The New York Mets scored 11 points in the first two games of their National League Wild Card playoff series against the Milwaukee Brewers. However, in Game 3, a winner-take-all game, the bats were silent until the 8th inning.
However, the lineup came alive in the ninth inning against Brewers closer Devin Williams. Williams led off the inning by giving up a walk to Francisco Lindor. Lindor advanced to third on Brandon Nimmo’s single. Williams then threw an 86 mph changeup to Pete Alonso, who didn’t miss his pitch.
Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning against the Brewers and circled the bases in euphoria. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Williams continued his miserable ninth inning by getting hit by Jesse Winker with a pitch. Winker then stole second base and got into scoring position, and Starling Marte doubled home to add another run and give the Mets a 4-2 lead.
Understandably, Winker was very excited to score. In fact, he may have spiked and broken his batting helmet after crossing home plate.
The Mets won 4-2 and advanced to the National League Division Series, where they will face the Philadelphia Phillies.
David Peterson allowed a lead-off single to Sal Frelich and then grounded Bryce Turan into a game-ending double play to round out the Mets’ win. Fittingly, the double play was reversed by Lindor and Nimmo and Alonso were the Mets’ only offensive line on Thursday until the ninth inning heroics.
Milwaukee’s batting lineup didn’t make much noise until the sixth inning, but it finally turned up its volume in the seventh inning.
Jake Bowers led off the first inning with a pinch-hit home run off Mets relief pitcher Jose Butt, slamming an 89 mph changeup into the right field seats.
On the very next pitch, Frelick smashed a 96 mph fastball down low to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.
Tobias Myers got off to a great start in Milwaukee, allowing no runs and two hits (both to Lindor) in five innings. He led the Mets with no walks and five strikeouts on 66 pitches.
Combined with Saturday’s relief appearance, Myers pitched nine scoreless innings against the Mets, allowing just three hits and 10 strikeouts.
There was nothing in the Mets’ lineup or in the Brewers’ bullpen. Milwaukee’s three relief pitchers, including Game 1 starter Freddy Peralta, who threw 68 pitches in the series opener, pitched no hits or runs over the next three innings.
Pat Murphy’s departure for Freddy Peralta two days into the elimination game is a reminder that at the center of it all, Murphy is a college baseball coach.
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) October 4, 2024
Veteran Jose Quintana pitched nearly as well for the Mets, allowing four hits in six scoreless innings, with five strikeouts and one walk. He finished the sixth inning strong, throwing 94 pitches and striking out Willie Adames and Gary Sanchez.
Edwin Diaz and Peterson gave the Mets a chance to fight back, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings after Butt gave up two runs. Diaz issued two walks in 1 2/3 frames but struck out three batters.
Game 1 of the NLDS is scheduled for Saturday at 4:08 p.m. ET from Citizens Bank Park. The Mets faced the Phillies in the regular season with a record of 6 wins and 7 losses. But before we get into that record, consider that New York was 1-5 against the Brewers in the regular season.
Here’s how the thrilling Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Playoff Series (the only Game 3 of the Wild Card round) played out on Yahoo Sports’ live blog after the game.
Live31 update
Thursday, October 3, 2024 11:11pm EDT
Howie Rose radios Pete Alonso’s home run
Sorry, Brewers fans, but you probably don’t want to hear this. But Mets fans who missed it will probably enjoy Howie Rose’s call on Pete Alonso’s game-winning home run on WCBS 880-AM.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 10:18 PM EDT
Empire State Building lights up for the Mets
The Empire State Building is painted blue and orange to celebrate the Mets’ playoff series victory.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 10:01 PM EDT
Finals: Mets 4, Brewers 2
Bryce Turan grounded out into a double play and that was it. The Mets won a thrilling victory with Pete Alonso’s three-run home run. They will face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:58 PM EDT
Sal Frelick led off with a single.
Frelick had to watch Pete Alonso’s game-winning home run go over the fence, but he took the lead with a lead-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The American Family Field crowd was once again excited. Ryne Stanek is currently warming up with the Mets.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:56 PM EDT
David Peterson enters Mets with 2 point lead
The Brewers finally finished the top of the 9th inning and needed two runs in the bottom of the 9th inning. After Edwin Diaz threw 39 pitches in 1 2/3 innings, David Peterson came on to close out the inning.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:52 PM EDT
Mets add one more run in the top of the 9th inning.
Things get even worse for the Brewers. Jesse Winker reached base with an HBP, stole second base, and scored an insurance run on Starling Marte’s single. Winker got so excited at home plate that he spiked his helmet and broke it.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:48 PM EDT
Pete Alonso gives the Mets the lead!
The Mets’ batting lineup was silent until the 8th inning. But against Brewers closer Devin Williams, they came to life. After Williams walked Francisco Lindor and allowed a single to Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso put the Mets in front with a three-run homer.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:26 PM EDT
Mets can’t answer in the 8th inning
After allowing two runs, the Mets had to fight back in the top of the eighth inning. But Freddy Peralta set them up in a 1-2-3 and retired Starling Marte, Tyron Taylor and Francisco Alvarez on 13 pitches.
For comparison, Peralta started Game 1 and threw 68 pitches.
Pat Murphy’s departure for Freddy Peralta two days into the elimination game is a reminder that at the center of it all, Murphy is a college baseball coach.
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) October 4, 2024
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:21 PM EDT
Edwin Diaz comes in to keep Brewers in check
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza brought in closer Edwin Diaz in the seventh inning after Jose Butt hit back-to-back home runs. The Mets’ hitting was so poor that Mendoza knew he couldn’t afford to concede any more runs.
Diaz walked Bryce Turan. Turan then reached second base on a steal, giving the Brewers another scoring threat. Diaz got Jackson Choriot out, then walked Blake Perkins, who stole second and Turan stole third. However, the Mets’ closer struck out William Contreras, limiting Milwaukee to two runs in the inning.
Brewers 2, Mets 0 heading into the 8th inning.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 9:06 PM EDT
Brewers home run streak
Pinch hitter Jake Bowers hit a home run off reliever Jose Butto to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Sal Frelich then hit a home run of his own on the next pitch, giving Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.
Butt had a great regular season with the Mets, striking out 79 batters in 74 innings. However, he hit two home runs at the worst possible timing.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:58 PM EDT
Nick Mears pitches a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
The Mets batting lineup has remained silent. Nick Mears struck out Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker in the seventh inning, retiring all three batters he faced.
New York has two hits in the game so far.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:52 PM EDT
Jose Quintana pitches no runs in 6 innings
Jose Quintana finished the sixth inning 1-2-3, striking out Willy Adames and Gary Sanchez. After forcing Sanchez to whiff to end the inning, the veteran was excited.
Much credit goes to Carlos Mendoza, who trusted his instincts and stole one more inning from Jose Quintana. If things didn’t work out, he would have been skewered. Mendoza did it anyway, and it worked perfectly.
Quintana carried the Mets into the seventh inning of a scoreless game.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 4, 2024
Nick Mears pitches the seventh inning for the Brewers.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:45 PM EDT
Polish sausage wins American Family Field sausage race
Judging by the way the Brewers excitedly cheer for the sausage, they’re a loose bunch heading into the bottom of the sixth inning in Milwaukee.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:38 PM EDT
After 5 innings: Mets 0, Brewers 0
Jackson Chourio took a two-out walk in the fifth inning and advanced to scoring position with a stolen base. But he was stranded when Blake Perkins fell on a grounder to shortstop.
Milwaukee still had no points after five innings.
Trevor McGill (2.72 ERA, 50 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings) will pitch for the Brewers.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:31 PM EDT
Tobias Myers, tonight’s over.
A handshake and hug in the Brewers dugout signaled Tobias Myers is done for Game 3.
He pitched 5 innings, allowing only 2 hits, 5 strikeouts, and no walks. Myers threw 66 pitches, but some Brewers fans may be wondering why manager Pat Murphy would let him go.
Trevor Megill warms up in the Milwaukee bullpen.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:22 PM EDT
Tobias Meyers pitches 5 scoreless innings with Brewers
Tobias Meyers continues to handcuff the Mets’ batting lineup. Francisco Lindor was the only one to take a hit against him. Myers then hit Jesse Winker to lead off the fifth inning, then struck out Starling Marte and Tyrone Taylor before popping out Francisco Alvarez to first base to end the top of the inning.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:19 PM EDT
No more trash talk between Jesse Winker and Willie Adames – for now
In the top of the 5th inning, Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch and took the lead. Will he and Willie Adames exchange words on the bases again, as happened in Game 1?
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:16 PM EDT
No points after 4 innings
Milwaukee took the lead in the fourth inning with a single by Willie Adames, advancing runners into scoring position. He stole a base and entered second base. However, Jose Quintana retired Gary Sanchez, Reece Hoskins and Sal Frelich to keep the Brewers scoreless.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 8:07 PM EDT
Francisco Lindor was the only one to take a hit off Tobias Myers.
Tobias Myers held all Mets batters hitless through four innings, except for Francisco Lindor, who had two hits. Myers also had three strikeouts.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 7:58 PM EDT
Jose Iglesias’ glovework
Jose Quintana is getting help from his defense, including some nice plays from second baseman Jose Iglesias.
