MILWAUKEE — Just when the Mets were preparing to “Roll out the Barrel” to celebrate advancement Wednesday to another postseason round, disaster struck.
Phil Maton entered to protect a one-run lead, and by the time he departed following the third out, the Brewers had blasted two home runs and redirected the momentum in this NL Wild Card Series.
There will be a decisive Game 3 on Thursday after the Mets squandered their opportunity for a two-game series sweep with a 5-3 loss in front of 40,350 at American Family Field.
This wasn’t all on Maton — the Mets went the last seven innings without scoring. But the right-hander got jumped almost from the moment he entered the game and then the Brewers went for the kill.
Garrett Mitchell’s two-run homer with two outs was the crusher, after rookie Jackson Chourio’s blast (his second of the game) leading off the inning had erased the Mets’ 3-2 lead.
“It’s extremely frustrating — I would have rather given it up in a regular-season game,” said Maton, who was pitching for the fourth time in five days. “Overall I was pretty happy with my pitch selection and execution, [but] a little too much plate with some of them. It’s one of those situations where they just beat me today and it’s a little bit easier to rest on that, but ultimately we have to take care of business [Thursday] and respond.”
Ryne Stanek had pitched a perfect seventh, but manager Carlos Mendoza said he didn’t stick with him because of concerns about Chourio, who is adept at handling high velocity. Edwin Diaz, who threw 40 pitches on Monday, was available for “a few hitters,” according to Mendoza. Diaz said he was ready to get four outs if needed. Even so, Diaz wasn’t summoned after Willy Adames singled with two outs to extend the inning. Mitchell’s go-ahead homer to right followed.
“The whole time we were going through the situation we wanted a Maton-Chourio matchup and it just didn’t work,” Mendoza said.
Now the burden will fall on Jose Quintana to help send the Mets to Philadelphia for the NLDS. The lefty is scheduled to face Tobias Myers in Game 3.
“Losing is not fun, but we have been responding to adversity all year,” Pete Alonso said. “I am really excited for this challenge [Thursday]. This is what the playoffs are all about: two great teams going at it.”
Sean Manaea gave the Mets five innings in which he allowed two earned runs on six hits and struck out four. The left-hander was removed after 86 pitches with the Mets ahead 3-2.
Brandon Nimmo stroked an RBI single in the first to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Francisco Lindor led off the game with a walk and Jose Iglesias avoided a double play with a sprint to first that just beat the relay throw before Mark Vientos reached on an infield hit and Nimmo delivered with a chopper through the first-base hole.
But the Mets rally was curtailed with Alonso stumbling on his bat as he ran to first base on a grounder that became an easy 6-4-3 double play.
Alonso said it was the first time in his career he tripped over his bat.
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the New York Mets 5-3.
“By the time I got up the play was pretty much done,” Alonso said. “I know it’s weird. But hey, listen, it sucks. … I feel like if I didn’t trip over my bat, I would have legged it out and a run would have scored there. It sucks to legitimately trip there and not get a run in.”
Chourio tied it 1-1 with a homer leading off the bottom of the inning. Manaea threw an 0-2 sinker that Chourio blasted over the right-field fence.
The Mets jumped on Frankie Montas again in the second, scoring two unearned runs after Montas dropped Rhys Hoskins’ throw while covering first base on Starling Marte’s grounder.
Then, after Tyrone Taylor singled, Francisco Alvarez stroked an RBI single. Lindor’s ensuing sacrifice fly gave the Mets a 3-1 lead.
Montas lasted only 3 ²/₃ innings and surrendered three runs, two of which were unearned, on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
Trevor Megill plunked Nimmo with two outs in the fifth and balked the runner to second, but struck out Alonso. Megill, the older brother of Mets pitcher Tylor Megill, struck out three batters in the inning.
The Brewers scrapped for a run in the fifth to pull within 3-2. Brice Turang slapped a leadoff double past third base and advanced on Chourio’s groundout to the right side before Blake Perkins’ drive to center brought in Turang.
The Mets loaded the bases in the sixth against Joel Payamps, who struck out Iglesias to end the threat. J.D. Martinez walked and Marte singled before Lindor was intentionally walked with two outs.
“We have been knocked down and we have the ability to get back up,” Mendoza said. “Here we are. Got punched today. We’ll get right back.”
