The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets provided fans with two final games as the regular season comes to a close with a doubleheader just a day before the playoffs begin. Arizona, Atlanta, and New York came into the day tied for the final two NL Wild Card spots, and boy were they treated to an exciting game.
Rookie sensation Spencer Schwellenbach took the mound for the biggest start of his career. He has been one of the brightest spots for Atlanta through a difficult 2024 campaign.
Schwellenbach faced a Mets team that he's flourished against each time he's taken the ball. Before game one of Monday's doubleheader, Spencer carried a 0.64 ERA through 14 innings against New York with one earned run, five hits, one walk, and 15 strikeouts. It seems he enjoys facing one of Atlanta's most hated rivals.
He continued that dominance on Monday as he pitched seven innings with one earned run, four hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. The Mets cannot find an answer against Schwellenbach as he's pitched seven innings against them three times now.
This was the most important of the two games as Atlanta would have the tiebreaker against the Mets and earn the fifth seed. It also meant the team wouldn't need to start Chris Sale in game two. Things started great as Ozzie Albies and Ramon Laureaon hit home runs to give the Braves a 3-0 lead.
That lead held until the 8th inning of the game. Brian Snitker let Schwellenbach start the inning but after a tough 11-pitch battle against Tyrone Taylor that ended with a double. Joe Jimenez entered the game hoping to help the Braves reach the playoffs.
Unfortunately, things went horrifically sideways for Atlanta once Spencer exited the game. New York's bats came to life as they tagged Jimenez for three runs in the inning. Raisel Iglesias was forced to check into the game early with runners on base and no outs.
That didn't go to plan despite getting the first out in the inning, the Mets knocked Iglesias out of the game with a six-run inning capped off by a devastating two-run homer by Brandon Nimmo. Aaron Bummer checked in and got the final two outs to keep the deficit at three runs as Atlanta was down 6-3 in the late innings.
Atlanta battled back in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to a blunder from Edwin Diaz not covering first base and allowing the Braves to eventually load the bases. Ozzie Albies put Atlanta back in front 7-6 with a bases-clearing double.
OZZIE WE LOVE HIM#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/456S2goS2R
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 30, 2024
However, since Iglesias had already been burned, Pierce Johnson had to come on for the save. This is where the bad news continued. NL MVP candidate Francisco Lindor blasted a two-run homer against Johnson to put New York right back in front 8-7 and crushed Braves fans' hopes.
With Atlanta's loss, the Mets will be the fifth seed in the playoffs and face the San Diego Padres if they beat the Braves in game two. The Braves season hangs in the balance as they must win game two or the season ends.
Atlanta faces a tough task to win their final game of the year against one of their toughest rivals who would revel in bouncing them from the postseason. If they find a way to win game two, they'll face the Padres on Tuesday. If not, that's all she wrote on one of the toughest seasons the Atlanta Braves have experienced in recent years.
It has been a long hard road for the Braves to get to this point and if there's one thing we can take solace in, it's that this team will persevere, no matter what you throw at them.