In what was a devastating day for me personally, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the National League Wild Card with a late-inning two-run blast from Ryan Braun, while the New York Mets bullpen collapsed once again, giving up back-to-back home runs in the top of the eighth inning in what was a tie ballgame.

At around 3 p.m. yesterday all seemed positive in “Mets land” as the Amazins’ were tied with the Florida Marlins at 2-2 in the seventh inning after a two-run blast from Carlos Beltran tied it up. Meanwhile, the Brewers were trailing the Chicago Cubs 1-0. Either a Mets win or a Brewers loss would ensure that the team lived to play another day. Then all of a sudden, it all went horribly, horribly wrong.

In what was an all too familiar scene over the past few months, the Mets bullpen imploded, as Scott Schoenweis needed only one pitch to give up a solo jack to pinch-hitter Wes Helms. No relief came in the form of Luis Ayala as he served up a home run to Dan Ugglain the subsequent at-bat. All of a sudden, the Mets found themselves trailing their arch-nemesis Marlins 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning (need I mention that it was these same Marlins who eliminated the Mets from the playoffs on the last day of regular season play last year as well).

Shortly thereafter it was the Brewers loading up the bases against an apathetic Cubs team that had already clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Although at this point the Brewers were only able to tie the game 1-1, it was not long before Braun’s game-winning jack in the next inning.

Despite the devastating news, the Mets still had their chance in the bottom of the eigth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Carlos Delgado hit the ball sharply, but right at Cody Ross in left field for the out. Mets nation then let out a collective groan and it was time to go home disappointed on the last day of the season for the second consecutive year.

In other MLB notes, with the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins both winning on Sunday, the White Sox will play a make-up game vs. the Detroit Tigers to determine whether or not a one-game playoff  for the central division title will be necessary. Good luck to all involved!