NL Wild Card: Mets Stun Brewers in Ninth, Advance to NLDS

Mets celebrating eliminating the Brewers

Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

October 3, 2024

Mets 4, Brewers 2

A four-run top of the ninth, sparked by a three-run Pete Alonso home run, led the New York Mets to a shocking 4–2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the decisive third game of the NL Wild Card Series Thursday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

“For Pete to come through that way is a dream come true for him,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters. “What a signature moment there. One swing, and here we are moving onto the next series.”

Mets – Brewers Game Summary

The teams traded zeroes through six and a half innings. Brewers starter Tobias Myers tossed five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out five. Trevor Megill and Nick Mears pitched a 1–2–3 sixth and seventh, respectively. Meanwhile, Mets starter Jose Quintana scattered four hits across six innings, walking one and striking out five.

The Brewers broke the deadlock in the bottom of the seventh off new Mets pitcher Jose Butto. Pinch-hitter Jake Bauers led off with a 405-foot blast to the second deck in right field. Sal Frelick launched the ensuing pitch into the second deck in right, albeit closer to the line.

The score remained 2–0 into the top of the ninth, when Brewers closer Devin Williams took the hill to give the Brewers their first playoff series victory since 2018. Francisco Lindor drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a sharp one-out single to right by Brandon Nimmo. Up came Pete Alonso, who worked the count to 3–1 before lining an opposite-field homer to right-center, silencing the raucous crowd. Two batters later, villain Jesse Winker took a pitch off the arm, giving the Mets a two-out baserunner. After Winker stole second, Starling Marte brought him in with a single to right.

David Peterson came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, coughing up a single to Frelick before striking out Joey Ortiz. Brice Turang hit a two-hopper to short, which Lindor took to the bag himself before firing to first in time for a series-clinching double play.

What Went Right for the Brewers

The First Eight Innings

The Brewers pitching staff kept the Mets off the scoreboard for the first eight innings. Brewers hitters had cracked six hits, three for extra bases. Two of those extra-base hits were the back-to-back homers in the seventh. With how the Brewers had pitched, those two runs appeared like they would be enough to send the Mets packing.

The Bottom of the Seventh

The patience of the Brewers hitters paid off in the seventh when Bauers and Frelick smacked their back-to-back dingers.

What Went Wrong for the Brewers

Missed Opportunities

The Brewers left seven men on base. Six were in scoring position, including the seventh when they left runners on second and third. As a team, they were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

The Top of the Ninth Inning

Williams, who pitched a 1–2–3 ninth inning to earn the save in Game Two, did not fare nearly as well in Game Three. He allowed four runs, all earned, on three hits including the Alonso homer. Williams walked one and hit one batter in 2/3 of an inning. Five of the seven batters he faced reached base.

Tipping Pitches

Jomboy from Jomboy Media posted a video shortly after the game showing that Williams was tipping his pitches, and the Mets had figured it out.

What Went Right for the Mets

Never Gave Up

Entering the ninth, the Mets had only reached base three times. Players not named Francisco Lindor were a combined 0-for-23 with a HBP. They had fallen behind, 2–0, on back-to-back home runs by guys who slugged .361 and .335 during the regular season. But they kept fighting, and it paid off in the ninth.

Waited for Their Pitches in the Ninth

When a pitcher tips his pitches, it only matters if the opposing team uses the information properly. The Mets did so. They waited for the pitches they wanted in locations where they could hit the ball hard. When those opportunities arose, they took advantage.

What Went Wrong for the Mets

Quiet Bats

The ninth inning saved the Mets from being eliminated, yes. But it also saved them from what would have been one of the worst offensive performances in their postseason history. Entering the ninth, they had managed three total baserunners. That would have been tied for the second-lowest in Mets postseason history, equaling Game Four of the 1986 NLCS, which they lost to Mike Scott and the Houston Astros, 3–1. The lowest came in the Joe Musgrove game, Game Three of the 2022 NLWC against the San Diego Padres, which they lost, 6–0. In that game, they only managed two baserunners.

The Bottom of the Seventh

An otherwise stellar pitching performance by the Mets staff hit a snag when Jose Butto allowed back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches to lead off the inning. Edwin Diaz entered with the bases empty and one out. He walked two before getting out of the inning, but not before they ended up on second and third thanks to a double steal.

Quick Hits

According to Sarah Langs, Jake Bauers’ pinch-homer was the fifth in a winner-take-all game and the first to give his team the lead. The others were Enrique Hernandez (G7, 2020 NLCS), Chris Heisey (G5, 2016 NLDS), Troy O’Leary (G7, 2003 NLCS), and David Justice (G5, 2001 ALDS).

When entering the ninth of a winner-take-all postseason game, teams that trailed by two runs or more are now 3–82. The other teams to win were the Atlanta Braves in Game Seven of the 1992 NLCS against the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Five of the 2012 NLDS against the Washington Nationals.

Quotes

“You got three players that are upper echelon players in Lindor, Nimmo, and Alonso, and they did what they do — a walk, a base hit, and an opposite field homer. They did what they do. I want to credit the Mets. That’s what that inning was about. That inning was about the Mets. They were great. Those three players are All-Stars. They have long-term contracts for a reason. They’re great players, and they’ve been through a helluva ride here having to play the extra games. All the credit goes to the Mets.” — Brewers manager Pat Murphy

“It means the world. It doesn’t matter like if it’s me or somebody else, I know that everybody in that clubhouse, and I know everybody in our organization. We have each other’s backs. That’s part of the fabric why we’ve been able to bounce back and earn a playoff spot and then move onto the next level. All of us have each other’s backs. That’s who we are as an organization, and that’s who we are as a team. That’s our identity. We have everyone’s back and fully supportive, and everybody’s in it together. It’s a really special group. How far we’ve come this year from earlier this year, not a lot of people thought we’d be at this spot right now. It’s really special to move on, to move on the way we have.” — Pete Alonso on how it felt to see his whole dugout on the field as he ran out his homer

Emotional Ending

“I love this team. I’ll never be able to duplicate 2024. It didn’t end the way we wanted to — ended tragically, actually. It felt like it, and it felt like a tragedy. I feel sad for our guys because they competed like they did, but it’s baseball. When you’re facing a team with those type of guys, that’s what they’re capable of.” — Pat Murphy on the season

Looking Ahead

Edwin Diaz earned the win as Devin Williams earned the dreaded blown save–loss combo, all in relief. David Peterson nailed down the save.

The Mets advance to the NL Division Series against the rival Philadelphia Phillies. Game One will be Saturday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Phillies will start former Met Zack Wheeler (16–7, 2.57 ERA in the regular season). First pitch will be at 4:05 pm Eastern, with television coverage on Fox. The Mets had yet to name a starting pitcher at press time.