MILWAUKEE -- In another season, maybe Blake Perkins bobbles the transfer in center field, or his throw clips the pitcher’s mound and caroms away. Maybe William Contreras doesn’t catch the one-hopper cleanly or find the runner to tag him at home plate. Maybe the Brewers and their fans see a lead slip away against the Mets in the ninth inning, like it did last year in heart-wrenching fashion during the decisive game of the National League Wild Card Series.
But not this season, and not Friday, when Perkins’ throw from center field and Contreras’ tag at home plate were executed just right, and the Brewers, along with a sellout crowd of 43,469 -- the largest at American Family Field this year -- celebrated a 3-2 win over the Mets and the latest high point of what has been a special summer.
“For the first time this season,” Contreras said, “it felt like a playoff game for us.”
The playoffs are a long way away, but the Brewers are trending in that direction after their seventh consecutive victory coupled with a Cubs loss pushed Milwaukee a season-high five games ahead in the National League Central. All one had to do to see the stakes was to watch the reaction after the final out from closer Trevor Megill, who always lets out a scream in such moments, and Perkins, who almost never does.
“I don’t usually do that,” said Perkins, the soft-spoken, slick-fielding outfielder who was a Gold Glove Award finalist a season ago, but didn’t join the Brewers this year until July 18 because of a fractured right shin. “Obviously we have some history with these guys, and it feels incredible to come through right there.”
Manager Pat Murphy, the former collegiate coach and always a teacher at heart, ticked through all the things that had to happen for Starling Marte, the fleet-footed Met who was on second base after his two-out double off Megill extended the inning, to be out at home after Jeff McNeil dumped a soft single into shallow center field.
The list started with the fact the Brewers had the lead, which was thanks to starter Brandon Woodruff’s season-high seven innings of two-run ball, and to a go-ahead rally in the fifth inning in which Milwaukee sent nine men to the plate and scored three runs with only one hit -- Brice Turang’s two-run homer one pitch after Mets starter Kodai Senga muffed a Perkins chopper in front of the mound.
The go-ahead run scored later in the inning when lefty reliever Brooks Raley hit Brewers rookie Isaac Collins on the back foot with an 0-2 pitch with the bases loaded. That was huge, because with the lead, Perkins was playing slightly shallower than he would have been had the game been tied, Murphy said.
Then Perkins had to act decisively to determine that there was a play at home plate. From the dugout, Murphy didn’t think there would be. Neither did Contreras from his position at catcher, nor Megill as he moved to back up home plate.
“I thought, 'Oh [shoot], that’s about it,'” said Megill.
But Perkins, who ended a win over the Reds last season in almost identical fashion, thought otherwise.
It’s not something an outfielder can practice, he said. Instinct takes over.
“It’s an in-the-moment kind of thing,” Perkins said.
Murphy saw other nuances on the back end of the play when he watched the replay. At home plate, Contreras stands there as if there’s no play incoming. Whether that made Marte feel comfortable or not, Murphy wasn’t sure, but he did note that Marte took a slightly wide turn around third base.
“I don't think I could've done anything differently,” Marte said. “I ran the bases well. My sprint speed was up in a situation like that, but at the end of the day, it was just a great throw. There's really not much you can do but give him credit for that one.”
“Hell of a play by Perkins,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We know he's a solid defender with a plus-plus arm, and he showed it right there. He came in, attacked that single and a perfect one-hop to the plate to win the game.”
Contreras used the same word: Perfect.
“It was a perfect play there, and a great way to end the game,” Contreras said. “A perfect representation of the way this team’s playing.”
“Just beautiful baseball right there,” said Megill, who logged his 27th save.
“I was running up and down the hall after it happened,” Woodruff said. “It was incredible.”
The Brewers improved to 6-0 with Woodruff on the mound this season after the veteran right-hander allowed a pair of early solo homers but nothing else while logging eight strikeouts in a seven-inning, 79-pitch gem. In his six starts since coming off the IL, Woodruff is 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA, a 0.65 WHIP, a .139 opponents' average and 45 strikeouts versus six walks in 35 1/3 innings.
Abner Uribe sealed a scoreless eighth inning by retiring Juan Soto to give Megill a chance to close the game in the ninth. It didn’t escape Megill’s notice that it was Pete Alonso, of all Mets, leading off. Alonso’s go-ahead, three-run homer off Devin Williams last October ended the Brewers’ season.
This time, the inning ended differently.
“Different team this year,” Megill said. “Different vibes.”
“Does it encapsulate [this season]?” Perkins said. “I guess you could say that if you wanted to. But we’re just here to win one day at a time. It’s cool to be part of all of these statistics and stuff, but I know the guys in here just care about playing hard for each other.”