Brewers’ Devin Williams: ‘I Feel Like I Let Everyone Down’ in Wild Card Loss to Mets

Adam WellsOctober 4, 2024

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Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams is putting the weight of Thursday’s 4-2 loss to the New York Mets in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series on his shoulders.

After allowing four runs in the top of the ninth inning, Williams told reporters he felt like he let the team down.

“This is the closest team that I have played on,” Williams said. “That it makes it that much more disappointing. Everyone did their job except me. I feel like I let everyone down.”

After both teams were held scoreless for the first six innings, the Brewers broke through in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back homers from Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick.

Milwaukee maintained a 2-0 lead going into the ninth when Williams took the mound. The two-time All-Star allowed three of the first four hitters to reach, highlighted by Pete Alonso’s go-ahead three-run homer.

MLB @MLBPETE ALONSO!!!!!!!!!!!!! #POSTSEASON pic.twitter.com/LzgpxTWUzN

The Mets tacked on another run with two outs after Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch, stole second and came around to score on Starling Marte’s RBI single that knocked Williams out of the game.

David Peterson closed out the game for the Mets by getting Brice Turang to ground into a double play.

Williams has been one of the best and most reliable relievers in baseball since his first full season in 2020. He had a 1.70 ERA and 361 strikeouts in 222 regular-season innings over the past five seasons.

A back injury kept Williams out for the first three months this season. He was excellent in 22 appearances with a 1.25 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 21.2 innings.

Thursday night marked the first time Williams allowed more than two earned runs in a game all season. His four earned runs allowed tied his career-high, previously done twice. The last time it happened was against the Minnesota Twins on June 13, 2023.

The dramatic finish for New York came one day after the Brewers had their own late-inning magic with a three-run eighth in a 5-3 win to force the decisive Game 3.

Milwaukee has now lost five consecutive playoff series since losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 NLCS. The Brewers are just 2-10 in their last 12 playoff games.