MILWAUKEE — Just as the Mets were preparing to “roll out the barrel” for their postgame celebration, tragedy struck in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Phil Mayton came in to protect a one-run lead, and by the time he was ejected after three outs, the Brewers had hit two home runs that turned the tide in this National League Wild Card Series.
A decisive Game 3 will be played Thursday after the Mets lost 5-3 in front of a crowd of 40,350 at American Family Field, squandering a chance to win their second straight series.
This wasn't all about Mayton. The Mets finished the final seven innings scoreless.
However, the right-handed pitcher was jumped from the moment he entered the game, and the Brewers then went for it.
After rookie Jackson Chorio's outburst (his second of the game) erased the Mets' 3-2 lead, Garrett Mitchell's two-run home run with two outs was the winning run.
Mayton, pitching erratically for the second year in a row, had to be replaced in the eighth inning by Edwin Diaz on Monday in Atlanta.
On this night, the Mets had a scoreless inning with Reid Garrett and Ryne Stanek each in relief, before Mayton went down.
Sean Manaea pitched five innings for the Mets, allowing two earned runs on six hits and recording four strikeouts. The left-handed pitcher was ejected after throwing 86 pitches with the Mets leading 3-2.
Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI single in the first inning, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.
With Francisco Lindor leading off the game with a walk, Jose Iglesias avoided a double play with a sprint to first base, but Mark Vientos reached with an infield hit and Nimmo chopped through the hole at first base.
However, the Mets' rally was cut short when Pete Alonso stumbled with his bat as he ran to first base on a ground ball, resulting in an easy 6-4-3 double play.
Chorio got one point back with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning.
Manaea threw an 0-2 sinker and Cholio went over the right field fence.
The Mets jumped on Frankie Montas again in the second inning, and Montas covered first base on Starling Marte's grounder and dropped a throw from Reece Hoskins, scoring two unearned runs.
Tyrone Taylor then hit a single, followed by an RBI single by Francisco Alvarez. Lindor's subsequent sacrifice fly gave the Mets a 3-1 lead.
Montas lasted only 3/3 innings, allowing three runs (two of which were unearned) on six hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Trevor Megill struck out Nimmo with two outs in the fifth inning, sending the runner to second base, but struck out Alonso. Megill, the older brother of Mets pitcher Tyler Megill, struck out three batters in the first inning.
The Brewers scored one run in the fifth inning, bringing the score within three wins and two losses.
Bryce Turan hit a lead-off double over third base, advanced to the right side on Cholio's groundout, and then Blake Perkins' drive to center field brought Turan in.
The Mets loaded the bases in the sixth inning against Joel Peamps, and Peamps struck out Iglesias to end the threat. After J.D. Martinez walked and Marte singled, Lindor intentionally walked, resulting in two outs.
Garrett allowed a single to Gary Sanchez in the sixth inning, but pinch runner Mitchell was nailed by Alvarez, who tried to steal second.
