NEW YORK (AP) The New York Mets' series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night was postponed because of persistent rain.

The game was rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader Saturday beginning at 4:10 p.m.

With rain already falling for hours and steady showers in the forecast all day, the Mets postponed Friday's game about eight hours before the scheduled 7:10 p.m. start.

The series is nothing more than a postseason tune-up for the Phillies, who have secured the top wild card in the National League and will host a best-of-three playoff at Citizens Bank Park beginning Tuesday. Their opponent is still to be determined.

Taijuan Walker (15-5, 4.35 ERA) had been scheduled to pitch for the defending NL champions against his former Mets teammates. Tylor Megill (8-8, 4.92) was lined up for New York, already eliminated from playoff contention.

The Mets' game against Miami on Thursday night was suspended because of rain at 12:58 a.m. with the Marlins leading 2-1 in the top of the ninth inning. Miami had scored twice in the ninth when play was halted with two on and two outs.

After a 3-hour, 17-minute wait, the game was suspended. If needed to determine the NL wild card race, it would be completed Monday starting at 1:10 p.m. If the wild card race is decided, the game would not be finished and the score would revert to after eight innings, giving the Mets a 1-0 win.

Miami entered Friday with a half-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for the third and final NL wild card. The Marlins hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning the season series 4-2.

The Mets and Marlins played a doubleheader Wednesday, a day after a game was postponed because of a soggy field. The infield was left uncovered for at least some portion of the four straight days in which Tropical Storm Ophelia inundated New York.

The Phillies swept a four-game series from the Mets last weekend in Philadelphia.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB