The Mets fail in Game 2, setting up the Brewers for the decisive wild-card finale

MILWAUKEE — Just as the Mets were preparing to “roll out the barrel” for another postgame celebration, disaster struck in the eighth inning.

Phil Maton came into the game to protect a one-run lead, and when he departed with the third out, the Brewers had hit two home runs and redirected the momentum in this NL Wild Card Series.

There will be a crucial Game 3 on Thursday after the Mets missed their chance for a two-game win in this series with a 5-3 loss in front of 40,350 at American Family Field.

But it wasn’t just Maton’s fault – the Mets went scoreless in the final seven innings.

But the right-hander was targeted almost from the moment he entered the game, and then the Brewers went for the kill.

Garrett Mitchell’s two-run home run with two outs was the stunner after rookie Jackson Chourio’s blast (his second of the game) wiped out the Mets’ 3-2 lead.

It was the second straight shaky appearance for Maton, who had to be replaced by Edwin Diaz in the eighth inning in Atlanta on Monday.

That night, Reed Garrett and Ryne Stanek each gave the Mets a scoreless inning of relief before Maton collapsed.

Sean Manaea gave the Mets five innings in which he allowed two earned runs on six hits and had four strikeouts. The left-hander was removed after 86 pitches as the Mets led 3-2.

Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI single in the first to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Francisco Lindor led off the game with a walk and Jose Iglesias avoided a double play with a sprint to first base that narrowly topped the relay throw before Mark Vientos struck out with an infield hit and Nimmo hit a chopper through the first-base hole delivered.

But the Mets’ rally was cut short by Pete Alonso tripping over his bat while running to first base on a grounder, which became an easy 6-4-3 double play.

Chourio got the run back with a home run in the bottom of the inning.

Manaea hit an 0-2 sinker that Chourio fired over the right field fence.

The Mets pounced on Frankie Montas again in the second, scoring two unearned runs after Montas dropped Rhys Hoskins’ throw while covering first base on Starling Marte’s grounder.

Then, after Tyrone Taylor hit a single, Francisco Alvarez belted an RBI single. Lindor’s subsequent sacrifice fly gave the Mets a 3-1 lead.

Montas lasted just 3²/₃ innings, giving up three runs, two of which were unearned, on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

Trevor Megill struck out Nimmo with two outs in the fifth, moving the runner to second but striking out Alonso. Megill, the older brother of Mets pitcher Tylor Megill, struck out three batters in the inning.

The Brewers fought for a run in the fifth and pulled within 3-2.

Brice Turang hit a leadoff double past third base and moved to right after Chourio’s groundout before Blake Perkins’ drive to center scored Turang.

The Mets loaded the bases in the sixth against Joel Payamps, who struck out Iglesias to end the threat. JD Martinez walked and Marte hit a single before Lindor was intentionally walked with two outs.

Garrett allowed a single to Gary Sanchez in the sixth, but his pinch runner Mitchell was caught by Alvarez trying to steal second.