Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off All-Star closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning and the New York Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday night to win their Major League Baseball National League (NL) Wild Card Series.
With their latest thrilling comeback in the decisive Game 3 against Milwaukee, the Mets advanced in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2015 National League pennant. They moved on to a best-of-five Division Series beginning today in Philadelphia against the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies.
It would be the first post-season meeting between the heated rivals.
Photo: AP
“This has been unreal. What a ride,” Alonso said. “I’m just excited to help keep this team alive.”
The slugger became the first major leaguer to hit a go-ahead homer when his team was trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game, according to data compiled by Opta.
“This is something that you practice as a kid in the backyard,” Alonso said.
The NL Central champion Brewers, making their sixth playoff appearance in seven years, still have not won a post-season series since reaching Game 7 of the 2018 National League Championship Series.
This loss will be particularly painful.
“I love this team,” manager Pat Murphy said. “I love them. I’ll never be able to duplicate 2024. It didn’t end the way we wanted to. It ended tragically, actually.”
Milwaukee appeared to have the victory in hand after pinch-hitter Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick broke a scoreless tie by opening the seventh inning with back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches from Jose Butto. Rookie right-hander Tobias Myers and three Brewers relievers combined on a two-hit shutout through the first eight innings.
In fact, 12 straight Mets had been retired when they entered the ninth against Williams, a two-time NL reliever of the year who had earned the save on Wednesday in Milwaukee’s Game 2 victory.
However, he was not his normal self on this night.
“I’m not going to make any excuse,” Williams said. “I didn’t execute the way I needed to. They got the job done and I didn’t.”
Francisco Lindor opened the inning by working an eight-pitch walk. Mark Vientos struck out, then Brandon Nimmo singled sharply on an 0-2 pitch to put runners at the corners.
That brought up Alonso, who has 226 career home runs in six seasons, but had not delivered an extra-base hit since homering on Sept. 19.
After getting ahead 3-1 in the count, Alonso drove a 138kph changeup to the opposite field over the wall in right.
He put his fingers to his mouth in a “chef’s kiss” gesture as he rounded first base and gave New York the lead.
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