The Big Lead

Controversial Mets-Braves doubleheader leads to MLB’s game of the year

By Max Weisman

The Mets and Braves went back and forth in the late innings in Game 1 of their Monday doubleheader. The Mets won 8-7
The Mets and Braves went back and forth in the late innings in Game 1 of their Monday doubleheader. The Mets won 8-7 / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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It's September 30 but October baseball has arrived. The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are playing a doubleheader Monday after two games were postponed last week due to Hurricane Helene.

Many people didn't even think the games should have been played today. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote a column Monday morning discussing that the team that wins the first game will have no incentive to try in the second. The Arizona Diamondbacks are sitting at home, needing a sweep to make the playoffs and if the winner of Game 1 essentially punts Game 2, Arizona is out of luck and will remain on the couch in October. Many people, including Rosenthal, thought the two postponed games should have been played at a neutral site when they were originally scheduled.

Because they won the first game, the Mets have now clinched the playoffs, so here are the scenarios for Game 2. If the Braves win, then both the Mets and Braves will be in the playoffs with the Braves as the National League's five seed and the Mets as the six. If the Mets win Game 2 as well, then they will be the NL's five seed, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, who won 11-2 yesterday, will be the six seed.

Game one provided enough drama for an entire playoff series. Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach was outstanding, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing only four hits. Atlanta scored two runs in the third and one in the sixth before all hell broke loose in the eighth inning.

New York scored six runs in the eighth inning off of two doubles, three singles, a sacrifice fly and a Brandon Nimmo two-run home run to take a 6-3 lead. They were on the brink of clinching a playoff spot.

The Braves wouldn't go down without a fight. In the bottom of the inning, Jarred Kelenic drove in a run before they loaded the bases and took lead back on an Ozzie Albies bases-clearing double to take a 7-6 lead.

With the Mets down to their final three outs in the game, Starling Marte singled ahead of Francisco Lindor, who launched a home run 413-feet to right field to give the Mets an 8-7 lead. Edwin Diaz, who blew the lead in the eighth, saved it in the ninth and the Mets clinched a postseason berth.

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Mets fans couldn't believe what they were watching.

"NO QUIT IN NEW YORK," one fan posted to X.

"The happiest of tears!," another posted.

"THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BASEBALL GAMES I HAVE EVER WATCHED," a Mets fan account posted.

It's not over. The second game of the doubleheader still needs to be played to determine the sixth playoff in the NL. Atlanta was expected to start the likely NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale with their season on the line, but according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman, he has been scratched with back spasms. Grant Holmes will start for the Braves who need a win to make the playoffs.

Holmes has a 3.78 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched this season. If Atlanta wins, they're in. If they lose, the Diamondbacks are in.

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