Well, Game 1 couldn’t have gone any more according to plan.

The Mets won, 8-4, getting 6 innings from Luis Severino, 2 from Jose Butto, and Ryne Stanek finishing it in the 9th.

That’s exactly the kind of pitching effort - and player expenditure - the Mets needed after the doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday.

Offensively, the Mets looked energized, strung together hits, and Carlos Mendoza pushed all the right buttons once again.

The Mets have a 1-0 series lead, and a chance to advance tonight to face the Phillies in the NLDS.

Live Blog Time?

Live Blog Time.

The Tigers were the first team to advance earlier today with a 5-2 win in Houston. I missed a lot of that game and then tuned in to the Royals-Orioles in time to watch Seth Lugo implode a little bit in the 5th inning. I thought the Orioles would capitalize and blow the game open but the Royals made a pitching change and kept it tied at 1. Unlike most Octobers when I pick a team or teams that I’ll pull pretty strong for…this year I only have eyes for one team. So I’m only watching these other games here and there.

I did watch Game 1 of Mets-Brewers - but a little bit of it was foggy. I got my flu and COVID shots on Monday and watched most of Tuesday night’s game feeling low-grade fever-y. But after a good night’s sleep (helped, no doubt, by the Mets’ win), I am ready to go for tonight. Here’s why I’m feeling good about things in Game 2:

Sean Manaea revenge game: Manaea has pitched better all season than he showed on Friday night against these Brewers…and anyone who watched that game also knows he deserved better than the way that first inning shook out. He’s exactly the right guy for the Mets in this situation.
It’s a new season, baby: Forget about Pete Alonso’s season-long struggle. It’s a new season, and I’m sure he’s going to take advantage. If he gets pitches to hit, I’m expecting some damage tonight. If not…three walks a night will do the trick too.
Bury them early: These Mets smell blood, and I think they’re going to pounce early. Just like in Sunday’s game, I think the Mets jump out to an early lead and go start to finish. They know they have a chance to get a couple of days of rest before the next series - I think they’re going to take advantage of that.

I think that’s a big advantage of this being a road game. If it was at Citi Field the Brewers are the kind of team that can do damage in the top of the 1st inning and get a quick punch in before you can react. I think the Mets turn the tables tonight and take a lead before they even take the field. The bigger, the better.

OK. So I’ll be updating throughout the night. You can pop onto one of the social channels linked at the bottom of the post here to weigh in, if you so desire…or leave a comment. We can make it interactive….and hopefully it’s also celebratory.

7:25pm: Before we really get going here, allow me to self-promote: In about a month I’ll be running the New York City Marathon for Joe Torre’s Safe At Home Foundation. If you can help me meet my fundraising goal by donating here, I’d appreciate it. Training is going well - Saturday is my 18-mile long run. It’s always a nice little boost for those long long runs to see some donations pop up. So thank you if you can help. Let’s get on with the baseball.

7:30pm: So what’s the story here. They’re going to cut straight to the Mets after Orioles-Royals? I’m going to have to start on ESPN2 or something and then switch over? Not a great start. (Yup. Sean McDonough just told me.)

For what it’s worth: Still wearing my lucky Mets orange shirt (very successful since Sunday) and the City Connect hat. I will continue to wear these items through October. TBD if I wash the shirt.

7:35pm: For those of you who are like, “John, no one live blogs anymore,” and “People live stream now”…well, I’m sticking with the medium that I do best. Also, it’s nice to have a written record of my thoughts during a big game. I’m kind of looking forward to reading through everything I’ve written since March (February?) soon and getting a comprehensive look at the up-and-down season…especially if it ends on a big up.

7:42pm: Uh-oh, you walked Lindor. Here we go.

7:44pm: Hm…fielder’s choice/almost double play is not how I drew it up.

7:45pm: I can’t believe how many little-dribbler-down-to-third-bases Mark Vientos has had this year. Less than 50-50 they turn out to be hits like that.

I have a distinct feeling here the Mets are confident and the Brewers are very much not-confident.

7:47pm: Love it. 1-0 Mets, RBI single by Nimmo scores Iglesias and Vientos goes to third. KEEP. IT. COMING.

7:49pm: Well, I did not like that. That was an RBI right there and Alonso didn’t make it to first, resulting in a double play. That gets Milwaukee off the hook big time. They have to be feeling good about themselves only down 1-0.

(Also, completely forgot about the existence of the Orioles-Royals game until Sciambi thanked McDonough there.)

7:51pm: OK, that’s crazy. He tripped over the bat. Yesterday Francisco Lindor stopped to scoop up the bat on his way home on, I think it was the Vientos single? What are the chances the bat factors in like that the very next day.

Man. I have to take a second to absorb the fact that the Orioles went out two straight after getting swept last year. What a disappointment.

And, speaking of disappointments….leadoff home run to tie the game at 1. Guess it won’t be as easy as I made it sound.

7:59pm: Nice recovery by Manaea. New goal: Don’t trail at any point tonight.

8:09pm: I love these innings. Taking the extra bases, making the Brewers pay for mistakes…I don’t love leaving two men in scoring position, but I’ll take multiple innings at a couple of runs each over one big inning with nothing else happening. That happened too often this year. 3-1 Mets, middle 2nd.

Also, it’s amazing how shaky the Brewers defense has been these two games. I was texting with a friend last week about how great their defense looked last weekend against the Mets. It’s been a total 180 in the playoffs.

8:17pm: A nice 1-2-3 inning for Manaea. Man. That second out was a great play by Lindor - he covered so much ground in the first place to get to the ball and then put something on the throw too to get a fast runner. I’m almost convinced maybe his back is healthy - he doesn’t make that play a week ago.

8:32pm: Well, Lindor’s range is back. That’s good to see. Let’s see how Manaea does with runners at first and second with one out though.

8:35pm: Nicely done. A strikeout and a pop out to center field. 3-1 Mets through 3, and that crowd sounded deflated after that 3rd out.

8:45pm: When Alvarez is hitting, like he is right now (despite that strikeout), the Mets lineup feels so deep. You get Alvarez out in the 9th spot…and then you have to face the top of the order?! It makes me feel good watching as a Mets fan…it must feel tough to opposing pitchers. That’s not nothing.

8:59pm: That inning went a little longer than it should have after the first two outs but, still, 68 pitches through 4 is pretty good for Manaea. Would love to see him get to 6 to 7 innings. Great outing so far when you consider the only run was a leadoff homer. He’s easily worked around whatever guys he’s allowed on base.

9:08pm: I’m losing a little bit of confidence we’re going to see an Alonso breakout at any point in 2024. I would love to be wrong…but some really not great swings and at-bats.

9:15pm: They just cut in with a Padres-Atlanta update. Crazy. Manny Machado with a bases loaded double and it was 3-1 San Diego…The Padres loaded the bases in the first inning too and came away with nothing. They’re dangerous right now.

9:20pm: That was a very Brewers run in the 5th inning…double, move to third on an out to second, score on a sac fly. It’s 3-2 Mets…I’d feel a lot more comfortable with some more runs. Then they can continue to trade outs for runs and be OK. Good outing from Manaea. Looks like 4 bullpen innings here to try to close it out.

9:24pm: The Mets have some players on this team built for the playoffs. Starling Marte is one of them. J.D. Martinez too. And Jose Iglesias is just a competitor - and a winner. Man are they set up to do well in the post-season. This is going to be a fun month.

9:26pm: I’ll add that I think we’re going to quickly find out that Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos step up under the bright lights too. And we already know Francisco Lindor is a big game player. Seems like Luis Severino and Sean Manaea do OK in the playoffs too so far.

9:30pm: More often than not in that situation I think Jose Iglesias comes through - 2 outs, bases loaded. He didn't really shorten his swing like he usually does there and got eaten up. I’m surprised.

Reed Garrett is first guy out of the bullpen tonight. Hope he’s got it.

9:38pm: Now we’re catching guys stealing. Watch out! Striking out Hoskins! Great job Garrett! Again the air is sucked out of the Milwaukee crowd. Trust me. I know the sound of a crowd dying.

9:42pm: Was just taking a look at the MLB app and saw there are times set for the first couple of games in Philadelphia: Saturday and Sunday, both are 4pm. In case that information impacts anybody’s life for any reason.

9:44pm: I don’t like how this game is slowly, slowly inching in Milwaukee’s favor. They’re stranding Mets runners/Mets are missing opportunities, keeping the Brewers in it. They’re playing better defense. The Mets need a big 2-out rally here.

9:48pm: Yeah, this is a little too close for comfort. Going to be a long 9 outs. Stanek’s up next out of the bullpen.

9:55pm: Atta boy Stanek. 6 outs to go. We know Diaz has the 9th. Maton for the 8th? Probably.

10:00pm: Pretty great that the girls don’t have school tomorrow and if I choose to sleep in a little bit after a late night (this is a late night for me), I can.

10:06pm: Well, that’s where all those missed opportunities come back and bite you. Jackson Chourio again. 3-3 game. I’m telling you - too often the Mets have that one good inning and then nothing else. Now they’ll need another one. And Maton had better buckle down and not allow anything else. (And hopefully the Mets score soon because I don’t want to see Max Kranick in a huge spot which is where we’re headed.)

10:10pm: Good double play ball. So frustrating though. The crowd is back in it now. The Mets had so many chances to bury them early and didn’t and this is what happens. They need to come out in the 9th inning the way they came out in the 1st and 2nd innings and get the lead back and then slam the door - top of the order is due up.

10:14pm: Welp. Garrett Mitchell 2-run home run, 5-3 Brewers. Phil Maton was not good tonight. Can’t second-guess the move to him. Still need a rally from the top of the order. Maybe this will wake them up.

10:19pm: Ah, needed Lindor to get on there. OK. 1-out rally time.

10:20pm: First-pitch out by Iglesias. I feel like he’s had an uncharacteristically impatient night at the plate. Maybe not impatient. Not as selective as usual maybe.

10:23pm: And a flyout from Winker. Well, that stinks. The Mets let the Brewers off the hook tonight.

OK. Quick reset. We’ll see what happens starter-wise: my guess is Jose Quintana starts, David Peterson available out of the bullpen…I would imagine Jose Butto is available again…and Edwin Diaz should be plenty rested to go.

Same concepts apply - Mets need to jump on the Brewers early and more often than they did tonight. I’ll be watching but I will not be writing…can’t do it in an elimination game.

Maybe I’ll wash this shirt though. It might need a refresh…and it is starting to smell a little bit.

Let’s Go Mets.