MLB: Mets advance in dramatic fashion – Salisbury Post

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Pete Alonso hit a ninth-inning, three-run homer off All-Star closer Devin Williams, and the New York Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday night to win the NL Wild Card Series.

After making their final thrilling comeback in the deciding Game 3 against Milwaukee, the Mets advanced to the playoffs for the first time since capturing the National League banner in 2015. They advanced to the best-of-three Division Series, which began Saturday in Philadelphia against the NL East champion Phillies.

This will be the first postseason meeting of the fierce rivals.

“It was unreal. What a ride,” Alonso said. “I’m just excited to help keep this team alive.”

The NL Central champion Brewers, making their sixth playoff appearance in seven years, still haven’t won a postseason series since reaching Game 7 of the 2018 National League Championship Series.

This loss will be especially painful.

“I love this band,” manager Pat Murphy said. “I love them. I will never be able to repeat 2024. It didn’t end the way we wanted. It actually ended tragically.”

Milwaukee appeared to have victory in its hands when pinch-hitter Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick broke a scoreless tie to start the seventh inning, scoring back-to-back runs on consecutive layups by Jose Buttó. Rookie right-hander Tobias Myers and three Brewers relievers combined for two hits in the first eight innings.

In fact, 12 straight Mets retired when they reached the ninth against Williams, the two-time NL Player of the Year, who earned Milwaukee a win in Game 2 on Wednesday.

But he wasn’t himself that night.

“I’m not going to explain myself,” Williams said. “I didn’t do it the way I should have done. They did their job and I didn’t.”

Francisco Lindor started the inning with an eight-pitch walk. Mark Vientos struck out and then Brandon Nimmo scored sharply on an 0-2 pitch, putting runners on the corners.

That brought to mind Alonso, who has 226 homers in six seasons but hasn’t allowed a single extra-base hit since the Sept. 19 game.

“I know Devin has some great stuff,” Alonso said. “I saw him throw a lot. We were teammates in the WBC (World Baseball Classic). That’s tough AB.”

After taking a 3-1 lead in the count, Alonso drove into the opposite field at 86 mph to the right side. He placed his fingers on his lips in a “chef’s kiss” gesture as he rounded first base and gave New York the lead.

Alonso is likely to become a prized free agent after the World Series, so this could have been his last appearance with the only professional team he played for if the Mets had fallen short.

Instead, he sent them to the next inning with the biggest home run of his career.

“Pete Alonso was one step away from the people who were crazy about him. And that’s what happened,” Lindor said.

According to OptaSTATS, Alonso became the first major leaguer to score an decisive home run in the ninth inning or later in a winner-take-all postseason game.

“It’s something you practice as a kid in the backyard,” Alonso said.

Williams stayed in the game but never regained his footing. Jesse Winker was hit by a two-out pitch, stole second and scored an insurance run on Starling Marte’s single to right.

Winker, a former brewer who was showered with boos throughout the series, screamed and hit the ground with his helmet after sliding down the apron.

The ninth round rally was a continuation of the book season in New York. The Mets were 22-33 at the end of May, but had the best record in baseball for the rest of the regular season. They only clinched a playoff berth when they scored every run in the final two innings following an 8-7 victory over rival Atlanta in the first game of a decisive doubleheader on Monday, a day after the end of the regular season.

“Considering what has happened this season, it seems fitting,” Nimmo said. “We seemed depressed and exhausted. We were written off at the beginning of the season. Of course, it intensified in April and May. We then went on an incredible run of being the best (team) in baseball for the next four months, having team meetings and lifting each other’s spirits.

“And that’s what this match was like. We were down eight innings in that game and we just said, “You know what? We’ll just keep shooting until the end and see what happens.”

Frelick led with a single in the bottom of the ninth set, but Joey Ortiz struck out and Brice Turang hit a double to end the series.

“It sucks, plain and simple,” said Frelick, whose homer was his first since mid-May. “We got beat and I think that’s something we’ll all remember as a group next year.”

Edwin Díaz threw 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to secure the win. David Peterson, appearing as a substitute for the first time this season, made his ninth save and his first save in the league.

The game began with a pitchers’ duel between Myers and New York left-hander Jose Quintana. Myers threw five innings while Quintana held the Brewers scoreless for six.

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New York defeated the Phillies 6-7 during the regular season and finished six games behind them in the league standings.