|
 A pinch-hit single by utility infielder Christian Colon scored the
go-ahead run off reliever Addison Reed in the 12th and the Royals
added four more runs in the inning as they captured the
best-of-seven series 4-1.
The visitors swarmed into the middle of the diamond in the hushed
Citi Field stadium for a celebration by the mound where closer Wade
Davis had struck out the side to end it.
Catcher Salvador Perez was named Most Valuable Player of the Series
after batting .364 with two RBIs, three runs scored and a .391
on-base average, and expertly handling a pitching staff that more
than held their own against the vaunted Mets hurlers.
"It is unbelievable we feel like a family here and we knew we were
going to do something special this year, I felt it in spring
training," Perez said. "Now I don't feel pain, I don't feel nothing.
I am ready to celebrate."
The Royals' triumph was all the sweeter coming after their agonizing
Game Seven loss in last year's World Series to the San Francisco
Giants and a large contingent of blue-shirted Royals supporters
crowded around their dugout to share in the joy.
"The heart, the desire, and their competitiveness and their
character showed through every single game," Kansas City manager Ned
Yost said about his players.
It marked Kansas City's first Fall Classic crown since their 1985
triumph against cross-state rivals the St. Louis Cardinals.
COMEBACK KIDS
The Kansas City comeback kids trailed 2-0 heading into the ninth but
rallied to tie the game, ruining the shutout bid of starter Matt
Harvey and handing closer Jeurys Familia his third blown save of the
series.
At the end of eighth, the crowd chanted “Harvey! Harvey!” hoping to
see him come out to pitch the ninth, and the Mets ace ended the
suspense when the bearded 26 year old ran from the dugout to the
mound to Citi Field cheers.
Harvey, who had dueled with Royals starter Edinson Volquez in the
tense battle, walked leadoff hitter Lorenzo Cain, who promptly stole
second base. Eric Hosmer followed with a line-drive double to left
that scored Cain to make it 2-1.
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Mets manager Terry Collins then called in Familia, who was charged
with blown saves in Game One and Game Four.
Familia got Moustakas to ground out to first as Hosmer raced to
third. Perez hit a grounder to third baseman David Wright, who
bluffed Hosmer back toward the bag before throwing on to first base
for the out.
But as soon as Wright released the ball, Hosmer broke for home and
first baseman Lucas Duda’s throw to the plate came in wide as Hosmer
slid in safely to tie the game.
The title-clinching victory was Kansas City's remarkable eighth
come-from-behind win of the postseason.
"What they accomplished this year was nothing less than spectacular
and very, very special," manager Yost said. "They just don't quit,
they've got a lot of heart, they've got a lot of character and they
never think they are going to lose."
Mets manager Terry Collins was gracious in defeat.
"I congratulate the Royals. They played absolutely great," Collins
said. "We couldn't get it done, and we're hoping to get another
chance at it.
"I just told he players, I've done this for a long, long time and
this is the most fun I've ever had in all the years," said Collins,
at age 66 is the oldest manager in the majors.
"I'm very, very proud of them."
(Additional reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto and Jahmal Corner
in Los Angeles; Editing by Andrew Both/Steve Keating)
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