The comeback kids did it again!
After following up yesterday’s final seven innings without a run, the Mets went eight innings scoreless in this game. But they came thru with a four-run ninth inning against the Brewers’ closer, highlighted by a 3-run homer by Pete Alonso, and emerged with a 4-2 victory, which gave them the win in the Wild Card series against the Brewers.
It looked like the Mets’ season was over. They were held to two hits in the first eight innings, both of which were produced by Francisco Lindor. And Lindor got the winning rally started in the ninth, drawing a leadoff walk. One out later, Brandon Nimmo ripped a single to put runners on the corners with Alonso coming to the plate.
It’s been a tough year for Alonso and he was slumping badly both at the end of the year and in the first two games of this series. But he got ahead in the count and took an outside pitch over the right field wall, putting the Mets up, 3-2.
Jesse Winker, who was booed mercilessly by the Milwaukee crowd was hit by a pitch. And then somewhat miraculously – or maybe because the Brewers’ catcher simply couldn’t throw – he stole second base. Starling Marte then gave the Mets an insurance run with an RBI single.
David Peterson, who I wanted to start this game, came on to get the final three outs, with Carlos Mendoza using Edwin Diaz earlier to keep the game close. And the game ended on a great double play by Lindor, who short-hopped a ball, ran to touch the second base bag and fired a laser to Alonso to beat the runner by half a step.
Jose Quintana got the start and pitched brilliantly, holding the Brewers scoreless over six innings. With Quintana having thrown 94 pitches, Mendoza went to his bullpen, bringing in Jose Butto, who was terrific with two scoreless innings in the first game of the series.
But Butto didn’t have it. On a 3-2 pitch, he threw a middle-middle changeup that was hit for a homer by a guy hitting .199 for the year. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he gave up a homer to the next guy, too. One out later, Mendoza went to Diaz to hold the deficit at two runs.
It was a ballsy move by Mendoza and it worked out great. It may not have been easy, yet Diaz recorded five outs and kept the Brewers off the board.
A four-run, ninth-inning comeback is the stuff from which legends are conjured. There were a bunch of heroes in this game – Quintana, Diaz, Peterson, Lindor – but Alonso came up big when the Mets needed him most. Regardless how you feel about him being back next year, he had a signature moment that we all should celebrate.
The Mets get a much-needed day off on Friday before heading to Philadelphia for G1 of the NLDS on Saturday.
What a year!
Mets/Yanks WS looking like it could happen.
Just incredible these past 4 days! Legendary!
great comeback win against a tough team. I think the Jesse Winker stolen base was really big, lead to the insurance run when Marte singled. If not for that run the Brewers might well have sacrificed after the leadoff hit in the bottom of the 9th, and there would have been no game ending double play. Really good must watch baseball, especially the last inning.
Unreal. Literally unreal. The Braves comeback and this game. Maybe you get 1 game like this in critical times, and weve had 2 instant classic totally at the top of all Mets games ever played in 4 days.
Bring on the Phillies. We know how to beat them, and we just did, and now they are a bit rusty with the time off. Mets are just running on black magic and a little ‘73 memories right now. Maybe its all they need.
Spectacular. Last game I watched that was similar was game 6 of the 1986 championship series. Zippo offense until the 9th, then great at bats and gritty performances. So, once every 38 years, that’s quite special. Lindor’s great AB to work a walk, Nimmo hanging tough down in the count, Pete working the count and sitting on the change up after taking a first pitch cookie, Winker’s steal, Marte’s small ball punch to right for insurance…Quintana’s great 6 innings, Diaz’s gutty 5 outs, Peterson pounding the zone pitching in unchartered waters…a tremendous team win. Congratulations and bring on the Phillies.
OMG. What a great comeback. We all knew Pete had to hit one, but honestly did we think he would? Q threw his heart out and Diaz and Peterson shut them down. Excited to move on to Philly where we recently took 3 out of 4. Think how far our starters have done without a true ace. Look how these guys keep coming back. Bring on the Phillies. My boys are ready.
That is a fantastic pic! Congrats to you. What a happy crew!
This narrative of this season is so Mets! OMGLGFM! (Sorry for the all-caps, Chief.)
As far as I know, that’s not a word so the caps are fine
Gut Reaction: this game was an Old Fashioned pitching duel. One mistake pitch could eliminate your team. Quintana didn’t make a mistake in his six innings of scoreless ball. In the 7th inning, two pitches from Butto got the Mets to the brink of elimination. One pitch by Wilson to Alonso did, for all intents and purposes, eliminated the Brewers. It was a intense, well played game.
I just. Don’t. Know. What. To say. Any. More. I will run through a brick wall for this team. Callout to a key defensive moment- the Iglesias play in the 5th or 6th .
There is no rational way we should have won that game and here we are. Team of destiny.
Bringing in Diaz in the 7th inning was likely the best move Mendoza made all season, and boldly atypical
It was absolutely necessary to stop the bleeding immediately, and it worked, because there really was no other choice of pitcher in that high-leverage, extremely high-pressure situation
Given that Diaz has pitched 458 games in his ML career, has exactly zero GSs, and tallied 18 saves as a rookie, I infer that he has always been The Closer
This makes me wonder if Diaz has ever pitched a ML 7th inning
Also, this reminds me of Game 7 of 1988 NLCS, when Davey J. brought in Gooden in the 2nd inning because Darling had been raked for six runs
At that point in his career, Gooden had 158 GSs, record of 91-35, 2.62 ERA and precisely zero relief appearances. Inasmuch as it stopped the bleeding, the strategy worked
Unfortunately, the final score was 6-0 – this was the year of Hershiser
What a wild ride that series was. Not gonna lie, I absolutely wrote Alonso off before that last at bat, expecting a series-ending DP ground out.
Glad to be wrong. I have no idea what to expect with the Phillies series, which to me means anything is possible. This team is so flawed yet playing so much better than they seemingly should be, it’s bonkers.
LFGM!
This team is September/October-level battle hardened right now. I think the playoffs really began for this team with the Phillies series beginning on 19 September. Winning 3/4 there was hugely important in setting up the ATL drama. Sure they lost 2 of 3, but with the season on the line and in game 1 we saw the unbelievable, just to make the WC. And truthfully, the 1 win in Milwaukee, the last game of the set reminded them that even a team that owns them can be beat. Then back to milwaukee after the ATL double header drama, to win game 1 and the unreal drama of a 9th inning win for a winner take all game. Meanwhile the Phillies, who clinched ages ago, have had to watch all this and have the recent bitter memory of losing 3 of 4. Time to take down a couple hoagies and cheese steaks.
LFGM