After defeating the Brewers 8-4 on Tuesday afternoon, the Mets needed one thing on Tuesday, one more win and they were moving on to face the Phillies.
The Mets’ bullpen faltered late in a 5-3 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday night in Milwaukee and the two teams will now play on Thursday in a winner-take-all matchup.
The Mets turned to left-hander Sean Manaea (12-6, 3.47 ERA during the regular season) for game two of their wild card matchup against the Brewers. Manaea was opposed by Milwaukee righty, Frankie Monstas (7-11, 4.84 regular season ERA).
Both offenses got off to hot starts, with Brandon Nimmo putting the Mets on the scoreboard first in the first on an RBI single to right field with two on.
However, the Brewers quickly answered right back as Jackson Chourio led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run to right field to even it back up at 1-1.
The Mets answered back in the second. With two on and one out, Francisco Alvarez hit an RBI single to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Francisco Lindor then drove another run in on a sacrifice fly to left field that gave the Mets a 3-1 lead early.
The Brewers got one back in fifth to bring the game within a run on a sacrifice fly by Blake Perkins that made it a 3-2 game going into the sixth.
Manaea’s day was done after five innings as Reed Garrett came in to relieve Manaea in the sixth. Garrett and Stanek both pitched scoreless innings before Carlos Mendoza turned the ball over to Phil Maton, who quickly found himself in trouble and more.
Maton gave up a lead-off home run to Chourio (his second of the game) to tie the game 3-3.
Chourio was followed three batters later by a two-run home run by Garrett Mitchell that gave Milwaukee their first lead of the game, 5-3 over the Mets as Maton just could not find it on Wednesday.
Unfortunately that’s all the Brewers needed to steal game two from the Mets and force a winner-takes all, loser goes home game three.
The Mets led through 7 ½ on Wednesday. But unfortunately Maton’s struggles and the Mets’ inability to produce with runners in scoring position were the difference on Wednesday.
Game three will be on Thursday in Milwaukee with the start time dependent on if the Padres and Braves need a game three, too. It will be right-handed pitcher Tobias Myers (9-6, 3.00 ERA through the regular season) on the mound for Milwaukee. The Mets will be going with veteran lefty Jose Quintana.
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