ATLANTA – There have been stranger clinching scenarios on the baseball field, but not many.

For the Braves and Mets, Monday’s rain-delayed playoff-qualifying doubleheader was clear, if not simple: Win one of the two games and advance to the wild-card round of the National League playoffs. Win both and enjoy the added bonus of knocking your rival out of the postseason – and help the Arizona Diamondbacks claim last place.

In a chaotic, exciting, heartbreaking first game of the doubleheader, the Mets rode a six-run eighth inning and a comeback ninth to defeat the Braves 8-7 and clinch a spot in the National League playoffs of 2024.

Atlanta, which took a 3-0 lead in the 8th, and a 7-6 lead in the 9th, had just minutes to regroup and prepare for the second half of the doubleheader, which was now an all-out or nothing contest is for the Braves.

The D-backs, meanwhile, can only watch, wait and hope for the sweep.

Game 1 was not an elimination game – not for the teams involved, nor for the D-backs standing thousands of miles away. No matter what happened in Game 1, there would be a Game 2 starting 30 minutes after the final out of Game 1. That meant there was urgency, but not “win or go home” urgency.

Both teams started slow, as if working their way up to the intensity of the playoffs. Atlanta sent rookie Spencer Schwellenbach to the mound and he responded by laying out the first six Mets in order.

In the top of the third, New York’s Tyrone Taylor beat a bizarre sideways slow roller that cut back into fair territory from a 20-foot error:

Taylor stole second and moved up to third on a sacrifice, but would fall behind there.

In the bottom of the third, Atlanta’s Michael Harris II singled up the middle, and Ozzie Albies followed with a 300-foot home run off Mets starter Tylor Megill to break the scoreless tie and give the Braves a 2–0 lead to put.

The Mets’ first serious threat came in the top of the fifth on back-to-back singles from Pete Alonso and JD Martinez. But Schwellenbach managed to finish off the challenge, eliminating the next three Mets in order.

Ramon Laureano led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run that barely cleared the wall in left-centerfield, extending Atlanta’s lead to 3-0. A two-out single by Gio Urshela meant the end of the afternoon for Megill. Reliever Huascar Brazobán drew a lineout from Harris and ended the Braves’ threat, leaving two men on base.

And then the Mets finally woke up. Taylor ended Schwellenbach’s day in the top of the eighth inning with a double play to start the inning. That brought Atlanta manager Brian Snitker to the mound, and Schwellenbach left to a standing ovation from the Atlanta fans. On his second pitch, reliever Joe Jiménez gave up a double to Francisco Alvarez, scoring Taylor. Starling Marte followed with a single, putting runners on the corners – and the tying run at first – with no one out. Francisco Lindor then singled to score Alvarez, cutting Atlanta’s lead to 3–2 and chasing Jiménez without even recording an out.

New Atlanta pitcher Raisel Iglesias fared no better, allowing a single to Jose Iglesias to tie the game. Mark Vientos flew up the middle and scored Lindor, giving New York its first lead of the day at 4-3. Brandon Nimmo then thundered a 400-foot homer to deep right to double the Braves, 6-3, and effectively silence most of the Truist Park crowd.

The Braves made a huge comeback in the bottom of the eighth, putting runners on the corners with one out. Pinch-hitter Jarred Kelenic then hit a deep grounder to first base, cutting the Mets’ lead to 6-4. Mets reliever Edwin Díaz loaded the bases, and Albies – who already had that two-run home run in the 3rd – hit a double off the top of the left field wall to clear the bases and put Atlanta ahead again.

But the Braves fans’ delirium was short-lived. Atlanta sent Pierce Johnson to the mound to close out the Mets in the ninth. Marte sliced ​​a two-strike single to left, then Lindor hit a 400-foot home run to right-center to regain the lead at 8-7. Atlanta couldn’t respond in the bottom of the ninth…and the first playoff berth went to New York.

The win takes the pressure off the Mets and puts a crushing zero-margin burden on the shoulders of the Braves — as well as the Diamondbacks, who must sweat in Arizona and pray for a Game 2 win by the Mets that would give Arizona the sixth. and final playoff berth.

Although the Mets are in the playoffs, New York’s exact fate remains uncertain as of the end of Game 1. A win in Game 2, and they would clinch the No. 5 seed and face San Diego; a loss and they would be the sixth seed and face Milwaukee. Atlanta, meanwhile, faces Game 2 with an elimination attempt and wonders what could have happened.

Now the final playoff spot of the 2024 season comes down to the final game. As it should be.