Braves lose 4-2 to Royals, face crucial doubleheader with Mets for playoff berth

Charlie Morton had a challenging start in the final regular season game as he gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning, leading the Atlanta Braves to lose 4-2 to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals. This loss prevented the Braves from clinching a postseason berth as they had hoped.
The Atlanta Braves are now set to host a doubleheader on Monday against the New York Mets to make up for two games that were postponed due to Hurricane Helene last week. Both teams currently hold an 88-72 record, with Arizona finishing at 89-73. The Diamondbacks’ playoff fate hinges on the outcomes of the doubleheader: if either team sweeps, the Diamondbacks are out, but if the games are split, the Mets and Braves advance due to holding the tiebreaker over Arizona.
Despite a rocky start, where Charlie Morton gave up four runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, the 40-year-old pitcher received a small ovation from the crowd as he possibly made his final major league start for the Braves. The Braves struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, going 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
On the other side, Royals’ pitcher Alec Marsh (9-9) performed well, allowing only one earned run over five innings to secure the win. Kris Bubic closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning for his first save of the season.
In terms of individual achievements, Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals went 1 for 4 to clinch the AL batting title with a .332 average for the season.
Looking ahead, the Royals, now the No. 6 seed in the American League, are set to face the third-seeded Houston Astros in the Wild Card Series starting on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Braves will face the Mets in a doubleheader on Monday, where eighteen-game winner Chris Sale and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach are slated to start.
[source: AP MLB]