth to pick up the postseason-clinching win for the Mets.

Francisco Lindor home run puts Mets back ahead

Francisco Lindor’s two-run homer off Pierce Johnson in the top of the ninth gave the Mets an 8-7 lead. A wild turn of events in Atlanta after the Mets had scored six in the top of the eighth and the Braves came back with four in the bottom of the inning.

Braves storm back to take 7-6 lead

After giving up six runs in the top of the eighth, Atlanta scored four in the bottom of the frame to go back ahead, with a bases-clearing double from Ozzie Albies giving the Braves a 7-6 lead.

Edwin Diaz came in to try getting a five-out save, but Jared Kelenic’s RBI infield single made it 6-4 with two outs. Then, Diaz walked Michael Harris II to load the bases for Albies.

Albies has five RBI in the game after getting the scoring started with a two-run homer in the third inning.

Mets rally to take eight-inning lead

Tyrone Taylor’s leadoff double in the eighth chased Spencer Schwellenbach – who had held the Mets scoreless for seven innings. Francisco Alvarez followed with an RBI double against Joe Jimenez that finally got the Mets on the board. Francisco Lindor’s RBI single two batters later made it 3-2 with nobody out.

Jose Iglesias brought in the tying run with an opposite-field single and then Mark Vientos’ sacrifice fly brought home Lindor – suddenly giving the Mets a 4-3 lead.

Brandon Nimmo followed with a no-doubt homer off closer Raisel Iglesias – who came in to try to get a six-out save – to make it 6-3.

Ramon Laureano home run extends Braves’ lead

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza sent Tylor Megill out for the sixth inning and the right-hander retired Jorge Soler to lead off – but Ramon Laureano followed with a solo home run that gave the Braves a crucial insurance run.

Megill was pulled after giving up a single with two outs, finishing his outing with eight strikeouts, replaced by Huascar Brazoban.

Braves lead Mets 2-0 through five

Spencer Schwellenbach gave up two hits to begin the top of the fifth, but the Mets couldn’t get the ball out of the infield with Harrison Bader grounding out to end the frame. It was the second time in the game that the Mets failed to score after getting a runner to second with no outs.

They’re 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Spencer Schwellenbach cruising through four: Braves up 2-0

Spencer Schwellenbach is continuing his domination of the Mets, giving up just an infield hit with four strikeouts through four innings.

Ozzie Albies home run puts Braves in front

After Michael Harris’ leadoff single in the bottom of the third, Atlanta second baseman Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer off Tylor Megill to give the Braves a crucial 2-0 lead in the first game of the doubleheader.

A three-time All-Star, Albies was limited by injuries this season, this is 10th home run in 98 games.

Mets-Braves scoreless through two

Mets starter Tylor Megill worked around two infield hits in the bottom of the second, striking out Gio Urshela and Orlando Arcia to strand both runners.

Mets vs. Braves doubleheader underway

Spencer Schwellenbach set the Mets down in order to begin the day at Truist Field, retiring Francisco Lindor, Jose Iglesias and Mark Vientos in the top of the first.

In two starts against the Mets entering Monday, the rookie Schwellenbach held the Mets to one run in 14 innings, striking 15 with one walk.

How to watch Braves vs Mets doubleheader

Both games will air on ESPN2, MLB.TV and can be streamed on Fubo.

Braves vs. Mets pitching matchups

Game 1

• Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach – 8-7, 3.47 ERA in 20 starts
• Mets: Tylor Megill – 4-5, 3.98 ERA in 15 games (14 starts)

Game 2

• TBD

Georgia chemical plant fire hovers over Atlanta

A chemical plant fire in Rockdale County, Georgia, on Sunday has the county east of Atlanta under a thick cloud of smoke – more than 24 hours later. However, the decline in air quality is not expected to impact today’s Mets-Braves doubleheader at Truist Park in Cobb County – a little more than 35 miles away. 

Meteorologist Alex Forbes of FOX 5 in Atlanta notes the air quality issue ‘is not high on the scale at all’ and conditions are expected to improve as the day progresses. 

Braves lineup for Game 1 vs Mets

• Michael Harris II, CF
• Ozzie Albies, 2B
• Marcell Ozuna, DH
• Matt Olson, 1B
• Jorge Soler, RF
• Ramon Laureano, LF
• Travis d’Arnaud, C
• Gio Urshela, 3B
• Orlando Arcia, SS

Mets lineup for Game 1 vs Braves

• Francisco Lindor, SS
• Jose Iglesias, 2B
• Mark Vientos, 3B
• Brandon Nimmo, LF
• Pete Alonso, 1B
• J.D. Martinez, DH
• Tyrone Taylor, RF
• Francisco Alvarez, C
• Harrison Bader, CF

David Peterson’s clutch start puts Mets on doorstep

MILWAUKEE — With two games on Monday and a potential playoff game on Tuesday, there was no bigger time than Sunday for David Peterson to bounce back and ease the burden of the bullpen.

After a bumpy opening inning, the 28-year-old left-hander delivered an encouraging result heading into Monday’s doubleheader.

Peterson gave up an infield single to Jackson Chourio in the opening inning before the Brewers put runners on the corners with a walk and a fielder’s choice. But Peterson got Eric Haase to wave at a slider for the final out of the inning.

From there, Peterson was nearly unhittable. He only walked two batters across the next six innings, finishing seven scoreless innings with one hit, three walks and eight strikeouts.

‘For him to go out there in a must-win for us today, I thought the way he controlled the game, his tempo, I don’t think there was any type of pressure,’ Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. ‘He was calm, he was under control and he kept making pitches. It’s a good sign because he’s one of the guys.’

— Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com

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