Royals win World Series

It almost felt inevitable the 2015 World Series would end here, with this outcome. After the New York Mets won Game Three, reporters began talking about how this World Series was eerily just like the Mets’ 1986 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. The Mets lost the first two games and then came back — at Fenway Park in Boston — to win Game Three, 7-1. Would 2015 be a replay of 1986?

In Game Four of the 1986 World Series the Mets won at Fenway again. This year, the Mets, facing the Kansas City Royals, didn’t do as well. They were winning 3-2 as the eighth inning started, but an error by second baseman Daniel Murphy let the tying run score and then the Royals scored two more. If Murphy, who had seven homeruns in the postseason before the series began, had fielded that ball cleanly there would have been at least one out, possibly two; he said his intention was to go for the double play. There wouldn’t have been a run on the play and quite possibly no runners on base.

At this level, with two great teams, one error can change the course of a game and the series.

Before Game Five started the Royals found themselves one win away from hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy. You could feel it in the clubhouse. Royals catcher Drew Butera said they could feel the momentum shift in the eighth. After Game Four, Royals outfielder Alex Gordon said, “We definitely feel it, it’s one more game, but you just gotta focus on preparing for the game.”

And they were prepared and confident when this fifth and final game started.

The Mets on the other hand have to win three in a row if they want to win the World Series and facing Kansas City in those three games, two of them at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, made that a very difficult task. But first they would have to win Game Five.

On paper the starting pitcher match up would seem to favor New York: Edinson Volquez for the Royals and Matt Harvey for the Mets. On the day the World Series started, with Volquez starting for the Royals, his father died in the Dominican Republic. Right after the Royals won Game One, Volquez was on his way home. He got to New York for his Game Five start just hours before game time.

Matt Harvey was at home in the Big Apple, getting prepared for the biggest game of his life. he pitched well in Game One and this match up favored the Mets.

But these games are not won on paper — the teams have to win the game on the field, whether it goes nine innings or 14, like Game One of this series that started with these same two pitchers.

Throughout the 2015 postseason the Kansas City Royals have comeback to win games. Same in this world series. Three times Kansas City was behind in the late innings and three times they capitalized on mistakes by the New York Mets to fight their way back into the game and win.

And that was the how Game Five went on Sunday. The Royals had no success against Mets starter Matt Harvey. Until the ninth inning.

Mets manager Terry Collins was ready to put closer Jeurys Familia in for the ninth, but Harvey, who had pitched eight shut out innings, convinced his manager to let him go one more inning. Harvey lasted just two more batters. People will be talking about Terry Collins’ decision to let Harvey go one more inning and after the game he even said, “I’ll be second guessing myself for a long time, but sometimes you just have to support your players.”

The Mets were leading 2-0 and then Harvey walked the first batter he faced, Lorenzo Cain. Then Eric Hosmer doubled to deep left, scoring Cain. Collins pulled Harvey, putting their closer Jeurys Familia in, and he allowed the game-tying unearned run to score when Salvador Perez grounded to third and Hosmer, a great base runner, scored from third.

It was in the 12^th inning though when the Royals won the game and the 2015 World Series. They scored five runs with great hitting and base running. Christian Colon, Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain all had RBI’s in that final inning.

Royals closer Wade Davis faced four batters in the 12^th, striking out three of them. In the end, the New York bullpen was no match for the Kansas City bats. It was third time the Kansas City Royals came from behind to win a game. Once again Kansas City capitalized on a mistake to turn the game around and win. After Game Four Mets third baseman David Wright said, “I think we have one of the best closers in the game, but you just never feel comfortable with a one, maybe a two run lead against these guys (the Royals). They keep coming. That’s a compliment.”

Christian Colon hadn’t taken a swing in the postseason, but came in to pinch hit in the 12th. He singled to left, scoring Dyson. After the game he was asked how he felt, making such a ig impact on the game. “I never count myself out, no matter what. If I’m in the [batter’s] box I always know I have a chance.” He added, “I didn’t have an at-bat in the postseason, I just knew it was going to come at some point and I needed to be ready for it.”

Royals catcher Salvador Perez was named the Series MVP. He has had many key moments in all five games, including his great play behind the plate.

That is the end of the 2015 baseball season. We will see you next year when Spring Training begins.

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Below are Claudia’s video reports from Games Four and Five.

(L.A. Post-Examiner Staff contributed to this article.)

(Photos by Claudia Gestro and Eddie Lain)