Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz help the Mets win the series against the Phillies

The idea of ​​arriving in Atlanta for the penultimate series of the regular season with only a mathematical chance of making the playoffs would probably have been pleasing to the Mets when they last left the city in April.

Now the Mets get the bonus package.

You are sitting in the driver’s seat.

The final task before the highly anticipated series was completed on Sunday night when the Mets put together a convincing bullpen performance to defeat the Phillies 2-1 in the final home game of the regular season in front of a sold-out crowd of 43,139 at Citi Field.

The next stop is Atlanta, where a wildcard for the National League is up for grabs.

When Edwin Diaz scored the last run with his save in two innings, the two-game lead over the Braves and the NL’s third wild card was secured.

Two wins in three games at Truist Park (since the Mets would have the tiebreaker due to their head-to-head record with the Braves) would guarantee the Mets their second postseason appearance in three years.

The Mets are still in contention for the NL’s second wild card spot (where they are tied with Arizona).

And as if three of four wins against the Phillies weren’t enough, there was also the satisfaction of seeing a hated rival celebrate its NL East title elsewhere (Philadelphia needs a Mets win or loss to secure the title).

Phil Maton, Jose Butto and Diaz combined for four scoreless innings as relief pitchers that night – Brandon Nimmo hit a home run to lead off Zack Wheeler in the sixth inning – and the Mets finished their home game with a 6-1 record.

Pete Alonso, in possibly his final home game with the Mets – he will be a free agent after the season – received a standing ovation when he came to bat in the first inning.

The Mets batter raised his helmet to salute the crowd before throwing a third strike. Alonso went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Tylor Megill had problems with the pitch count and was replaced after just four innings, in which he allowed one run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

It was the second time in his last four starts that Megill (who threw 83 pitches) lasted only four innings.

Megill needed 35 pitches in the first inning, allowed one run and left all bases full.

Alec Bohm hit an RBI single to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead after Trea Turner singled to second base on a wild pitch.

Nick Castellanos hit a single after Bohm’s hit and Bryson Stott walked all bases before JT Realmuto retired.

Tyrone Taylor hit an RBI single in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. Mark Vientos hit a two-out double against Wheeler before Taylor delivered.

Luisangel Acuna’s sweeping bunt put runners on the corners with two outs, but Wheeler caught up and strikeouted Jose Iglesias (whose single in the first inning extended his hitting streak to 16 games).

Megill escaped trouble in the fourth inning by taking Johan Rojas out of the game after allowing a two-out single to Castellanos and walking Brandon Marsh with two out.

Nimmo jumped on Wheeler’s first pitch in the sixth inning and cleared the right outfield fence to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.

The home run was Nimmo’s 22nd of the season and his third in his last six games.