ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season. Atlanta hosts a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.
Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.
“This whole thing here has been something that I don't think anybody has ever experienced,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. Atlanta would advance to a Division Series matchup at San Diego if the Braves win either game Monday. Of 28 completed doubleheaders in the major leagues this season, 13 were sweeps and 15 were split, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will start the opener of the doubleheader and Chris Sale, the leading NL Cy Young Award contender, is slated for the second game. “That's about as good as I can feel," Snitker said. “The ball's in our court.
If we can't pull one of those off, it's just one of (those) things.” If the Braves win the opener, they .
