The Kansas City Royals put on a patented performance in Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night in a 7-1 victory over the New York Mets, taking a two games to none lead in the best-of-seven Fall Classic.
Mets vs. Royals 2015 final score: Kansas City offense relentless in 7-1 Game 2 triumph
Kansas City leads the World Series 2-0.
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City rallied for four runs in the fifth inning, a frame that saw Jacob deGrom finally crack after 3½ starts of brilliance so far this postseason. A walk and five singles turned a one-run deficit into a three-run lead for the Royals, who improved to 7-1 at Kauffman Stadium in Kasas City this postseason.
The big blow came from Eric Hosmer, whose two-run single broke a 1-1 tie. Hosmer, who delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly in Tuesday night's marathon Game 1, was 2-for-4 on the night, and has driven in four runs and reached base four times in the first two games of the series.
It was a total team effort on offense for the Royals, who got two hits, including a triple, from shortstop Alcides Escobar, who drove in two and now has 20 hits in 13 postseason games this year. Mike Moustakas added two hits and a walk, and Alex Gordon doubled and walked twice.
The Royals put the game away with three more runs in the eighth inning, giving them a commanding series lead. How important is a 2-0 lead in the World Series?
FYI with KC holding a late lead: 53 teams have gone up 2-0 in the World Series, and 42 of those won it (79.2%), including the last nine.
— Royals Gameday (@KCRoyalsGameday) October 29, 2015
3 reasons the Royals are up 2-0
Cueto was CUETO again. The Royals traded for Johnny Cueto in late July at the non-waiver trade deadline to be the ace they needed, but in his two months with Kansas City he was a rather ordinary 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 13 regular season starts.
But in the postseason he has been a tale of two pitchers. In his one road start, Cueto allowed eight runs in two innings in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Blue Jays. But in three home starts, Cueto has a 2.74 ERA in three starts, including a complete game in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
Cueto struck out four and allowed one run on two hits and three walks. He retired 15 batters in a row until a two-out walk in the ninth. He was the first Royals pitcher to throw a complete game in the postseason since Bret Saberhagen in Game 7 of the 1985 World Series.
Cueto has lasted at least eight innings in each of his last two home starts, also closing out the Astros in Game 5 of the ALDS. He is the only Royals pitcher in the last two postseasons to pitch into the eighth inning, and he has done it twice.
His next scheduled start would be Game 6, at home. If the series gets that far.
Wearing down deGrom. Mets Game 2 starter deGrom has been fantastic this postseason, entering Wednesday with three wins in three starts to go with 27 strikeouts and just five walks in 20 innings, and a 1.80 ERA. He allowed five hits, six hits and four hits in his three previous playoff starts. All three of those were on the road, which game deGrom a chance at a record on Wednesday night:
No pitcher in baseball history has won four road games in one postseason. Jacob deGrom has that chance tonight.
— Peter Botte (@PeterBotte) October 29, 2015 The Royals had five hits in the fifth inning alone on Wednesday night, when deGrom was missing over the heart of the plate repeatedly. The 34-pitch frame ended his night, and his chance at the record.
The big inning. That fateful fifth inning was just the latest long rally for a relentless Royals lineup this postseason. In 13 games this postseason, the Royals have scored at least three runs in an inning 10 times, and have scored multiple runs in an inning 18 times.
All that has added up to 75 runs in 13 games for the Royals, an average of 5.77 runs per game on offense. That has the Royals two wins away from their first World Series title since 1985.
The World Series shifts to New York with a travel day on Thursday, followed by Game 3 from Citi Field on Friday night, with Yordano Ventura starting for the Royals and Noah Syndergaard for the Mets.
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