Mets vs. Braves best moments: The key plays that decided Monday's MLB playoff-clinching doubleheader

Dan Treacy

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Bryan Murphy

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Mets vs. Braves best moments: The key plays that decided Monday's MLB playoff-clinching doubleheader image

The stakes already were high enough as could be — two games between the Mets and Braves to decide the final two playoff spots in the NL. 

Somehow, the two NL East rivals delivered a script that Hollywood writers wouldn't dare pen. 

Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader had everything fans were looking for. It was a taste, and a reminder, of just how thrilling October baseball can be, as the two sides delivered arguably the most entertaining game in the 2024 season so far. 

The Mets and Braves each need a win on Monday to secure their spot in the postseason. New York punched its ticket by coming out victorious in an 8-7 back-and-forth affair that saw both sides mount late-inning comebacks. 

LIVE: Updates, highlights, scores from Mets vs. Braves pivotal doubleheader

Need to catch up on all the action? Here are the best moments from Monday's doubleheader between the Mets and Braces. 

Mets vs. Braves best moments from Monday's playoff-clinching doubleheader 

Chemical plant fire results in alert to everyone at Truist Park

The most bizarre moment of the game might have come in the early innings, when fans (and broadcasters) received a loud alert on their phones about a fire from a chemical plant in Conyers, Ga. 

The sound of the alert was audible on the Mets' SNY broadcast of the game, and it ominously read, "UNLIKELY TO CAUSE HARM TO MOST PEOPLE."

Fortunately for the Braves and Mets, who already had two games postponed due to Hurricane Helene, the fire was southeast of Atlanta while the Braves play northwest of the city. It didn't directly affect the game, but it set the stage for an unbelievable few hours at Truist Park. 

Jose Iglesias game-tying single

The Mets entered the 8th inning down 3-0 to the Braves. New York had no answer for Atlanta starter Spencer Schwellenbach, who dominated through seven innings. However, the Mets finally broke through in the 8th, chasing the Braves righty and threatening to tie the game. 

After the first two runs came in via a Francisco Alvarez double and Francisco Lindor single, Joe Iglesia knocked in the tying run with an RBI double down the right field line, knotting the game at 3-3. 

MORE: What's at stake in Mets-Braves doubleheader?

Brandon Nimmo two-run home run 

Following the Iglesias double, Mark Vientos hit a sacrifice fly to center field that brought in Lindor from third base, giving New York the lead. New York didn't stop there, as Brandon Nimmo took a 2-1 fastball from Raisel Iglesias and placed it in the right field bleachers for a two-run home run. 

The 405-foot dinger by the Mets outfielder extended the team's lead to 6-3. 

Ozzie Albies bases-clearing double

TV cameras were quite literally shaking after this bases-clearing double by Ozzie Albies gave the Braves the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Albies already hit a two-run home run earlier in the day, and his line drive off the wall appeared to put Atlanta in position to clinch their seventh consecutive postseason appearance.

Had the Braves won, Albies' double might have had similar iconic status as the bases-clearing October hits by Delmon Young (2014) and Juan Soto (2019). Instead, it only set fans up for more disappointment in the ninth inning.

Francisco Lindor go-ahead home run

If Shohei Ohtani hadn't played out of his mind over the final two weeks of the season, would this home run have flipped the MVP race upside down?

Francisco Lindor, playing through a back injury, launched a go-ahead, two-run home run to centerfield to improbably give the Mets the lead in the ninth inning. The perennial All-Star candidate delivered in the biggest moment of his Mets career, putting himself and his team in position to return to the postseason.

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.