On Saturday night, Joey Ortiz played a crucial role by driving in three runs for the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4-0 victory over the New York Mets. This defeat dealt a blow to the Mets’ playoff aspirations as they lost their third consecutive game and slipped one game behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL wild card race. The Braves managed to secure a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals with a walk-off homer from former Met Travis d’Arnaud, intensifying the competition for the final two wild-card spots in the National League with Arizona also in the mix.
The Mets and the Braves both hold head-to-head tiebreaker advantages over the Diamondbacks, and in the event that the postseason scenarios for these teams remain undecided, the Mets and Braves would face each other in a crucial Monday doubleheader in Atlanta. Milwaukee’s Ortiz broke the deadlock in the fourth inning with a bases-loaded single off Jose Quintana, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead. The Brewers extended their lead further in the eighth inning, scoring four runs off reliever Reed Garrett, who had not allowed a run since August 18.
Although Quintana and the Brewers’ bullpen combined for a total of 18 strikeouts, the Mets were unable to generate much offense, being held to just two hits in the entire game. The Mets’ only hits came from Jose Iglesias and Starling Marte, with Marte hitting a ground-rule double in the fifth inning. Despite Quintana’s impressive performance on the mound, striking out nine batters, he eventually allowed two runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings.
After a scoreless first inning by Brewers opener Jared Koenig, Tobias Myers took over and pitched four solid innings, striking out five batters. Milwaukee’s bullpen continued to dominate, with Joel Payamps, Aaron Ashby, Nick Mears, and Devin Williams each delivering hitless relief innings. The Mets faced additional challenges as catcher Francisco Alvarez was sidelined due to back spasms, and shortstop Francisco Lindor was limited to DH duties due to a sore lower back.
Looking ahead, both teams had yet to announce their starting pitchers for the upcoming series finale. The Brewers received concerning news that outfielder Sal Frelick suffered a bruised hip in a collision with the right-field wall but are hopeful for his return during the postseason. Despite the loss, the Mets and Braves remain in contention for a wild-card spot, setting the stage for an intense final stretch of the season.