Mets, Syndergaard Beat Royals 9-3 Friday
Their nicknames are Thor, Captain America and the Grandyman, and they've helped the New York Mets pull within two games to one in the World Series.
Noah Syndergaard worked six tough innings and David Wright and Curtis Granderson hit two-run homers as the Mets trounced the Kansas City Royals 9-3 in New York. Granderson's blast put the Mets ahead to stay in the third inning before Syndergaard and the Mets' bullpen shut down the Royals the rest of the way.
Syndergaard struggled over the first two innings, surrendering three runs and six hits. But he later retired 12 straight batters at one point and capped his performance by working out of a bases-loaded jam to end the sixth. The rookie also had six strikeouts after teammates Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom (deh-GRAHM') managed just four Ks in 11 innings of the series.
Wright became the second Met to collect four RBIs in a World Series game, and the first since Rusty Staub in Game 4 of the 1973 Fall Classic. In addition to his first home run of this postseason, the Mets' third baseman and team captain added a two-run single while the Mets scored four times in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Granderson was 2-for-5 with three runs scored to help the Mets bounce back from two straight losses in Kansas City.
The Royals managed just one hit off Syndergaard and the Mets' bullpen after the second inning. Addison Reed, Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia (jeh-REES' fah-MEEL'-yuh) each worked a perfect inning of relief to close out the win.
Royals starter and loser Yordano Ventura was reached for five runs and seven hits in just 3 1/3 innings.
Royals outfielder Raul Mondesi (rowl MAHN'-deh-see) Jr. became the first player ever to make his major league debut in the World Series. Mondesi entered as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning and struck out on four pitches.
The teams get back at it Saturday night in New York. Former Met Chris Young will start for the Royals against Steven Matz, who will be making just his ninth major league start. Young tossed three innings of no-hit relief in picking up the victory in Game 1 of the series.