Braves, Mets get wild cards after splitting doubleheader

MLB

Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the ninth inning of game one of a doubleheader against the Braves on Monday at Truist Park in Atlanta. EDWARD M. PIO RODA — GETTY IMAGES/TNS

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The Atlanta Braves bounced back from a stunning loss in the first game of a makeup doubleheader, claiming the last postseason berth with a 3-0 win over the visiting Mets in the nightcap Monday after New York clinched a playoffs trip with an 8-7 victory in the opener.

With three teams in contention for the last two playoff spots in the National League, the Braves faced the Mets in a twin bill squeezed between the scheduled end to the regular season and the start of the wild-card series.

The defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks needed one team to sweep, so they were pulling for the Mets after they locked up their postseason spot by overcoming deficits of 3-0 in the eighth inning and 7-6 in the ninth to win the opener, going ahead for good on Francisco Lindor’s two-run homer.

Grant Holmes, stepping in after Braves ace Chris Sale was scratched because of back spasms, pitched four scoreless innings in the second game and Marcell Ozuna gave the Braves some breathing room with a two-run single in the seventh.

Both clubhouses at Truist Park erupted in champagne-spraying celebrations.

With their postseason berth locked up, the Mets added left-hander Joey Lucchesi to the roster to start the second game. The 31-year-old left-hander spent most of the season at Triple-A Syracuse.

Lucchesi (0-2) allowed just three hits, including a run-scoring single to Gio Urshela, in a six-inning, 111-pitch outing.

Daybel Hernandez (3-0) earned the win and Raisel Iglesias earned his 34th save in 37 chances.

The Mets could breathe easy after Lindor’s 33rd homer.

New York erased a 3-0 deficit with a six-run eighth, capped by Brandon Nimmo’s two-run homer. The Braves surged back ahead with four runs in the bottom half, as Ozzie Albies delivered a bases-loaded double with two outs for a 7-6 lead.

The Mets weren’t finished. Starling Marte singled with one out off Pierce Johnson (7-5) and Lindor delivered a drive into the Braves bullpen in right-center.

“I got the pitch that I wanted and you never know if the ball is gonna go out or not,” Lindor said. “But I feel like I got it 100 percent and all I kept saying was, ‘Thank you Jesus.’ We’re one step closer, we got to finish it. Finish, finish, finish, finish.”

Edwin Díaz (6-4) earned the win with a season-high 40 pitches despite giving up Albies’ go-ahead hit.