MILWAUKEE – Mark Vientos hit a go-ahead two-run single during a five-run fifth-inning outburst as the tireless New York Mets continued their exciting week by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 in a game of The NL Wild Card Series opens Tuesday.
The Mets didn’t secure a playoff berth until they late recovered from a three-run deficit to win the opener of a makeup doubleheader at Atlanta on Monday, a day after the end of the regular season.
Now they’ve won by going to Philadelphia for an NL Division Series.
“I knew we were in a good position when we got on the plane,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We celebrated. We walked out of the clubhouse in Atlanta and we saw right away that our mentality was the next day, the next game.
Since Major League Baseball moved to the current playoff format in 2022, which includes four best-of-three Wild Card series, the winner of Game 1 has continued to advance in each of the eight series. Only one of those eight series even reached a winner-take-all third game.
Milwaukee has lost 10 of its last 11 playoff games, a streak that began with its Game 7 home loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 NL Championship Series.
Jesse Winker and pinch hitter JD Martinez each drove in two runs for the Mets. Winker, who hit .199 with a .567 OPS for the Brewers last year before bouncing back this season, drew a chorus of boos every time he came to the plate. He also appeared to exchange words with Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames after hitting a two-run triple in the second.
Brice Turang went 3 for 4, Jackson Chourio was 2 for 4 and William Contreras had two RBIs for the Brewers. According to MLB.com, Chourio, 20, was the youngest player to have two hits in his postseason debut.
Milwaukee, the NL Central champion, was 5-0 against the Mets this season before losing 5-0 to them in the regular season finale on Sunday.
That sent the Mets to Atlanta needing a doubleheader win to reach the playoffs, and they clinched a spot by scoring all of their runs in the final two innings of an 8-7 victory over the rival Braves.
New York was back on the field in Milwaukee just 22 hours after the double bill — and the Mets showed similar toughness on Tuesday.
“It’s hard to be tired when you’re playing playoff baseball,” Vientos said. “I had a lot of energy. I know we all have. We were all excited and we got the job done.
After the Brewers took an early lead with two runs in the first inning, the Mets responded by scoring three times in the second. Once the Brewers took a two-run lead in the fourth, the Mets quickly responded again, this time with five runs in the fifth.
Milwaukee had just taken a 4-3 lead heading into the fifth when manager Pat Murphy removed Freddy Peralta, who had thrown 68 pitches and retired the last nine batters he faced, and turned to a relief corps who ranked second in the majors in reliever ERA. this season.
“It was an emotional time (68) pitches,” Murphy said. “What’s the matter, 20 left?” He’s usually between 83 and 90, which is when he loses a little on his fastball. I didn’t want him to face these guys three times.
This decision backfired.
Starling Marte greeted Joel Payamps by hitting a drive that a leaping Chourio caught against the left field wall. Tyrone Taylor then doubled to left on a misjudged flyball by Chourio, allowing it to pop out of his glove.
With two on and two out, Jose Iglesias hit a solid grounder that first baseman Rhys Hoskins caught. But Iglesias dove headfirst and beat Payamps to the bag for an infield single, with Taylor racing home from second to tie the game.
Payamps later criticized himself for believing the ball had been hit closer to the first base than it actually was, and then reacting too late.
“It was a routine play that I failed to execute,” Paympas said through a translator. “From there, things kind of went downhill. »
Aaron Ashby replaced Payamps, but did not retire any of the five batters he faced.
After Brandon Nimmo reached on an infield single, Vientos hit a two-run single to right. Ashby threw a wild pitch and intentionally walked Pete Alonso to load the bases before Martinez, batting for Winker, delivered a two-run single to right.
“They’re gutsy hitters, man,” Ashby said. “They take two strikes, put the ball in play and make things happen. … I’m coming here this round to knock guys out. I didn’t execute the pitches like I’m capable of doing.
The Brewers then went down quietly. Chourio hit an RBI single in the fourth, but Mets pitchers retired the next 17 batters to end the game.
New York starter Luis Severino has recovered well from a difficult start. He allowed eight hits and four runs – three earned – in six innings to earn the victory. José Buttó pitched two perfect innings and Ryne Stanek retired the team in order in the ninth.
“We are not satisfied,” Severino said. “We know the potential we have in this clubhouse, and we want to go there and we’re going to fight. We’re going to fight until the end, and hopefully this finish will hopefully win us the World Series.
FOLLOWING
LHP Sean Manaea (12-6, 3.47 ERA) starts for the Mets in Game 2, five days after allowing six runs (five earned) in 3 2/3 innings in an 8-4 loss to Milwaukee. Frankie Montas (7-11, 4.84) will pitch for the Brewers.
