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MILWAUKEE — The New York Mets’ storybook 2024 season hasn’t reached its final chapter yet.

It only seemed fitting that Pete Alonso helped keep an unforgettable plot going.

After a season full of triumph, excitement and resilience, the tank appeared to be ’empty’ for the Mets in a must-win Game 3 in the National League wild card series. Alonso, an unrestricted free agent after 2024, made sure his potential last game in a Mets uniform wouldn’t take place in Milwaukee.

After eight lifeless eight innings, Alonso rose and kept the Mets’ season alive with a three-run lead over Brewers closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning, to take an improbable 4-2 victory and capture the National League Wild . Card Series on Thursday evening at American Family Field.

TO BELONG: Listen to Howie Rose’s radio call on Pete Alonso’s dramatic home run against Brewers

WATCH: See Pete Alonso’s dramatic 3-run homer on ninth

“It’s just something you practice in the backyard as a kid,” Alonso said. “As a little kid you go through those scenarios. It’s like, ‘Okay, you’re a couple of runs behind in the playoffs.’ I don’t know. Words can’t explain it.

The Mets will now take on the Phillies in their first trip to the National League Division Series since 2015, when they reached the World Series.

Another historic Mets home run

Alonso’s long ball, which narrowly sailed over the right field wall, was the Mets’ first home run since Francisco Lindor, who rides on adrenaline and champagne as the best painkiller for his injured back, hoisted the Mets into the playoffs with a lead of two in the ninth inning. run shot against the Braves’ Raisel Iglesias last Monday.

It was the most iconic highlight of Alonso’s career and one that will live on in Mets history for a long time.

“If Pete does this in the postseason, he’s going to get paid at the end of the day,” Lindor said with a laugh. “Let Pete do his thing. Like Mendy said, he’s one strike away from taking off and he’s one of the best power hitters in the game. I’m just proud of him. He came in early and hit out early and was just ready . He was ready for this moment.”

After a stellar six innings for starter Jose Quintana, the Mets’ season almost came undone on two pitches.

In a full count to start the seventh inning, reliever Jose Butto couldn’t bury a changeup against Jake Bauers. The Brewers pinch-hitter made him pay by tapping a go-ahead solo home run to right field. On the next pitch, Sal Frelick turned on a fastball from the first pitch and hoisted it to the second deck in right field.

“We continue to believe in it,” said Carlos Mendoza. “As a team, we’ve been beaten and knocked down, and we continue to find ways to get back up. We got hit yesterday (in Game 2). We got hit again today in the seventh inning, and we found a way.”

With a frenetic comeback in the ninth inning, sparked by a Lindor walk and a Brandon Nimmo single, the Mets extended their season by at least a week. They scored one more run on a Starling Marte RBI single to right field in the ninth.

Mets still believe after eight rough innings

Through the first seven innings, the Mets could only manage two hits against the Brewers. Both were delivered by Lindor from Brewers starter Tobias Myers.

Lindor doubled on a sharp line drive to center field in the first inning, but was left there after back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout by Alonso.

Next, in the fourth, Lindor hit a two-out single and advanced on a wild pitch, but Mark Vientos’ deep ball to right was tracked down by Frelick.

In the fifth and seventh inning, after Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch, the Mets recorded 12 straight outs against Myers, Trevor Megill, Nick Mears and Freddy Peralta. But these Mets have had a way of showing up in clutch moments all season.

“The way we got here is by not putting any pressure on ourselves and just going and playing our game, coming up with a game plan and then going and shooting,” Nimmo said. “If we do that, we’ll be one of the best teams in baseball over the last four months. The thought process was still, ‘Let’s just keep going.'”

The Mets’ struggles saw the top of the order go to the plate in the ninth against Williams, who had thrown 12 pitches against the top of the Mets lineup in the Brewers’ 4-3 win on Wednesday. Alonso’s second goal in nine at bats in the wildcard series advanced them one round.

“Especially in these big games you have to move on to the next field and make a positive impact, do your best, stay true to yourself and execute,” Alonso said.

Jose Quintana provides a quality start

Jose Quintana provided the Mets with everything they could have hoped for in an elimination game.

The 35-year-old left-hander, making his sixth postseason appearance in his 13th year in the league, kept the Brewers offense in check and yielded as the pressure mounted.

Quintana allowed a baserunner in each of the first five innings, but stranded every baserunner. He finished with six scoreless innings, working about four hits and a walk while striking out five to keep a scoreless game going with three innings remaining.

“It’s huge,” Mendoza said. “This is who Quintana is. He’s a guy who’s been in this game for a long time. There’s a reason why he’s ready. He’s calm. He knows the situation. He knew what we were dealing with.”

The biggest play might have come in the fourth when Willy Adames softly helicoptered into third base on a stolen base and ground ball from Francisco Lindor. But Quintana provided soft contact in front of the mound and converted the final out.

After Butto gave up the lead, Edwin Diaz had a pair of runners in scoring position in the seventh, but struck out William Contreras to get out of trouble. For the second time this week, Diaz completed two innings, but this time he didn’t allow a run and struck out three.

It led to an unlikely save situation for David Peterson, who watched Alonso’s home run by as he prepared to enter the game in the bullpen. The left-hander gave up a leadoff single, but struck out Joey Ortiz and got Brice Turang to ground into a double play on the first pitch of his at bat. It was the first save of Peterson’s career.

“It’s incredible. We’re moving on, so that’s the most important thing,” Peterson said. “I’m glad we got the job done and look forward to the next phase.”

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