NEW YORK -- The Mets are rallying and the crowd is roaring. From the concourses, the sound of the fans chanting "Let’s go Mets," is a sound more typical in a European soccer stadium. So, perhaps it’s not surprising that finding Brewers fans among the 51,427 Shea faithful isn’t easy on this sunny but brisk May Sunday.

Although Rickie Weeks drew a smattering of boos when he was announced as the first batter of the game, Milwaukee transplant Nate Metzger says that the fans at Shea -- which has an average attendance this year of 43,645, fourth in the majors -- have been, for the most part, gracious.

"You know people have been really nice actually," says (the perhaps ironically named) Metzger, who has lived in New York for four years. "Any time you travel you’re going to get some grief, but I don’t mind."

Outside Shea a couple hours before game time, Metzger -- in a Packers jersey -- and his brother Aaron, donning a Badgers hoodie and an old-school Brewers road cap, are the only Brewers fans around; or at least the only ones wearing Wisconsin sports gear.

Checking out the folks in the parking lots sitting on lawn chairs seems a sure-fire way to roust some Brew Crew fans, but a walk around finds only Mets fans tailgating.

Inside, while the Mets are busy scoring three first-inning runs, there is only one family of Brewers fans spotted and they’re unreachable thanks to the sometimes-frustrating Shea Stadium ramp set-up. Another small group of fans is seen posing for a post-game photo outside the stadium.

In the second inning, the Mets add another run and the crowd continues to simmer, and it’s not easy to find a Mets fan willing to stop to talk about the visiting team. They want to get back to the stands to watch.

Then Len appears. He won’t reveal his last name, but he’s wearing a Brooklyn Dodgers hat and jacket and says he’s been a baseball fan since the Dodgers were playing in his native borough.

"They’re doing well," says Len of Ned Yost’s team. "It’s good to see a small market team thrive. It’s a long season. (I hadn’t seen them) before this weekend, but I heard about them and their shortstop. You know, maybe it’s their time."

Even though Len is complimentary, it’s not hard to read in his face that he hasn’t really given much thought to the Brewers, and, the fact is, the Crew has a long reputation to shake off. As much as Milwaukeeans are eager to shed the losing image and get back on top, baseball fans outside the city perhaps need a little more time to allow the Brewers back onto their radar.

Not so, for Aaron and Nate Metzger, who are devoted Brewers fans and despite having left the city are clearly still Milwaukeeans at heart.

"I’m currently going to school in Rochester, N.Y.," says Aaron Metzger. "This is the first I’ve seen the Brewers play at Shea but I’ve seen them play at other places on the East Coast and obviously get to see as many games as we can in Milwaukee every year."

Although  Sunday's 9-1 loss was a bruiser, fans like the Metzgers must be on cloud nine as the Brewers sit atop their division with an seven-game lead.

"Yeah, definitely (we’re excited)," says Aaron," we went to the first two games of the series so we’re catching the last one here."

Arriving in New York City, there was even talk of the Brewers at LaGuardia Airport, which sits adjacent to Shea, where we’ve been watching Midwest jets fly over the stadium all afternoon. Talking about the Brewers' 12-3 victory that day, one New Yorker had to remind the other -- who appeared to dismiss the Brewers -- that the team has the best record in the major leagues.

"I heard that the other day, too," recalls Nate Metzger. "In the stands (here at Shea), these guys around us were saying, ‘The Brewers suck,’ and this guy we were sitting with said, ‘Actually, they have the best record in baseball right now.’"

Aaron adds: "Driving in from Rochester, the talk radio sports guys were talking about this being a big series, you know the New York guys, but I don’t think the fans have been noticing as much."