ATLANTA — Tylor Megill gave the Mets a chance in the biggest start of his major league career, and that was good enough.
Capping a solid final month of the regular season since his return from the minor leagues, the right-hander allowed three earned runs over 5 2/3 innings on Monday in the team’s wild 8-7 victory over the Braves in Game 1 of a doubleheader that delivered the Mets a postseason berth.
Megill was chosen to pitch the first game because it allowed the Mets to save Luis Severino for the wild-card series opener if the team clinched in the first game.
Mission accomplished, as Severino will now get the ball on Tuesday.
Megill endured heavy early traffic and allowed a two-run homer to Ozzie Albies in the third that put the Mets in a 2-0 hole.
Megill proceeded to allow two further hits in the inning, but escaped.
Ramon Laureano homered against Megill in the sixth.
Joey Lucchesi was selected from Triple-A Syracuse to start the nightcap of the doubleheader. It came at the expense of reliever Alex Young, who was optioned to the minors — meaning he can’t be recalled for 15 days.
To get Lucchesi on the 40-man roster the Mets moved Christian Scott to the 60-day injured list.
The Mets got all they could have wanted from Lucchesi, who absorbed six innings and allowed one earned run in the 3-0 loss to the Braves.
The lefty threw 111 pitches, minimizing the Mets bullpen exposure: Huascar Brazoban and Adam Ottavino split the final two innings (both also appeared in the first game).
It leaves the Mets with Jose Butto, Reed Garrett and Ryne Stanek among the rested relievers for Game 1 against the Brewers.
The Mets will have to finalize a wild-card series roster of 26 players.
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The Mets were at 28 to conclude the regular season, but Eddy Alvarez is not eligible for the postseason as a player who arrived in a trade after Sept. 1.
It would also seem unlikely that there is a role for Lucchesi.
Brett Baty was among the players in the Mets clubhouse to participate in the wild-card-clinching celebration.
Baty spent most of the season at Syracuse and was a candidate for the September big-league roster before fracturing his index finger. He returned to the lineup for Syracuse late in the season.
