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It's October, and you know what that means: MLB Postseason time! The postseason is where legends are made, where you either enhance your legacy by rising to the occasion or crater in the most significant moments. One team that seems to get the message of elevating their play when the stakes are at their highest is the New York Mets. The Milwaukee Brewers were favored in this game at -125 per ESPN Bet, with over 41,000 in attendance, a raucous home crowd, and a strong pitching bullpen consisting of starting pitchers Tobias Meyers and Freddy Peralta to relief pitchers Nick Mears and Devin Williams.
After a setback in Game 2 against the Brewers in the Wild Card round, the Mets were resolute in their quest to reach the NLDS. In Game 3, they demonstrated their mettle with a 4-2 triumph over the Brewers, marking their first NLDS (National League Divisional Series) appearance since 2015. It wasn't a high-scoring affair as one might expect from a classic game, but the pitching and defense from both teams in the first six innings were exceptional.
As the game entered the seventh inning, the scoreboard remained blank, intensifying the pressure on both teams. Mets' starting pitcher Jose Quintana had delivered a stellar performance in the first six innings, with five strikeouts and no errors. However, the tension escalated when Jose Butto took over in the seventh, allowing back-to-back homers by Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead, the game's first score in the seventh.
At that point, the Brewers had seized all the momentum, and the crowd's energy was palpable with each out and every play. Even Pete Alonso missed a foul ball catch for an out as he seemed to be affected by the road crowd. The Mets' top hitters, including Alonso and NL MVP candidate Francisco Lindor, found it challenging to counter the changeup pitches and sinkers Meyers and Mears were using to deceive them, resulting in eight of the nine strikeouts for the Brewers.
As the game headed into the final inning in the ninth, with the Brewers up 2-0, it seemed like they were headed to the NLDS, as the Mets' hitting couldn't get anything going all night. But something magical happened. Lindor stepped up as the first hitter of the inning. It's their final chance to make something happen, as they have three outs until their season is over, and they are sent flying back home for the offseason.
Williams ended up walking Lindor, a massive turn of events in a crucial moment of the game that gave the Mets a chance of survival like a human being who can see daylight saving themselves after drowning in a pool. This moment was a rollercoaster of emotions for both teams and the fans as the game's outcome hung in the balance. Williams then struck out Mark Viento with that being one out, and the Brewers just needed two more to advance to the NLDS as the pressure started ratcheting up for each team.
Brandon Nimmo came up big for the Mets with a single base hit to get Lindor to third with Alonso on deck and what would be something Mets fans will never forget in a decisive win or go-home game. Alonso first steps up to the plate with Lindor in the hot corner and Nimmo at first base. A base hit would get you on the board, but a triple or homer would tie the game or give your team the lead.
The Mets' third all-time leading home run leader, Alonso, rose to the occasion when his team needed him most by smashing a ball to the right field for a three-run homer off an 86 mph changeup by Williams, leaving the Brewer crowd in disbelief. The Mets not only scored their first points of the game but also took the lead, creating a moment that sucked the gravity right out of the building.
Jesse Winker later scored to give the Mets a 4-2 lead off a Starling Marte single with the momentum pendulum entirely in the balance of the Mets. The Mets closed it defensively with three more outs to knock the Brewers out to clinch their first NLDS appearance in almost a decade.
It was a tough-fought game all the way through, and it's two really good teams going at it in the postseason," Alonso said. "It was gonna come down to that last inning there. Man, just really special. I'm so happy I could come through for the team right there."
The upstart Mets will now have a challenging task ahead, playing the high-powered Philadelphia Phillies, led by Bryce Harper. The Phillies have made deep postseason runs each of the last two seasons and are hungry to win a World Series after blowing a 3-2 lead to the Arizona Diamondbacks last season and losing in the World Series in 2022 to the Houston Astros.
The Phillies finished second in the NL behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Phillies favored at -185 to the Mets +160 odds to take the series per Fox Sports. But, defeating the NL Central Division champs in the Brewers, who were tied third with the San Diego Padres for the best record in the league, will surely uplift their confidence that they can pull off the upset.
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