Royals outlast Harvey, Mets for World Series

The latest on the World Series, where the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets 7-2 in Game 5 to win their first World Series title since 1985. (all times EST):
12:35 a.m.

Sunday night belonged to Matt Harvey. Monday morning - and now a World Series title - belongs to the Kansas City Royals.

After Harvey dominated the first eight innings of Game 5, the Royals broke through to tie the game in the ninth, then scored five runs in the 12th to beat the New York Mets 7-2 and win their first World Series title since 1985.

Eric Hosmer sprinted home for the tying run on a groundout to third baseman David Wright in the ninth, and then the Royals wrapped up the title an early morning hit parade against the Mets bullpen.
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Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez walks back to the dugout after striking out during the sixth  …

Salvador Perez led off the 12th with a single off Addison Reed. Pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson stole second, then later scored on pinch-hitter Christian Colon's single to left.

Daniel Murphy's error allowed Paulo Orlando to reach, and Alcides Escobar scored Colon with a double to left. After Ben Zobrist was intentionally walked, Lorenzo Cain hit a three-run double off Bartolo Colon.

Wade Davis entered to pitch the bottom of the 12th and struck out Wilmer Flores to kick off the party.

Matt Harvey wanted the ninth inning. He got it, but then the Royals finally struck.

Now, it's a 2-2 game in the 11th inning.

Mets manager Terry Collins sent Harvey back out to a roaring ovation, but the pitcher walked Lorenzo Cain and then let him score on a double by Eric Hosmer.

After Collins went to closer Jeurys Familia, Mike Moustakas grounded out and Hosmer advanced to third.

Then, Salvador Perez hit a ground ball to the left side. Third baseman David Wright fielded near shortstop, quickly checked Hosmer at third and fired to first. Hosmer sprinted for the plate on Wright's throw and slid in safely after first baseman Lucas Dudas' relay home sailed wide.
10:20 p.m.

Lucas Duda's sacrifice fly gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the sixth.

Matt Harvey allowed three hits, all singles, struck out nine and walked one. He was at 84 pitches through six innings and became only the second pitcher this year to strike out the Royals three times in an inning twice. The other was Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco on Sept. 25, according to STATS.

After Curtis Granderson's leadoff home run in the first, Edinson Volquez didn't allow another hit until the sixth, when he walked Granderson leading off and David Wright grounded a single between shortstop and third, and into left.
Daniel Murphy hit a one-hop smash off the glove of first baseman Eric Hosmer, who made a backhand attempt and was charged with an error that loaded the bases.

Yoenis Cespedes fouled a pitch off his left knee, popped out to shortstop, and limped back to the dugout. Duda flied to center, and Travis d'Arnaud grounded out.

Cespedes was replaced by Juan Lagares in center in the seventh.
9:16 p.m.
Matt Harvey finished off the top of the fourth with a shout and fist pump as he bounded off the mound after throwing a 98 mph fastball past Mike Moustakas for strike three. Harvey struck out the side to keep the Mets ahead 1-0.

Edinson Volquez singled in the third but was erased on a double play. He then pitched a perfect bottom half. Volquez has not allowed a hit since Curtis Granderson led off the first with a home run. Mets 1, Royals 0 after four innings.
8:40 p.m.

Curtis Granderson led off the bottom of the first with a 410-foot drive to right-center off Edinson Volquez on an 87 mph 0-2 changeup. Volquez settled after Granderson hit that 87 mph offering for his third homer of the World Series. Volquez struck out David Wright and Daniel Muprhy before getting Yoenis Cespedes to ground out. Mets 1, Royals 0.
8:30 p.m.

New York's Matt Harvey looked sharper in the first inning than he did in Game 1, when Alcides Escobar hit an inside-the-park home run on his first pitch.

Harvey threw 10 of 13 pitches for strikes, allowing one hit on a soft single to left by Lorenzo Cain. After Cain stole second, Harvey escaped troubled by striking out Eric Hosmer with a 97 mph fastball, his fastest pitch of the inning - and faster than any he threw in the opener.
8:14 p.m.

The Mets' Matt Harvey is set to throw the first pitch of Game 5 of the World Series. Does he have a plan similar to teammate Noah Syndergaard, who zinged his first offering over the head of the Royals' Alcides Escobard to open Game 3?

Edinson Volquez will try to lead the Royals to their first World Series title in 30 years. He's starting after attending his father's funeral in the Dominican Republic earlier in the week. Volquez's dad died hours before Edinson gave up three runs in six innings of Game 1 on Tuesday night.

''Just tells you the type of teammate he is, the type of competitor he is,'' Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said. ''We certainly did not expect him to come back and be ready to pitch in a World Series game.''
8:05 p.m.

Both managers have been effusive in praising their influential baseball mentors.

For Ned Yost of the Royals, it's Hall of Famer and former Atlanta skipper Bobby Cox.

For Terry Collins of the Mets, it's longtime big league bench boss Jim Leyland.

''The best experience I had was being the bullpen coach and third base coach for Bobby Cox for 12 years. That's where the majority of the lessons that I've learned came from,'' Yost said Sunday. ''I'm still very close to Bobby. I talk to Bobby all the time. He's definitely helped me through this process.''
Leyland hired Collins as bullpen coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992 and has enjoyed watching this Mets run to the World Series.

''I'm really happy for Terry. I'm thrilled,'' Leyland said before Game 4. ''He's ridden the wave, the crest of the wave and the bottom of the wave and all that. He's done it all and he's just stayed steady and I think it's been very important to his players. Like a lot of people say, well, do you think he's changed? And I said, 'No, I think he's adjusted.'

''He's really handled it like a true professional,'' Leyland said. ''Very proud of him.''
8:00 p.m.
On the field during batting practice Saturday, former major league skipper Jim Leyland talked about everything that comes with managing in the World Series, recalling the championship he won in Game 7 with the 1997 Florida Marlins.

''I think the biggest thing is that you have to remember, it's a happening and it's a party for everybody else, but you're working. You know what I mean? I mean, I can remember the seventh game in 1997 when we won, I had 16 people, my wife's brother and sister in my house, were staying with us. I left for the ballpark for an 8:30 game at 7:15 in the morning because I couldn't take it,'' Leyland said.

''They were having a great time, partying, jumping in the pool, you know, they're getting sun. I mean, they were having a great time - which they should have been,'' Leyland added. ''But for me, I'm working. You know? So I went to the ballpark at 7:15 and went back to sleep. I had to get away from it.''

7:49 p.m.
Mets manager Terry Collins doesn't regret his bullpen decisions in Game 4.

He left starter Steven Matz in to pitch the sixth inning, and the rookie gave up a run that cut Kansas City's gap to 3-2. Then Collins decided not to bring in closer Jeurys Familia for a six-out save, and setup man Tyler Cippard walked a pair of batters in the eighth, when Kansas City scored three runs in its 5-3 win.

''After it didn't work, it's easy: 'Well, you should have used Familia,''' Collins said. ''Well, I used Familia in Los Angeles and I got crucified because I used him for a six-out save. And last night I got crucified because I didn't use him for six outs. That's the nature of the game. I'm not offended by that. That's opinions. But we went with what worked for us, and it didn't work last night.''

Before the Mets completed their League Championship Series sweep of the Chicago Cubs, Collins said he's not immune from second-guessing, even at home.

''You make the best-educated guess you can make,'' he said. ''If it doesn't work, as I've said many times, my wife on the way home tells me it was a dumb move, and she hasn't been in baseball until five years ago.''
4:48 p.m.

The Mets honored Team USA's 18-under championship club before Game 4 Saturday night, a team coached by the dad of New York minor leaguer Gavin Cecchini and former major league infield Davis Eckstein.

''It's great that they're honoring the boys today, but it's another bonus to get to see the Mets, where my son plays, getting a chance to compete to win a World Series,'' Glenn Cecchini said. ''He didn't have to tell me to root for the Mets, but I am. Whatever team my sons are playing on, that's the team I'm rooting for.''

Gavin Cecchini batted .317 with Double-A Binghamton, with seven homers and 41 RBIs. His older brother, Garin, is a prospect in the Red Sox organization.

Team USA went 8-1 in tournament play, giving the United States three consecutive 18U world championships. Many on the 20-man roster are expected to be selected in the 2016 MLB draft.

While the team was on the field, Mets stars David Wright and Matt Harvey took some time out of their pregame routine to meet with the players.

''Matt Harvey just came over, David Wright came over, so the kids are starstruck,'' Eckstein said. ''This is what they want to be, this is who they want to become, they want to be a big leaguer and have the opportunity to play for a world championship.''

-- By AP freelancer Charles O'Brien
4:25 p.m.
Kansas City's Salvador Perez has set a major league record for most innings caught over a two-year span since 1914, according to STATS.

Perez's total innings behind the plate during the regular season and postseason has climbed to 2,713 through Game 4 of the World Series. The highest previous total had been the 2,704 for the Chicago Cubs' Randy Hundley in 1967-68.

In addition, Perez has caught 38 spring training innings over the past two years plus 36 innings during the major league All-Stars 2014 postseason tour of Japan.

''He's a horse,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said Sunday. ''Put up the offensive numbers, when you're catching 150 a year, that's impressive. I mean, I know he's a big, strong guy, but that big body gets beat up. He's had some foul tips already in the first part of this Series that you wonder if he's coming back out and yet he does. He's a horse.''

Source: AFP