Remembering Mets History (2015) Thor Puts the Hammer Down in World Series Game #3
Friday October 30th, 2015- World Series Game #3 -Citi Field, Queens New York. The Mets came back to New York down two games to none as they'd like to forget those first two games in Kansas City. Tonight, would be the first World Series game ever played at Citi Field.
A full house of 44,471 came out to on clear brisk night to cheer on their Mets.
In classic New York Mets style, Billy Joel sang the National Anthem & former Mets star Mike Piazza threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Mets Manager Terry Collins sent Noah Syndergaard (9-7 / 3.24 ERA / 166 Ks) known in New York as Thor, to the mound against Ned Yost's Royals hurler; Yordano Ventura (13-8 / 4.08 ERA / 156 Ks). The Mets needed a bog night from Thor to get back into the series & the 23-year-old superhero delivered.
The crowd cheered & this got the Mets team fired up. It also got the Royals team a bit upset.
After the game they complained to the media about Thor's opening pitch which certainly sent a message & may have gotten them a bit uneasy. But Noah responded right back.
Quotes- Noah Syndergaard: "It's my plate out there not theirs. I certainly wasn't trying to hit the guy; I just didn't want him getting too comfortable. If they got a problem with it, they could meet me sixty feet six inches from the plate I have no problem with that."
Eric Hosmer grounded into a force that allowed Zobrist to score the first run of the game. Mike Moustakis who had a lot to say from the dugout after the inside pitch to Escobar, then grounded out to Syndergaard to end the inning.
In the home 1st inning, Curtis Granderson led off with a base hit. And then in dramatic fashion a slumping David Wright, let it be known, it is his town as the Captain blasted a long two run HR to the left field stands. It was his third hit of the Series & first RBI.
In the top of the 2nd, the Royals Salvador Perez & Alex Gordon started out with base hits. There was a bad call that didn't go Syndergaard's way that should have been a strike three but wasn't called by home plate umpire Mike Winters.
two out a passed ball led to another KC run making it 3-2. Alicedes Escobar singled & stole second, but Ben Zobrist flew out to end the inning.
In the home 3rd, Syndergaard helped his own cause by driving a base hit to right field to start the inning.
Then Curtis Granderson delivered once again as he lined a HR down the right field line, barley fair & just over the right field wall.
Trivia: Curtis Granderson reached base in all 14 post season games, hitting safely in 11 of those 14 games. He led the Mets in the World Series in HRs (3) RBIs (5) runs scored (6) on base 5 (.360%) OPS (1.060) & hits 95) tied with four others.
He also walked four times. In his career he played in eight post seasons batting .224 with 9 HRs & 30 RBIs.
The Mets took a 4-3 lead and never looked back.
In the home 4th inning, Lucas Duda singled & Travis d'Arnaud doubled to lead off & putting runners on the corners. Michael Conforto then collected an infield single bringing in Lucas Duda making it a 5-3 Mets lead.
Yordany Ventura retired Wilmer Flores & then was taken out of the game. On his night he allowed five runs on seven hits, struck out one with no walks in 3.1 innings of work. Danny Duffy retired the next two batters to end the 4th.
From there on Noah Syndergaard settled down. He retired 12 batters in a row getting through six innings.
In the 5th he struck out Adalberto Mondesi & Escobar. The inning ended on a fine play in right field by Curtis Granderson on Ben Zobrist fly ball.
But Terry Collins stuck with his pitcher, Noah then got Alex Rios to ground out to Wilmer Flores to end the inning. The Citi Field fans were on their feet cheering.
That was it for Syndergaard, in a fine outing he surrendered three runs on seven hits, with six strike outs & two walks, giving the Mets just what the chance they needed.
The Mets would have a big home 6th inning. With one out, pinch hitter Juan Lagares came through with a single. Next Royal pitcher Franklin Morales hit Wilmer Flores with a pitch.
Next, Terry Collins sent in pinch hitter Juan Uribe, who was making his first post season appearance since getting injured at the end of the regular season. He came through with a single to right field bringing in Juan Lagares making it a 6-3 New York lead.
The next play was a grounder back to the pitcher Franklin Morales. He fielded it but Morales didn't know what to do with the ball.
Next up was David Wright, KC manager Ned Yost made a pitching change bringing in Kelvin
Herrera. David Wright came through again with a two-run base hit to center field. Flores & Uribe both scored, making it 8-3 Mets.
Trivia: David Wright became the first Met to drive in four runs in a World Series game since Rusty Staub had a five RBI night in Game #4 of the 1973 World Series against the Oakland A's.
The inning ended as Lucas Duda struck out. The Mets sent nine men to the plate that inning, collecting just three hits while scoring the four runs.
The Mets got great relief from Addison Reed as he threw a perfect 7th inning. Reed had now appeared in six post season games (4.2 innings) allowing one run on two hits with two strike outs.
The Mets did not score in the 7th off pitcher Ryan Madsen.
In the 8th the bullpen continued its fine night, as Tyler Clippard pitched a perfect inning getting three fly ball outs. The Royals sixth pitcher of the night was Kris Medlen who got through the 8th.
Trivia: In the World Series Familia would allow two runs on three hits in five innings of work but blow important two saves.
In the 9th inning of this Game #3, the first out came on a sparkling play by short stop Wilmer Flores, going up the middle throwing out Salvador Perez.
Familia then struck out Alex Gordon & pinch hitter Kendrys Morales fittingly ended the game grounding out to David Wright.
He is the second youngest Mets pitcher to earn a win in a World Series game. Gary Gentry is still the youngest to earn a World Series win, winning game #3 at Shea Stadium in 1969 against the Baltimore Orioles.
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