Doubleheader score, instructions, highlights

The New York Mets secured their spot in the MLB playoffs with a dramatic win over the Braves in the first game of Monday's pivotal doubleheader in Atlanta.

Trailing 3-0 entering the eighth inning, the Mets scored six runs and took a 6-3 lead. But the Braves came right back, scoring four goals down low. With the Braves still three outs away from clinching their playoff spot, Pierce Johnson surrendered a two-run home run to Francisco Lindor that gave the Mets a 7-6 lead. Edwin Diaz held on at the end of the ninth round and was awarded the win after missing a chance to save in the eighth round.

The Braves must win the second game of the doubleheader to clinch their wild-card spot, with another loss knocking them out of contention in favor of the Arizona Diamondbacks. A Mets win in Game 2 would send them to the Wild Card Series in San Diego, while the Braves travel to Milwaukee if they can get a win.

Follow us all Monday:

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

Starter Grant Holmes gives the Braves exactly what they needed, facing the minimum with six strikeouts in three innings. Holmes had thrown 1 ⅔ innings in Sunday's loss to the Royals, but was able to return Monday after throwing just 21 pitches in that game.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

The Braves take the lead in Game 2 in the second inning

Gio Urshela hit an RBI single in the bottom of the second off Mets starter Joey Lucchesi, giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead in a game it must win to secure a playoff spot.

A Braves win would send Atlanta to the Wild Card Series in San Diego, while the Mets would travel to Milwaukee.

Game 2 is underway: Mandatory win for Braves

After the Mets' stunning win in the first game of the doubleheader, which secured New York's berth in the postseason, the teams had to get back on the field immediately. After star Chris Sale was cut, Grant Holmes started for Atlanta with Joey Lucchesi on the mound for the Mets.

Chris Sale scratched for Braves

Atlanta star Chris Sale was left out of the starting lineup in Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader due to 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 had.

FINAL: Mets 8, Braves 7

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

Francisco Lindor's home run puts the Mets back in the lead

Francisco Lindor's two-run home run 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 scored six points early in the eighth inning and the Braves came back with four points in the bottom of the inning.

The Braves storm back and take a 7-6 lead

After giving up six runs early in the eighth, Atlanta scored four points at the end of the frame to take the lead again, with a base-clearing double by Ozzie Albies giving the Braves a 7-6 lead.

Edwin Diaz attempted a five-out save, but Jared Kelenic's RBI infield single made it 6-4 with two outs. Diaz then walked Michael Harris II to load the bases for Albies.

Albies had five RBI in the game after leading off the third inning with a two-run home run.

The Mets rebound and take the lead by eight innings

Tyrone Taylor's leadoff double in the eighth chased down Spencer Wechselbach – who had held the Mets scoreless through seven innings. Francisco Alvarez followed with an RBI double off Joe Jimenez that finally got the Mets on the board. Francisco Lindor's RBI single two batters later made it 3-2 with no one out.

Jose Iglesias drove in the winning run with a runaway single, and then Mark Vientos' sacrifice fly brought Lindor home – giving the Mets a sudden 4-3 lead.

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

Ramon Laureano's home run extends the 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 retired after giving up a single with two outs, finished his outing with eight strikeouts, and was replaced by Huascar Brazoban.

Braves lead Mets 2-0 through five

Spencer Hügelbach allowed two hits early in the fifth, but the Mets couldn't get the ball out of the infield as Harrison Bader retired at the end of the frame. It was the second time in the game that the Mets failed to score after putting a runner on second with no outs.

They have a 0:6 ratio with runners taking scoring position.

Spencer Schellenbach races through four: Braves lead 2-0

Spencer Hügelbach continues his dominance over the Mets, allowing just one infield hit with four strikeouts in four innings.

Ozzie Albie's home run gives Braves the lead

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

A three-time All-Star, Albies has been limited by injury this season, recording his 10th home run in 98 games.

Mets-Braves scoreless by two

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

Mets vs. Braves doubleheader underway

Spencer Wechselbach shut out the Mets to start the day at Truist Field, retiring Francisco Lindor, Jose Iglesias and Mark Vientos in the first inning.

In two starts against the Mets entering Monday, the rookie Hülsenbach held the Mets to one run in 14 innings and scored 15 runs with one walk.

Here's how to watch the Braves-Mets doubleheader

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

Pitching duels between Braves and Mets

Game 1

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

Game 2

A fire at a chemical plant in Georgia looms over Atlanta

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

FOX 5 Atlanta meteorologist Alex Forbes notes that the air quality issue is “not a major concern at all” and that conditions are expected to improve throughout the day.

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
JD Martinez, DH
Tyrone Taylor, RF
Francisco Alvarez, C
Harrison Bader, CF

David Peterson's clutch start puts Mets on the doorstep

MILWAUKEE – With two games on Monday and a possible playoff game on Tuesday, there was no better time than Sunday for David Peterson to get back on his feet and ease the load on the bullpen.

After a rocky opening inning, the 28-year-old left-hander delivered an encouraging result before 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 a slider for the final out of the inning.

From then on, Peterson was almost unbeatable. He walked only two batters over the next six innings and finished seven scoreless innings with one hit, three walks and eight strikeouts.

“I don't think he came out because of the way he controlled the game, because of his pace, and he has to win for us today,” Mets coach Carlos Mendoza said. “He was calm, he was in control and he kept making shots. That’s a good sign because he’s one of the guys.”

—Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com

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