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In a winner take all wildcard matchup, the Mets secured a late game rally Thursday against the Brewers to advance to the NL Divisional Series, 4-2. The victory came courtesy of a Pete Alonso three run homer in the 9th inning.
Background
The previous two games proved to be a back and forth affair, with both sides trading the lead four times.
Game 1 of the series saw both teams offenses on a roll, with both teams scoring multiple runs in the first two innings. After an early Brewers lead, the Mets took game 8-4.
Game 2 of the matchup saw the Brewers gain the advantage. Following an early 2-1 Mets lead in the 2nd inning, the Brewers clawed their way to a 5-3 win, courtesy of two home runs.
Pitchers Duel
The first five innings of the contest saw little traffic on the basepaths, as both starting pitchers kept hitters at bay.
Milwaukee’s Tobias Myers would give up just two hits in five innings, while New York’s Jose Quintana gave up just four hits in six innings. The two starting pitchers would combine for a total of 10 strikeouts.
The Brewers Take the Lead
After Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana exited the contest to begin the 7th inning, reliever Jose Butto entered the contest.
Then, Milwaukee first baseman Jake Bauers entered the contest as a pinch hitter. Bauers, a left handed batter, gave the Brewers a more favorable matchup against the right handed Butto. After working a full count, Bauers would hammer the next pitch he saw into the stands, to give Milwaukee the lead.
PINCH-HIT, TWO-STRIKE, GO-AHEAD BOMB pic.twitter.com/52Y5xCKM2J
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 4, 2024
Milwaukee would not stop there. In the next at bat, right fielder Sal Frelick would send the first pitch he saw 408 feet into the right field stands. The Brewers would exit the 7th inning with a 2-0 lead.
Alonso Flips the Script
After a scoreless 8th inning, the Mets entered the top of the 9th with three outs remaining in their season. Milwaukee entered closer Devin Williams, who had just a 1.25 ERA on the year, to finish the game.
MVP Candidate Francisco Lindor was able to work a leadoff walk to spark a rally. Following a strikeout by third baseman Mark Vientos, Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo would follow up with a single into right field, putting two men on-base.
Meanwhile, Pete Alonso had been 1-8 at the plate in the series, with a single as his only hit.
After taking the first four pitches to work a 3-1 count, Alonso found the pitch he wanted. For the 35th time this season, the ball exited the ballpark.
THE POLAR BEAR!!!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING RIGHT NOW???? pic.twitter.com/cBxKzRDp1K
— x – New York Mets (@Mets) October 4, 2024
The Mets would end up taking a fourth run on in the inning, courtesy of a Starling Marte single.
The Mets Hold On
New York would send out pitcher David Peterson to close out the game. Peterson, who had made all his previous appearances during the season as a starter, had never recorded a save entering the contest.
The Brewers would leadoff with a single from Frelick. Third baseman Joey Ortiz would proceed to strikeout.
With the season on the line, second baseman Brice Turang came up to the plate for Milwaukee. On the first pitch he saw, Turang would hit a soft grounder to shortstop, where the Mets would turn a double play to clinch a NLDS berth.
HOW 'BOUT THEM METS? #MetsWin #LGM pic.twitter.com/6I9BJvmaEP
— x – New York Mets (@Mets) October 4, 2024
What’s Next
New York will move on to face the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies in the Divisional Round. The Mets will take the diamond for game 1 Saturday at 4:08 pm on Fox.
