One agonizing step from ecstasy last season, this time the Royals reign after their latest incredible comeback and a go-ahead hit from maybe the most unlikely player in uniform.
Christian Colon singled home the tiebreaking run in the 12th inning and those bound-and-determined Royals rallied one more time to beat the New York Mets 7-2 in 12 innings early Monday for their first World Series championship since 1985.
Down 2-0 in the ninth, Kansas City fought back in Game 5 against two of the top arms on the pitching-rich Mets: Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia. And the Royals did it not with home run power but instead a daring dash from Eric Hosmer, a three-run double by Lorenzo Cain, a couple of crucial stolen bases.
“I couldn’t have written a better script,” manager Ned Yost said.
That’s how Series MVP Salvador Perez and the Royals became the first team since the 2002 Angels to come from behind in all four World Series wins, according to STATS.
That’s how they washed away the bitter taste of last year’s Game 7 loss at home to San Francisco, an October heartbreak that drove the Royals to their singular focus all season.
Never waver. Win it all this time.
“Kansas City is No. 1. Who cares about what happened last year?” Perez said.
Now, this group of homegrown favorites who turned around a floundering franchise, Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon and Hosmer to name a few, take their place in Royals history alongside George Brett, Willie Wilson, Bret Saberhagen and those champs from 30 years ago.
They couldn’t have done it without major contributions from newcomers like Ben Zobrist, Johnny Cueto, Kendrys Morales, Chris Young and Alex Rios.
Next up, a parade to celebrate the club’s second title on Tuesday in Kansas City.