Pete Alonso's ninth-inning home run sends Mets to NLDS - ESPN

MILWAUKEE — Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning and the New York Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday night to win their NL Wild Card Series.

«This is something you practice in the backyard as a kid,» Alonso told ESPN after the game. «I'm just happy to come through for my boys. We've worked really hard all year. I had some great at-bats in front of me. I'm just really happy to come through for my team right there.»

With their latest thrilling comeback in the decisive Game 3 against Milwaukee, the Mets advanced in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2015 National League pennant. They move on to a best-of-five Division Series beginning Saturday in Philadelphia against the NL East champion Phillies.

It will be the first postseason meeting between the longtime rivals. The 1,081 all-time meetings between the Mets and Phillies are the most between any two franchises without a playoff matchup since 1962, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

New York went 6-7 against the Phillies during the regular season and finished six games behind them in the division standings.

The Brewers, making their sixth playoff appearance in the last seven years, still haven't won a postseason series since reaching Game 7 of the NL Championship Series in 2018.

This series loss will be particularly painful.

Milwaukee appeared to have the victory in hand after Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick broke a scoreless tie by opening the seventh inning with back-to-back homers off José Buttó. Tobias Myers and three relievers had combined on a two-hit shutout through the first eight innings.

Twelve straight Mets had been retired when they opened the ninth against Williams, a two-time NL