Mets advance in playoffs with win over Brewers

Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off All-Star closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning as the New York Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 to win their 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 Saturday in Philadelphia against NL East champions Phillies.

It will be the first post-season meeting between the heated rivals.

"This has been unreal. What a ride," Alonso said. "I'm just excited to help keep this team alive."

The NL Central champions Brewers, making their sixth playoff appearance in seven years, still haven't 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 Buttó.

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 Wednesday in Milwaukee's Game 2 victory.

But he wasn't 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 homers in six seasons but hadn't delivered an extra-base hit since homering on September 19.

"I know Devin has great stuff," Alonso said. "I've seen him pitch a ton. We were teammates in the WBC (World Baseball Classic). He's a tough AB."

Alonso can become a prized free agent after the World Series, so it could have been his final plate appearance with the only professional franchise he's played for if the Mets had fallen short.

Instead, he sent them on to the next round with the biggest home run of his career.

"Pete Alonso was one swing away from people going crazy about him. And that's what happened," Lindor said.

Alonso became the first major leaguer to hit a go-ahead homer while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all post-season game, according to OptaSTATS.

"This is something that you practise as a kid in the backyard," Alonso said.