Mets 3, Brewers 2: Milwaukee comes up short in key moments for first series loss in a month
After Joey Ortiz's go-ahead grand slam sent the Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-2 win in the series opener, they had high hopes for the remaining two games against the reeling New York Mets.
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Instead, the Brewers boarded a late-night flight to Miami with nothing but frustration and their first series loss in nearly a month.
BOX SCORE: Mets 3, Brewers 2
Balls didn't bounce the Brewers' way in key situations, including on Juan Soto's go-ahead single late, and Brewers offense wasn't able to take fortune into its own hands in a 3-2 loss to the Mets in the series finale at Citi Field on July 3.
"Always disappointed when we lose," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. "Especially when it comes down to inches here or there, or it comes down to pitches or it comes down to a close call. Sometimes you just got to win by more than that."
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The last time Milwaukee dropped a series? You have to go back to June 9-11 at home against the Atlanta Braves.
Andruw Monasterio delivers in rare starting opportunity but offense does little else
Starting for the first time in nearly a month even – his last time in the lineup came June 4, Andruw Monasterio did his part with the bat.
With Mets starter David Peterson rolling and two outs in the seventh, Monasterio roped a solo home run down the line in left for his first long ball of the year to bring the Brewers back within 3-2.
Monasterio had only not been out of the lineup every day since June 4, he had hardly even stepped into the batter's box, taking all of two plate appearances over the team's previous 22 games.
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"Last year helped me a lot for this year," Monasterio said. "The veteran guys help me, the coaches help me with giving me advice. I'm trying to take that advice and follow it. I'm playing every game like it's the last."
It didn't end up mattering, though. Mets setup man Ryne Stanek struck out the side in the eighth and Edwin Díaz locked down his second save in as many nights, with some assistance from a super throw by catcher Luis Torrens to catch Christian Yelich stealing for the second out.
Yelich was called safe on the field, but replay seemed to show the glove of shortstop Francisco Lindor brush Yelich's jersey right as he caught the ball and before Yelich's fingertips touched second base. Díaz then struck out Brice Turang swinging to an eruption from the sellout crowd of 42,241.
The Mets improved to 9-0 in games started by Peterson at home this season, and the southpaw dropped his Citi Field earned run average to 2.11 in 2025.
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Milwaukee dropped to 1-35 when trailing after eight innings and still has only three wins after trailing by multiple runs this season —all of which came in a span of eight total games between May 25 and June 2.
"I like our team, guys," Murphy said. "We battle. You're facing one of the best lefties in the game this year. We didn't get the ball to go our way."
Third time through troubles for Quintana give the Mets the lead
José Quintana's initial reaction was elation. Then he turned around.
What the Brewers left-hander thought was an inning-ending double play off Soto's bat to keep the game tied through sixth turned into a 101.3 mph single that turned the tides in the host's favor for good.
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"It's a really weird sensation," Quintana said. "Because as soon as you get the ground ball you're ready and excited to jump and celebrate the play, because that's what you're looking for, a ball on the ground. It's tough when you see the ball pass through. But it is what it is."
One batter later, after Murphy had pulled Quintana from the game, Pete Alonso roped a double off the wall in left-center to give the Mets a 3-1 lead and drive in what would ultimately be the winning run.
It was an agonizing inning for Quintana and the Brewers, who was burned by some soft contact even though he otherwise allowed eight of the 12 firmest-struck balls of the game. Starling Marte, New York's leadoff hitter, poked an infield single and moved to third when Francisco Lindor pulled out his fishing rod on a down-and-away changeup and dumped the two-strike pitch into right.
Quintana then caught too much of the plate with another two-strike pitch, this time to Soto, who rocketed a single past a diving Monasterio at second base to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.
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Bad luck in the inning or not, it wound up as the second straight start and third out of the last four in which the opposing offense broke through with a big rally against Quintana while seeing him for the third time in the game.
After allowing three or more runs only once through his first eight starts with the Brewers, Quintana has now given up at least that many in three of his last four outings and 14 runs in total. Quintana didn't walk anyone for the first time since his April 11, but he also finished the day with only three swings and misses generated while the Mets offense tagged him for a 55.6% hard-hit rate.
"I thought he was great." Murphy said. "Best outing I've seen him have since I was on the other side of the field."
There was a path the Brewers could have taken in the sixth that involved removing Quintana from the game after striking out Tyrone Taylor, the Mets' No. 9 hitters, to open the frame.
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Quintana entered the day with opponents boasting an .852 OPS against him the third time through the order in a game and wasn't getting whiffs. To that point, eight of the Mets' 15 balls in play were over 95 mph. And Starling Marte, Lindor and Soto were the batters looming.
But removing Quintana wasn't even a consideration in the dugout.
"Absolutely not," Murphy said. "You saw what happened. He got the balls that produce outs. He didn't give up any hard contact. He had a tough scenario. The ball up the middle is a ground ball. The ball Lindor hit is a bloop and the ball Soto hit is a double play ball. What else could Quintana do?
"I could've left him in, to be quite honest with you. That might have been more of the question."
Jul 3, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates his RBI double against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
First hit leads to first Brewers run
Peterson held the Brewers without a hit through 3 2/3 innings until Caleb Durbin finally broke the dam with an infield bleeder.
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It was a well-timed (and well-placed) knock for Durbin, as the Brewers had runners on the corners thanks to a leadoff walk and error by second baseman Brett Baty on a Rhys Hoskins line drive. William Contreras scored from third as Durbin beat the throw from third baseman Mark Vientos to knot the score at 1-1.
A Brandon Nimmo ambush opens the scoring...again
Just as he did the night before, Brandon Nimmo hacked away at a first pitch and sent the ball out to right for a home run to lead off the game's scoring.
This one, at least, wasn't of the grand slam variety as his second-inning blast off Jacob Misiorowski was in the July 2 contest, but rather a solo shot that left the bat at 109.1 mph.
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What time is the Brewers game today?
Time: 6:10 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Brewers game on today?
TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Brewers lineup
Sal Frelick, right field
William Contreras, catcher
Jackson Chourio, center field
Rhys Hoskins, first base
Isaac Collins, left field
Caleb Durbin, third base
Eric Haase, designated hitter
Joey Ortiz, shortstop
Andruw Monasterio, second base
Mets lineup
Sterling Marte, designated hitter
Francisco Lindor, shortstop
Juan Soto, right field
Pete Alonso, first base
Brandon Nimmo, left field
Mark Vientos, third base
Luis Torrens, catcher
Brett Baty, second base
Tyrone Taylor, center field
Brewers schedule
Brewers at Marlins, 6:10 p.m. July 4. Milwaukee RHP Quinn Priester (6-2, 3.35) vs. Miami RHP Sandy Alcantara (4-8, 6.98) TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers at Marlins, 4:10 p.m. July 5. Milwaukee RHP Chad Patrick (3-7, 3.51) vs. Miami RHP Cal Quantrill (3-7, 5.42) TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers at Marlins, 12:40 p.m. July 6. Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff (season debut) vs. Miami RHP Edward Cabrera (3-2, 3.41) TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mets 3, Brewers 2: Juan Soto's hit sends Brewers to series loss
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