Kansas City Royals one win away from claiming World Series
Last Updated: 01/11/15 8:30am
The Kansas City Royals moved to within one win of their first World Series crown in 30 years after they beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Saturday.
Victory extends their lead to 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and they will have the chance to clinch the title in New York on Sunday.
An error by Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, their National League championship series hero, on a slow roller by Eric Hosmer in the eighth inning opened the floodgates for the Royals, who overturned a 3-2 deficit to lead 5-3.
The three-run burst against relievers Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia came in response to a pair of home runs hit by Mets' rookie Michael Conforto.
Kansas City closer Wade Davis came on in the eighth to register a six-out save, with reliever Ryan Madson then claiming the win.
"We've been swinging the bats very well. We had a nice night last night [Friday] and tonight we just didn't get the hits when we needed them, except for Conforto," said Mets manager Terry Collins.
"If anybody can give me the answers to why we're not hitting in certain situations, I'd like to hear them."
Boosted by solo shots leading off the third and fifth innings by 22-year-old Conforto, and five solid innings from fellow-rookie Mets starter Steven Matz, New York looked well placed to level the series at 2-2 when they entered the eighth inning.
Mets manager Terry Collins sent Tyler Clippard, his fifth pitcher of the night, out to start the eighth.
After retiring Alcides Escobar, Clippard walked Ben Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain and Collins called upon Jeurys Familia.
Familia got Hosmer to tap a slow roller to the right side and Murphy charged in only to have the dribbler sneak under his glove and roll into short rightfield.
That allowed Zobrist to score and Cain to reach third.
If anybody can give me the answers to why we're not hitting in certain situations, I'd like to hear them.
New York Mets manager Terry Collins
Mike Moustakas followed with a ground single to right that scored Cain and Salvador Perez added another single to right to plate Hosmer for the third run of the inning.
After throwing a 1-2-3 eighth, Davis put men on first and second with one out before Lucas Duda hit a soft liner to third baseman Moustakas, who fired to first to double up Yoenis Cespedes, who strayed too far, for a game-ending double play.
The victory put the Royals within sight of their first World Series title since their 1985 triumph over cross-state rivals the St. Louis Cardinals.
