A final day that wasn’t planned and will be remembered for a long time. The New York Mets made an unexpected comeback in the first game of a doubleheader to secure their playoff spot. The Atlanta Braves fought back in the second game, also earning their place in the postseason.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks could only watch from afar as their chances slipped away with two games on the other side of the country.
“You’re just focused on getting into the postseason,” said Braves first baseman Matt Olson, soaked in champagne after their 3-0 win in the last game of the regular season. “Whatever it took. If we had to play four games today, we would have done it.”
The regular season extended into extra innings after the Mets and Braves had two games canceled due to Hurricane Helene. They were in control of their own destinies, each having a tiebreaker advantage over the defending NL champion Diamondbacks.
Arizona needed one of the teams to sweep, so they were cheering for the Mets, who overcame a 3-0 deficit in the eighth inning and a 7-6 deficit in the ninth to win the first game 8-7, taking the lead for good with Francisco Lindor’s two-run homer.
“An instant classic game,” said Brandon Nimmo, whose two-run homer finished off a six-run eighth inning.
The Braves showed resilience and got the win they needed. Even after their star pitcher Chris Sale was scratched due to back spasms, Grant Holmes stepped in and helped lead a strong effort with six pitchers contributing to a three-hitter.
At the end of the day, both teams celebrated with champagne in their clubhouses at Truist Park.
Atlanta, New York, and Arizona all finished with records of 89-73.
Holmes learned he was starting just half an hour before the game began.
“I was about to go get some food,” said the 28-year-old Holmes, who finally made it to the big leagues this year after spending a decade in the minors. “They came up to me and said, ‘Hey, you’re going to start this one off today.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, OK, here we go.’”
With their spot in the postseason secured, the Mets brought left-hander Joey Lucchesi onto the roster to pitch the second game. The 31-year-old had spent most of the season at Triple-A Syracuse, where he allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings during his only major league appearance before Monday.
Against the Braves, who may have still been shaken from their loss in the first game, Lucchesi (0-2) performed well, allowing just three hits, including a run-scoring single by Gio Urshela, in six innings while throwing 111 pitches.
Marcell Ozuna helped the Braves by hitting a two-run single in the seventh inning. Daysbel Hernandez (3-0) got the win, and Raisel Iglesias secured his 34th save out of 37 opportunities.
The Braves also received a scoreless inning from starter Reynaldo López, who had pitched six innings just two days before.
“I’m so proud of all those guys,” said Atlanta manager Brian Snitker. “It takes the whole building to make something like this happen.”
The Mets were already in a celebratory mood after Francisco Lindor hit his 33rd homer.
Down 3-0 and with just three singles in seven innings against rookie Spencer Schwellenbach, New York’s offense finally came alive in the eighth inning.
The Mets scored six runs in that inning. The Braves quickly responded with four runs in their half, highlighted by Ozzie Albies’ bases-loaded double with two outs that gave them a 7-6 lead. This brought Albies’ total to five RBIs in the game, following a two-run homer in the third inning.
However, New York struck back with Lindor’s hit into the Braves bullpen off Pierce Johnson (7-5).
“That was one of the craziest games I’ve ever been a part of,” said Carlos Mendoza, the Mets rookie manager. “Just the meaning of it. Coming back in the game and then losing the lead and then coming back again in the ninth. It was unbelievable, like you should write a book.”
Edwin Díaz (6-4) got the win, throwing a season-high 40 pitches despite giving up Albies’ go-ahead hit after he didn’t cover first base, allowing Jarred Kelenic to reach on a two-out infield hit.
Díaz insisted on going back out to pitch in the ninth. “I don’t care what you say, I’m going back out,” he told Mendoza.
