MILWAUKEE — The theme of the year for the Mets has been finding ways to win. But to keep their season alive, they’re going to have to find a way to limit rookie sensation Jackson Chourio, as well as hit a stifling Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff to keep their season alive Thursday.
With the Mets holding on to a 3-2 lead in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card series, right-hander Phil Maton gave up a game-tying home run to Chourio in the bottom of the eighth. Then, with two outs, the right-hander allowed a huge, two-run go-ahead shot to Garrett Mitchell.
The Mets dropped the second game of the best-of-three series, 5-2, on Wednesday night at American Family Field. The winner of Game 3 will move on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
“We’ve been knocked down and we have the ability to get back up,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “Here we are, got punched today. We’ll get right back.”
Chourio hit two game-tying home runs, with the first one coming in the bottom of the first against left-hander Sean Manaea after the Mets went up 1-0. At just 20 years old, he’s considered one of the league’s rising young stars. To the Mets this week, he’s a home-run threat they have to contain.
“He’s a young, talented hitter who can always fight off fastballs,” Maton said.
Maton thought the pitch selection was good, but he left the home run pitch over the plate. Chourio led off the eighth, with Maton throwing a curveball out of the zone for ball 1, and a sinker for strike 1. He threw a cutter that Chourio 398 feet to right-center field.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” Maton said. “I would have rather given that up in a regular season game. But looking over the iPad, looking at the pitches overall, I’m pretty happy with my pitch selection. Execution, there was a little bit too much plate with some of them, but I think it was one of those situations where they just beat me today…
“It’s a little easier to rest on that, but ultimately, we have to take care of business tomorrow and respond.”
Closer Edwin Diaz was available for up to four outs if needed, but after William Contreras grounded into a double play, the Mets stuck with Maton. Ryne Stanek retired the Brewers in order in the seventh, but Mendoza didn’t want to leave him in to face Chourio.
Prior to the eighth, neither team had given up much offense. When the Mets had chances, the Brewers made tough pitches, but they also failed to capitalize on the chances they did have, going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and leaving nine on base.
The Mets scrapped for three runs over the first two innings against right-hander Frankie Montas. After going up 1-0 in the first using a force-out, an infield single and a shallow single, Pete Alonso came up to bat, but the slugger hit into a double play, tripping over the bat while coming out of the box.
“If I hadn’t tripped over my bat, I would have legged it out and a run would have scored there,” Alonso said. “It sucks to legitimately trip there and not get that run in.”
The Mets took a 3-1 lead in the second, but stranded two.
The entire game was too close for comfort. The Mets have been playing this way for weeks, with every pitch and every play carrying weight. And there were times when it was obvious that the Mets weren’t exceptionally comfortable.
With two on and none out in the top of the six and the Mets holding a one-run lead, Tyrone Taylor and Francisco Alvarez both swung at first-pitch sliders low in the zone from Joel Payamps. Both hit right into outs. After the Brewers intentionally walked Francisco Lindor, Jose Iglesias, one of the Mets’ best hitters with runners in scoring position, struck out on four pitches to strand the bases loaded.
“I thought we had good at-bats, we just didn’t get the final one,” Mendoza said. “You’re facing an elite pitching staff and they went to the bullpen again early. It’s not going to be easy to score when you face a different arm and matchups.”
After the Chourio homer in the first, the Brewers were held scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Brice Turang scored on a sacrifice fly. Manaea exited with the lead, having given up two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts over five innings.
The lefty would have liked to pitch the six, but Mendoza went to right-hander Reed Garrett.
“I know the playoffs are a little bit different of a situation,” Manaea said. “It’s all Mendy’s decision.”
Garrett and Stanek blanked the Brewers in the sixth and seventh, while Milwaukee used five relievers after pulling Montas in the fourth. Montas went just 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (one earned), walking one and striking out three.
Devin Williams, one of the NL’s top closers, shut the door in the ninth to force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday.
“We just didn’t get the last one today,” Mendoza said. “But overall, I thought we had really good at-bats.”