The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are both in the MLB playoffs. The Mets clinched their spot with an 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves in the first game of a doubleheader on Monday.
The Braves won the second game 3-0, clinching a spot in the postseason. This means that the current National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks will be eliminated from the playoffs. The Diamondbacks needed a sweep of either the Braves or Mets on Sunday to clinch baseball’s final postseason berth.
Monday’s two games were postponed last week due to Hurricane Helen, adding to the confusion in the MLB playoff picture ahead of Tuesday’s Wild Card Series.
The Braves secured the No. 5 seed with Monday’s win and will play the No. 4 seed San Diego Padres in the wild-card round. The sixth-seeded Mets will face the third-seeded Milwaukee Brewers.
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Monday, September 30, 2024, 4:40pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Neither of last year’s World Series teams qualified for the postseason.
The Braves’ victory, which eliminated the Diamondbacks from the National League wild-card playoffs, has an interesting footnote.
For the first time since 2007, neither team from last year’s World Series will advance to the postseason.
Monday, September 30, 2024 4:29pm PDT
New Clubhouse Festive Headgear
Michael Harris II may have reinvented clubhouse celebratory gear to keep champagne from stinging your eyes, years after swimming and ski goggles were introduced. What about football helmets?
…I don’t know if they were protecting their eyes or not.
Monday, September 30, 2024 4:28pm PDT
Braves celebrate postseason appearance
How often can you pop champagne in both clubhouses at an MLB ballpark at the same time? Pop the Braves here.
Monday, September 30, 2024 4:25pm PDT
Carlos Mendoza’s clubhouse celebration speech
The Mets poured champagne on Monday after both games of a doubleheader. It probably would have been difficult to celebrate like that after the first game and then play another game 45 minutes later.
Monday, September 30, 2024 4:08pm PDT
Braves win 3-0, returning to postseason for seventh straight year
Raisel Iglesias scored the 3-0 victory for the Braves, who clinched a spot in the National League wild-card playoffs and become the fifth seed for the postseason spot.
Jose Iglesias led off with a single, but it was erased by Brandon Nimmo’s grounder into a double play. Pete Alonso grounded out to shortstop to end the game.
The Mets will earn the No. 6 seed. The Diamondbacks were eliminated from the postseason with Atlanta’s victory.
Monday, September 30, 2024 4:03pm PDT
Mets scoreless until 8th inning
Manager Joe Jimenez retired the Mets on 11 pitches in the eighth inning, retiring Luis Torrence, Eddie Alvarez and Luis Angel Acuรฑa.
The Mets had two hits until the 8th inning. The Arizona Diamondbacks’ postseason chances aren’t looking very good.
Monday, September 30, 2024 3:51pm PDT
Braves lead 3-0 in the 7th inning.
Huascar Brazoban pitches the seventh inning.
After a leadoff walk to Sean Murphy, Brazovan got Orlando Arcia and Michael Harris II out. However, Ozzie Albies reached for Brazoban’s throwing error and fielded the ball near third base.
Marcell Ozuna follows with a single that scores Murphy and Albee.
Matt Olson then hit a single, but was thrown out to second base as he tried to extend his double, ending the inning.
Braves 3, Mets 0
Monday, September 30, 2024, 3:39pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Mets still scoreless
Reynaldo Lรณpez pitched seven innings for the Braves, striking out all three batters twice.
The Mets allowed only two hits and no runs until the seventh inning.
Monday, September 30, 2024 3:34pm PDT
Joey Lucchese allowed 1 run and 2 hits in 6 innings.
After throwing 111 pitches, Joey Lucchesi appears to be done, according to his hug in the Mets’ dugout.
Remember, he only became the starter after the Mets won Game 1 of this doubleheader. After clinching a spot in the National League wild-card playoffs, New York pushed Luis Severino into the postseason opener.
Monday, September 30, 2024 3:32pm PDT
The Braves threatened, but no points were scored in the 6th inning.
Jorge Soler hit his second double of the game off Joey Lucchesi. Eli White came on as a pinch runner for Soler and advanced to third base on Ramon Laureano’s sacrifice fly. However, Lucchesi escaped by flying Gio Urshela to the shallow left.
Lucge pitched six innings, allowing two hits and one run, with four walks and four strikeouts.
After 6 innings, Braves 1, Mets 0.
Monday, September 30, 2024 3:21pm PDT
Braves’ Dylan Lee exits in the top of the 6th inning
Dylan Lee allowed a single to Brandon Nimmo, but grounded out Pete Alonso to third base on his first pitch.
Monday, September 30, 2024, 3:20pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Braves pitching change
Daysbel Hernandez ejects Eddie Alvarez for a hit by a pitch, then Luis Sangel Acuรฑa and Jose Iglesias. However, in Atlanta, Dylan Lee will be pitching in place of Brandon Nimmo, who hit a two-run homer in Game 1.
Monday, September 30, 2024, 3:13pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Top of the 5th inning: Braves 1, Mets 0
Joey Lucchese pitched five 1-2-3 innings for the Mets, grounding out all three batters he faced.
That may be the limit for a left-handed pitcher who threw 93 pitches. He allowed two hits and one run, with four walks and four strikeouts.
Lucchesi was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to start this game. After winning Game 1 of this doubleheader and clinching a spot in the postseason, the Mets pitched in the National League wild-card opener with Luis Severino behind him.
Monday, September 30, 2024, 3:09pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Braves’ Daysbel Hernandez gets away with no runs.
Daysbell Hernandez came on in relief of Grant Holmes, who put the first two batters on base of the fifth inning. Hernandez then struck out Tyrone Taylor and Harrison Bader and grounded out Luis Torrence. The Mets were scoreless with no outs on second base.
Bottom of the 5th inning, Braves 1, Mets 0.
Monday, September 30, 2024 3:04pm PDT
Pete Alonso’s first hit for the Mets
Grant Holmes finally allowed his first hit of the game, allowing a single to Pete Alonso.
After a walk to Starling Marte, Holmes went out. Daysbell Hernandez will be on the field in Atlanta.
Holmes pitched four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out seven.
Monday, September 30, 2024 2:44pm PDT
Repeat: Grant Holmes humming.
Another 1-2-3 innings for Atlanta’s Grant Holmes, who went four hitless innings.
He has 7 strikeouts in 46 points.
Monday, September 30, 2024 2:38pm PDT
Braves lose 1-2-3 in the third inning.
Joey Lucchese struck out all three Atlanta batters he faced in the third inning, striking out two.
Braves 1, Mets 0
Monday, September 30, 2024, 2:30pm (Pacific Daylight Time)
Grant Holmes keeps humming
Grant Holmes pitched three innings with no hits and no runs. He had six strikeouts on 34 pitches.
Monday, September 30, 2024, 2:25 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time)
The Mets made it through the second inning with only one run allowed.
It looked like the Braves could put together a big inning. After taking a 1-0 lead on Gio Urshela, Joey Lucchesi gave up a walk to Sean Murphy.
However, with two runners on and one out, Lucchesi limited the damage by flying out Orlando Arcia and grounding out Michael Harris II.
Monday, September 30, 2024 2:17pm PDT
Braves lead 1-0
Jorge Soler led off the second inning with a double. Two batters later, Gio Urshela drove in a single into the left field seats.
Braves 1, Mets 0