Mets continue wild ride with 8-4 win over Brewers in playoff opener

Mark Vientos delivered a pivotal two-run single during a five-run surge in the fifth inning, propelling the resilient New York Mets to an 8-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opening game of the NL Wild Card Series on Tuesday.

The Mets secured their playoff spot by staging a comeback from a three-run deficit to triumph in the first game of a makeup doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday, just one day after the conclusion of the regular season was originally scheduled.

They are now one victory away from advancing to Philadelphia for the NL Division Series.

“I felt confident about our position when we boarded the plane,” remarked manager Carlos Mendoza. “We celebrated our success. Upon leaving the clubhouse in Atlanta, it was evident that our focus was on the next day and the next game.”

Since the implementation of the current postseason format in 2022, which includes four best-of-three Wild Card Series, the team that wins Game 1 has progressed in all eight series. Notably, only one of those series has reached a decisive third game.

The Brewers have faced significant challenges, losing 10 of their last 11 playoff contests, a trend that commenced with their Game 7 defeat at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 NL Championship Series.

Jesse Winker and pinch-hitter J.D. Martinez each contributed two runs for the Mets. Winker, who recorded a .199 batting average and a .567 OPS with the Brewers last season before making a comeback this year, faced a barrage of boos every time he stepped up to bat. Following a two-run triple in the second inning, he appeared to engage in a verbal exchange with Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames.

Brice Turang achieved a 3-for-4 performance, Jackson Chourio went 2 for 4, and William Contreras added two RBIs for the Brewers. As reported, the 20-year-old Chourio became the youngest player to record two hits in his playoff debut.

The NL Central champion Brewers had previously maintained a 5-0 record against the Mets this season before suffering a 5-0 defeat in their regular-season finale on Sunday.

This loss compelled the Mets to travel to Atlanta, where they needed to secure one victory in a doubleheader to qualify for the postseason. They accomplished this by scoring all their runs in the final two innings, ultimately winning 8-7 against their rivals, the Braves.

New York returned to the field in Milwaukee just 22 hours after the doubleheader, demonstrating a similar determination on Tuesday.

“It’s hard to feel fatigued when you’re engaged in playoff baseball,” Vientos remarked. “I was filled with energy, and I know my teammates felt the same. We were all eager, and we executed our plan effectively.”

After the Brewers established an early advantage with two runs in the first inning, the Mets responded by scoring three runs in the second. When the Brewers regained the lead with two runs in the fourth, the Mets quickly countered with five runs in the fifth inning.

Milwaukee had just taken a 4-3 lead heading into the fifth when manager Pat Murphy decided to remove Freddy Peralta, who had thrown 68 pitches and retired the last nine batters he faced. He opted to rely on a relief corps that ranked second in the majors for bullpen ERA this season.

“It had been an emotional 68 pitches,” Murphy explained. “What does he have left, 20? He typically operates between 83 and 90 pitches before he starts to lose some velocity on his fastball. I didn’t want him to face those hitters a third time.”

The strategy proved ineffective.

Starling Marte welcomed Joel Payamps by hitting a drive that was caught at the left-field wall by a leaping Chourio. Subsequently, Tyrone Taylor hit a double to left on a flyball that Chourio misjudged, resulting in the ball bouncing off his glove.

With two runners on base and two outs, Jose Iglesias struck a hard ground ball that was fielded by first baseman Rhys Hoskins. However, Iglesias executed a headfirst dive and managed to reach the bag ahead of Payamps, securing an infield single, while Taylor sprinted home from second base to equalize the score.

Payamps expressed regret afterward, acknowledging that he misjudged the ball's trajectory, believing it was hit closer to first base than it was, which led to his delayed reaction.

“That’s a routine play that I failed to execute,” Payamps stated through a translator. “Things kind of spiraled from there.”

Aaron Ashby replaced Payamps but was unable to retire any of the five batters he faced.

After Brandon Nimmo reached base with an infield single, Vientos followed with a two-run single to right field. Ashby then threw a wild pitch and intentionally walked Pete Alonso to load the bases, before Martinez, who was batting for Winker, delivered a two-run single to right.

Ashby remarked, "They are tenacious hitters. They excel in two-strike situations, consistently putting the ball in play and creating opportunities. My objective during that inning was to strike out batters, but I did not execute my pitches to the best of my ability."

Following that, the Brewers were unable to mount a significant response. Chourio managed an RBI single in the fourth inning, yet Mets pitchers proceeded to retire the next 17 batters, concluding the game.

New York's starting pitcher, Luis Severino, made a commendable recovery after a rough beginning. He conceded eight hits and four runs—three of which were earned—over six innings, securing the victory. José Buttó delivered two flawless innings, while Ryne Stanek retired the side in order during the ninth.

Severino expressed, "We are not content. We recognize the potential within our clubhouse, and we are determined to compete. We will continue to fight until the very end, and we hope that end culminates in winning the World Series."