Francisco Lindor hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to help the visiting New York Mets come from behind to beat the Atlanta Braves 8-7 on Monday in the first game of a doubleheader and clinch the National League wild-card spot. – card cycle.
If New York (89-72) wins the nightcap, it will open the playoffs at No. 4 seed San Diego. If Atlanta (88-73) wins, the Braves will make the playoffs and open in San Diego and the Mets will open at No. 3 in Milwaukee. If the Braves lose, the Diamondbacks will be the last wild card and the Braves will be eliminated.
The dramatic game saw the Mets erase a 3-0 lead with six runs in the eighth inning, only for the Braves to score four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-6 lead.
New York’s Starling Marte reached with one out in the ninth against Pierce Johnson (6-6) and Lindor, who had a back injury two weeks ago, hit a first-pitch ball 413 feet up the middle for his home run. the 33rd.
The winner was Edwin Diaz (6-4), who batted for the Mets in the eighth before walking around with a single and a stolen base in the ninth.
Atlanta had gone ahead on a two-run homer by Ozzie Albies in the third inning and a solo shot by Ramon Laureano in the sixth.
New York’s rally began after Tyrone Taylor doubled in his 11th at-bat, chasing starter Spencer Schwellenbach.
Francisco Alvarez hit Joe Jimenez’s RBI single and went to third on Starling Marte’s single. Alvarez scored on Lindor to cut the lead to 3-2 and prompted Atlanta to call on closer Raisel Iglesias to save six.
Jose Iglesias extended his hitting streak to 21 games with an RBI single and Mark Vientos gave New York a 4-3 lead with a sacrifice fly. Brandon Nimmo followed with a 405-yard, two-run homer to chase down Iglesias.
Undaunted, Atlanta regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a four-run rally that included an RBI single by Jarred Kelenic and a bases-loaded double by Albies against Diaz.
–Field Level Media