Alonso’s Amazin’ Blast Sends Mets to NLDS

The Mets never stayed on the mat for long this season.

They were walked off in Tampa in a game that they were one strike away from winning on May 5. New York won the next day. Walked-off in Miami later that month after Edwin Díaz‘s worst performance of the year. Won the next one. Walked off in Philadelphia in September. Won the next four.

After three straight losses put the season on the brink, they shut out the Brewers on Sunday and beat the Braves on Monday in a game described nationwide as the best of the year. Down 3-0 in the eighth inning and 7-6 before Francisco Lindor‘s ninth-inning heroics, the Mets got off the mat in that game, too.

“We’ve shown it the whole year,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after the Game 2 Wild Card loss to the Brewers. “We’ve been knocked down and we have the ability to get back up. And here we are. Got punched today. We’ll get right back.”

That was the goal heading into do-or-die Game 3 Thursday night at American Family Field. But after 165 games, it looked like the Brewers had knocked them out. Milwaukee led 2-0, with one out in the ninth inning.

And then Pete Alonso pulled the Mets off the mat again. He clocked a three-run, opposite-field home run – one of the biggest in franchise playoff history – that helped send the Mets to a 4-2 victory and a Saturday date with the Phillies in the National League Division Series. Make it two incredibly dramatic wins for the Mets in four days.

The starters Thursday, Jose Quintana and Tobias Myers, were both sharp. The Mets lefty tossed six scoreless innings, giving up four hits and a walk. The Brewers’ 26-year-old rookie tossed five scoreless, too, yielding just two hits – a single and double to Francisco Lindor.

After Quintana fanned Gary Sanchez on his 94th and final pitch to end the sixth inning, the typically stoic lefty pumped his fist and yelled on his way to the dugout.

Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick hit back-to-back seventh-inning solo homers off José Buttó to break a scoreless tie and give Milwaukee the 2-0 lead.

Lindor started the game-winning rally with a leadoff walk. After Mark Vientos struck out, Brandon Nimmo singled and set the stage for the biggest home run of Alonso’s career. Starling Marte later added an RBI single.

David Peterson pitched a scoreless ninth for the save, getting Brice Turang to bounce into a game-ending double play.

Stat of the Game

Pete Alonso is the first player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead home run when trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseaosn game.

Player of the Game

Alonso made sure it was not his final game as a Met.  He was 0-for-3 with a strikeout when he came to the plate in the ninth.

Mendoza was asked after Game 2 what he learned about Alonso after watching him up close for a season.

“How much he wants to win,” the manager said. “How much he wants it for this organization, for this franchise. He wants to be in the lineup, it was a big deal for him to play the 162. And that goes to show you. His leadership, the way he goes about his business, going through struggles, and the way he handled the whole situation. He’s been doing it his whole career, in New York especially, and he did it again this year.”

Check out the amazin’ call by Howie Rose.

On Deck

The Mets are moving on to Philadelphia! Zack Wheeler (16-7, 2.57 ERA) will pitch Game 1 at 4:08 p.m. ET. The Mets may announce a starter when they are done celebrating. The game will air on FOX.

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