Mets continue wild ride with 8-4 win over Brewers in playoff opener

MILWAUKEE — Mark Vientos hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a five-run outburst in the fifth inning as the indefatigable New York Mets continued their thrilling week by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 in an NL Wild Card Series opener Tuesday.

The Mets didn’t earn a playoff berth until they rallied late from a three-run deficit to win the opening game of a makeup doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday, one day after the regular season was supposed to end.

Now they’re a win from heading to Philadelphia for an NL Division Series.

Jesse Winker and pinch-hitter J.D. Martinez each drove in two runs for the Mets. Winker, who batted .199 with a .567 OPS for the Brewers last year before bouncing back this season, drew a chorus of boos each time he batted and appeared to exchange words with Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames after hitting a two-run triple in the second.

Brice Turang went 3 for 4, Jackson Chourio was 2 for 4 and William Contreras had two RBIs for the Brewers. According to MLB.com, the 20-year-old Chourio was the youngest player ever to have two hits in his playoff debut.

The Mets were playing in Milwaukee just 22 hours after that Monday doubleheader in Atlanta. They clinched their spot in the postseason by scoring all their runs in the final two innings of an 8-7 victory over the Braves.

After the Brewers took the early lead with two runs in the first inning, Mets answered by scoring three runs in the second. Once the Brewers pulled back ahead with two runs in the fourth, the Mets quickly responded again, this time with five runs in the fifth.

The Brewers had just taken a 4-3 lead heading into the fifth inning when manager Pat Murphy removed Freddy Peralta, who had overcome a shaky start to retire the last nine batters he faced, and turned to a relief corps that ranked second in the majors in bullpen ERA this season.

It didn’t go well.

Starling Marte greeted Joel Payamps by hitting a drive that a leaping Chourio caught at the left-field wall, preventing at least an extra-base hit. Tyrone Taylor then doubled to left on a flyball Chourio misjudged, allowing it to go off his glove.

With two on and two outs, Jose Iglesias hit a hard grounder that first baseman Rhys Hoskins snared. But Iglesias dove headfirst and beat Payamps to the bag for an infield single.