MILWAUKEE (AP) — Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off All-Star nearer Devin Williams within the ninth inning and the New York Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday evening to win their NL Wild Card Collection.

With their newest thrilling comeback within the decisive Recreation 3 in opposition to Milwaukee, the Mets superior within the playoffs for the primary time since profitable the 2015 Nationwide League pennant. They moved on to a best-of-five Division Collection starting Saturday in Philadelphia in opposition to the NL East champion Phillies.

It will likely be the primary postseason assembly between the heated rivals.

“This has been unreal. What a trip,” Alonso mentioned. “I’m simply excited to assist preserve this staff alive.”

The NL Central champion Brewers, making their sixth playoff look in seven years, nonetheless haven’t gained a postseason collection since reaching Recreation 7 of the 2018 Nationwide League Championship Collection.

This loss might be notably painful.

“I really like this staff,” supervisor Pat Murphy mentioned. “I really like them. I’ll by no means have the ability to duplicate 2024. It didn’t finish the best way we wished to. It ended tragically, truly.”

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 Buttó. Rookie right-hander Tobias Myers and three Brewers relievers mixed on a two-hit shutout by the primary eight innings.

Actually, 12 straight Mets had been retired once they entered the ninth in opposition to Williams, a two-time NL reliever of the yr who had earned the save Wednesday in Milwaukee’s Recreation 2 victory.

However he wasn’t his regular self on this evening.

“I’m not going to make any excuse,” Williams mentioned. “I didn’t execute the best way I wanted to. They bought the job finished and I didn’t.”

Francisco Lindor opened the inning by working an eight-pitch stroll. Mark Vientos struck out, then Brandon Nimmo singled sharply on an 0-2 pitch to place runners on the corners.

That introduced up Alonso, who has 226 profession homers in six seasons however hadn’t delivered an extra-base hit since homering on Sept. 19.

“I do know Devin has nice stuff,” Alonso mentioned. “I’ve seen him pitch a ton. We have been teammates within the WBC (World Baseball Traditional). He’s a tricky AB.”

After getting forward 3-1 within the depend, Alonso drove an 86 mph changeup to the other discipline over the wall in proper. He put his fingers to his mouth in a “chef’s kiss” gesture as he rounded first base and gave New York the lead.

Alonso can change into a prized free agent after the World Collection, so it might have been his ultimate plate look with the one skilled franchise he’s performed for if the Mets had fallen brief.

As an alternative, he despatched them on to the subsequent spherical with the largest dwelling run of his profession.

“Pete Alonso was one swing away from individuals going loopy about him. And that’s what occurred,” Lindor mentioned.

Alonso grew to become the primary main leaguer to hit a go-ahead homer whereas trailing within the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason recreation, in response to OptaSTATS.

“That is one thing that you just follow as a child within the yard,” Alonso mentioned.

Williams remained within the recreation however by no means regained his footing. Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch with two outs, stole second and scored an insurance coverage run on Starling Marte’s single to proper.

Winker, a former Brewer who was showered with boos all through the collection, screamed and slammed his helmet to the bottom after sliding throughout the plate.

The ninth-inning rally continued New York’s storybook season. The Mets have been 22-33 in late Could however had the perfect file in baseball the remainder of the common season. They didn’t clinch a playoff berth till scoring all their runs within the ultimate two innings of an 8-7 comeback victory at rival Atlanta within the opening recreation of a make-up doubleheader Monday, the day after the common season was supposed to finish.

“With what’s transpired this season, it appears solely becoming,” Nimmo mentioned. “We appeared down and out. Originally of the season, we have been written off. Clearly it was compounded in April and Could. Then we went on this simply unbelievable run of being the perfect (staff) in baseball for the subsequent 4 months, having the staff assembly, pulling ourselves up.

“And that’s sort of how this recreation was. This recreation, we have been down and out for eight innings, and we simply mentioned, ‘ what? We’re simply going to maintain capturing our photographs till the tip, and we’re going to see what occurs.’”

Frelick led off the underside of the ninth with a single, however Joey Ortiz struck out and Brice Turang hit right into a double play to finish the collection.

“It sucks, plain and easy,” mentioned Frelick, whose homer was his first since mid-Could. “We bought beat and it’s going to be one thing I feel all of us can keep in mind as a bunch, although, going into subsequent yr.”

Edwin Díaz pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless aid to earn the win. David Peterson, making his first aid look this season, labored the ninth for his first main league save.

The sport began out as a pitchers’ duel between Myers and New York left-hander Jose Quintana. Myers pitched 5 shutout innings, whereas Quintana held the Brewers scoreless by six.

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New York went 6-7 in opposition to the Phillies in the course of the common season and completed six video games behind them within the division standings.

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