NY Mets vs Atlanta Braves: Live score, updates as Mets clinch playoff spot

ATLANTA — It all came down to this.

The New York Mets ' quest to reach the Major League Baseball playoffs for the second time in three seasons depended on whether they could capture one win in Monday's doubleheader against the Braves at Truist Park.

If the Mets split the doubleheader, they would grab the National League's No. 6 seed and head back to Milwaukee for a three-game Wild Card series with the Brewers. If the Mets swept the doubleheader, they would finish as the No. 5 team and head cross-country for a three-game series with the San Diego Padres, while eliminating the Braves from the postseason.

It was a wild, back-and-forth eighth and ninth innings, and in the end, the Mets came out on top with an 8-7 victory in the first game of the doubleheader that sends them to the playoffs. The Mets dropped the second game, 3-0, to slide into the National League's sixth seed.

The Mets will now head back to Milwaukee for a best-of-three National League Wild Card series beginning on Tuesday at 5:32 p.m.

Here are the updates and analysis of the Mets' battle with the Braves:

Mets strike fear in Braves but drop second game

After clinching their playoff spot in the first game, the second half of Monday's doubleheader was about preservation for the Mets.

They called up Joey Lucchesi for the start and gave Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, J.D. Martinez and Starling Marte opportunities to rest.

The Braves managed one run off Lucchesi on a second-inning RBI single and that was all they needed to clinch their own spot in a 3-0 win over the Mets. Marcell Ozuna laced a two-run double off Huascar Brazoban.

The Braves grab the season tiebreaker with the Mets and now face the fourth-seeded Padres in the NL Wild Card round.

Francisco Lindor HR in 9th inning puts Mets back on top

Perhaps hitting the biggest home run of his career, Francisco Lindor belted a dramatic, two-run shot to give the Mets the lead again at 8-7.

Edwin Diaz blows 8th-inning lead

The Mets asked closer Edwin Diaz to record the final five outs in bringing him in the 8th inning with the Mets ahead 6-4. But Diaz couldn't hold on to the lead, He didn't cover first base on grounder down the line that Pete Alonso fielded, then allowed a bases-loaded double to Ozzie Albies that gave the Braves a 7-6 lead.

Mets take a 6-3 lead after running Spencer Schwellenbach

The Mets had almost no answers for Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach. They only collected four hits, but the final at-bat against him by Tyrone Taylor was the biggest one of the game.

Taylor worked an 11-pitch at-bat and doubled into the left-center field gap to lead off the eighth inning. Schwellenbach had 83 pitches entering the frame, but Taylor's long at-bat forced Brian Snitker to dip into his bullpen for the first time.

Then the Mets offense got rolling. Against Joe Jiminez and Raisel Iglesias, the Mets ripped four straight hits to tie the game. Francisco Alvarez got it started with an RBI double, Francisco Lindor poked an RBI single up th emiddle and Jose Iglesias tied the score with an RBI single into right field off Iglesias.

The Mets went ahead by one run on a sacrifice fly by Mark Vientos and then Brandon Nimmo ended Raisel Iglesias' outing by blasting a two-run home run into the Chop House in right field.

Ramon Laureano rips solo home run to grow Braves' advantage

Carlos Mendoza tried to squeeze one more clean inning out of Tylor Megill, but the Mets right-hander could not keep the Braves off the board.

With one out, Ramon Laureano hoisted a low cutter over the left-center field wall to move the Braves ahead 3-0. It was the seventh hit that Megill allowed in the game but the first since the Braves' two-run third inning. Laureano has three of them.

Mets fail in first major chance against Spencer Schwellenbach

Through four innings, the Mets only had one baserunner against Spencer Schwellenback.

Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez had back-to-back singles to put the pressure on for the first time, but Tyrone Taylor struck out on a curveball and Francisco Alvarez and Harrison Bader both grounded out.

Ozzie Albies lifts Braves to 2-0 lead

Tylor Megill's second turn through the top of the Braves lineup did not go as planned.

Michael Harris II tagged a single up the middle and Ozzie Albies cashed in for a two-run home run to left field on a hanging slider from Megill.

Matt Olson also knocked a one-out single, prompting a mound visit from Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. Megill was able to strike out Travis d'Arnaud on a low sinker to strand both runners in scoring position.

Megill is at 66 pitches after two innings.

Tyrone Taylor picks up obscure infield single, Mets can't cash in

Tyrone Taylor made a heads up play to crack through for the first hit against Spencer Schwellenbach.

In the opening at-bat of the third inning, Taylor knocked a slow roller that snaked from foul territory back into foul territory, and beat an underhand throw by Schwellenbach.

Taylor stole second base during the next at-bat and moved to third on a ground ball to Gio Urshela at third but could not score as Harrison Bader and Francisco Lindor grounded out to end the inning.

Tylor Megill works through first major trouble in second

Tylor Megill opened the second inning with a little bit of tough luck.

With one out, Ramon Laureano knocked a slow chopper to the left side to reach first base. Then, Travis d'Arnaud hit a line-drive to the left that Mark Vientos dove to glove it on a hop, but the Mets third baseman could not get the ball out of his glove cleanly.

But Megill managed to get through by fanning Gio Urshela and Orlando Arcia on sliders in back-to-back at-bats. He has four strikeouts through two innings.

Spencer Schwellenbach dealing through two innings

The Mets have yet to find a remedy to the effectiveness of Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach.

The 24-year-old rookie has tossed two perfect innings to begin the doubleheader. He struck out Jose Iglesias and Mark Vientos on sliders to end the first inning and tied up Brandon Nimmo on a cutter to begin the second.

Schwellenbach is filling up the strike zone with 19 of his first 24 pitches going for strikes. He's been extremely effective against the Mets this season, entering Monday with one earned run allowed across 14 innings against the NL East rivals.

Plenty of open seats

The Mets have caught a break when it comes to re-entering their house of horrors that has been Truist Park.

After last Wednesday and Thursday's games were postponed, there appears to be about a half-capacity crowd here at first pitch in the opening game of the doubleheader.

There is plenty of energy in the ballpark, though.

Mets lineup for Game 1 vs. Braves

Braves lineup for Game 1 vs. Mets

What channel is the Mets vs Braves doubleheader on?

The games will be broadcast on SNY as well as ESPN2.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets vs Atlanta Braves: Live score, updates as Mets clinch playoff spot