Pete Alonso etched his name into Mets lore on Thursday night, delivering a game-winning, three-run homer off All-Star closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning to secure a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and send New York into the National League Division Series, The Associated Press reports.
The dramatic comeback win, the Mets’ second in as many games in this decisive Game 3, marked their first playoff series victory since 2015. They now face the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-five series, beginning Saturday in a highly anticipated clash between the NL East rivals.
Alonso’s heroics, which came with the Mets trailing by two runs heading into the ninth, made him the first player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game, according to OptaSTATS.
The Brewers, making their sixth playoff appearance in seven years, faltered despite a strong performance from their pitching staff. Pinch-hitter Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick opened the seventh inning with back-to-back home runs, breaking a scoreless tie and seemingly putting Milwaukee in control.
However, Williams, the two-time NL reliever of the year, couldn’t hold onto the lead. After Francisco Lindor walked and Brandon Nimmo singled, Alonso launched a game-changing homer, silencing the Brewers’ faithful and setting off a wave of jubilation among the Mets faithful.
The ninth inning rally underscored the resilience of a Mets team that faced adversity throughout the season. After a dismal start, they were 22-33 in late May, but finished with the best record in baseball for the remainder of the regular season. Their improbable playoff berth was cemented by a dramatic comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves in the final game of the regular season.
Edwin Díaz, who shut down the Brewers in the eighth and ninth innings, was credited with the win, while David Peterson secured his first major league save.
