In a baseball game which featured everything, the Kansas City Royals edged the New York Mets in extra-innings of an instant classic.
World Series, Game 2
New York Mets 4 (0-1)
Kansas City Royals 5 (1-0)
Full Game Box Score, Final 14
Win: Chris Young (1-0)
Loss: Bartolo Colon (0-1)
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
By Robby Sabo
There isn’t an exact description that would provide justice to just how exciting Game 1 of the 2015 World Series was. Exciting, yes. But also riveting, confusing and downright frustrating.
Despite it all, we still had a winner in the end. The Kansas City Royals came out on top against the New York Mets, 5-4 in the 14th inning. It was Eric Hosmer who hit the game-winning sac-fly against Bartolo Colon to put this one to rest.
Chris Young, OUT HERE pitchin' like his initials! #CY pic.twitter.com/fKsOeiubZc
— Royals (@Royals) October 28, 2015
#WALKOFF! @Royals take #WorldSeries Game 1 in 14 innings. https://t.co/K1HLvJsxcq pic.twitter.com/SZO2f1VqCW
— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2015
What we thought was going to be the game-winning run came courtesy of the most Bill Buckner-like play you’ll ever witness. Eric Hosmer attempted to backhand a Wilmer Flores grounder, but failed miserably. The error allowed Juan Lagares to scoot home with the Mets fourth-run.
Not lost on anybody was just how great of an at-bat Lagares came up with against Royals flame-thrower Kelvin Herrera. He continually fouled off pitch after pitch until knocking a two-out base hit into center-field. After a straight steal of second, Lagares came up roses as a defensive replacement for Terry Collins.
From our excellent social media staff, here’s Juan Lagares scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. #Mets pic.twitter.com/9dPiEmheyp
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 28, 2015
It's FINALLY OVER! Royals walk it off in the 14th inning on an Eric Hosmer sacrifice fly. pic.twitter.com/DzVS5X5f82
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 28, 2015
Matt Harvey pitched solid. For awhile it looked like his only blemish was going to be Alcides Escobar’s strange inside-the-bark home run in the first-inning, but the sixth-inning came and and provided all sorts of fits for the righty. Ben Zobrist started the frame with a hit and Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer each collected RBIs to tie the game up at three.
Harvey surrendered three runs and five hits in total over six innings of work. He was mysteriously pulled, however, after throwing just 80 pitches. In any event, the bullpen did its job. In fact, they walk away from this game as the Mets bonafide unsung heroes on the night.
Addison Reed pitched a clean seventh-inning and Tyler Clippard, while he did give up a lead-off double and a walk, struck out two batters with his filthy changeup. Jeurys Familia came on for the four-out save.
The only issue for the Mets was that Familia finally showed some evidence that he is, indeed, human. After with one out in the last of the ninth, Alex Gordon his a moonshot to tie the game at four.
VIDEO: Alex Gordon’s clutch home run in the 9th sends us to extra innings in KC: https://t.co/BYsFpJyREV
— RN’s Funhouse (@RNs_Funhouse) October 28, 2015
Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon came on in extras to pitch brilliant ball as well. Through it all, however, the guy who saved the day was Royals Game 4 starter, and ex-Met, Chris Young. Young, who sports one seriously professional dad-bod, entered in the 12th inning and proceeded to sit down nine straight Mets to end the game. He took home the well deserved win.
Curtis Granderson came up roses in the fifth inning with a solo shot to give the Mets a short-lived 2-1 lead. Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Lucas Duda and Lagares were the only Mets to collect more than one base-hit on the night.
For all of the feel-good stories surrounding the man, Wright comes away as the pure goat of the night. He struck-out in a huge situation late in the game, threw a low one to Duda that allowed the speedster Paulo Orlando to reach safely in extra innings, and then began the 14th inning with an error off the bat of Alcides Escobar.
The 14-inning affair marked the longest Game 1 in World Series history. 38 players and 13 pitchers in total found their way in the action. We also witnessed Fox Sports experience some technical difficulties during the broadcast. So much so, that MLB Network needed to step in for a little while.
The Royals have taken a 1-0 series lead and look to extend it to 2-0 Wednesday night. The Mets will send Jacob deGrom to the mound to oppose Johnny Cueto.
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