Mets Lose World Series; Collins Decisions on Harvey Key to Loss
The Royals are the World Series champions after beating the Mets in 12 innings in Game 5 Sunday night at Citi Field. It is a game that will go down in Mets infamy for Terry Collins reversing his decision to take a defiant Matt Harvey out of the game after eight shutout innings. He would stay in and blow a two-run ninth inning lead.
Curtis Granderson got things going off Edinson Volquez by leading off the bottom of the first with a home run to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.
It was the only hit the Mets would get until the sixth inning, when David Wright followed a Granderson walk with a single. Daniel Murphy reached on an error to load the bases with no outs. Yoenis Cespedes was next, and during his at bat he fouled a ball right off his knee. He was on the ground for a while but continued his at bat. He popped out and limped off the field. He would leave the game after the inning. Lucas Duda hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Granderson. Travis d’Arnaud grounded out to end the inning, so the Mets had to settle for just one run and a 2-0 lead.
After eight shutout innings and 102 pitches, Terry Collins was going to take Harvey out of the game. But Harvey would have none of it. The TV cameras caught him arguing with Dan Warthen and Collins, clearly saying, “no way.” Collins relented and Harvey was on the mound for the ninth.
Harvey walked the lead off batter, Lorenzo Cain. Collins surprisingly left him in the game. It was safe to assume the leash on Harvey would be very short, that he would be pulled at the first sign of trouble. Cain promptly stole second and Eric Hosmer doubled to left to make it 2-1. And finally, Collins came out to get Harvey. Jeurys Familia came on with a runner on second and no outs. Mike Moustakas grounded out to first to advance the potential trying run to third. Salvador Perez came up, the infield came in. He hit a grounder to Wright. Once he threw to first, Hosmer took off for home. After making the out, Duda fired home to try to turn the game-ending double play. His throw was wide, out of d’Arnaud’s reach and Hosmer scored to tie the game at two. It was Familia’s third blown save of the World Series, a new dubious record.
The Met went down in the ninth, so it was on to extra innings. Familia was back out for the 10th and retired the Royals in order.
After the Mets went meekly in their half of the 10th, Jonathon Niese took over for the 11th. The Royals got a runner to second with two outs, but Niese got out of it.
Addison Reed got the 12th, even though Niese threw just 13 pitches in the 11th. Perez led off with a single down the line in right. Jarrod Dyson pinch ran for him. He stole second. A grounder to first moved Dyson to third. Christian Colon singled to left to give the Royals a 3-2 lead. Paulo Orlando hit a grounder to second; Murphy booted it for an error. Escobar doubled to make it 4-2. Ben Zobrist was intentionally walked. With the bases loaded and still one out, Bartolo Colon relieved Reed. Cain doubled into the gap to clear the bases to cap off a five-run inning.
Mets lose 7-2. The season is over. The dream is over.