Could the 2015 World Series have begun with two more different games? Tuesday’s series opener could have gone either way, with the Mets and Royals trading leads, dramatic home runs and defensive miscues in a 14-inning battle. Game 2 was a completely different story with a starting pitcher dominating and a lineup relentlessly putting the ball in play.
Johnny Cueto looked every bit like the ace the Royals hoped they were getting at the trade deadline, rebounding from a disastrous ALCS start to handcuff a previously powerful Mets offense and lead his team to a 2-0 lead in the World Series. Cueto held the Mets to just two hits over nine innings, pitching a complete game the night after Kansas City had to use six relievers in Game 1’s 14-inning marathon. It was exactly the performance his team needed at the most important point of the season.
Total Royals swings: 43 Total Misses: 3 Royals swings vs deGrom’s fastball: 30 Misses vs fastball: 0
— Joe Lemire (@LemireJoe) October 29, 2015
Cueto and Mets starter Jacob deGrom were locked in an expected pitcher’s duel through the first three innings, each hurler combining to allow one infield hit. The Mets broke through in the fourth inning after Cueto walked Curtis Granderson and Daniel Murphy. Lucas Duda drove in Murphy with a two-out single, giving deGrom the lead.
But the floodgates opened for the Royals in the fifth, with six of the first eight batters reaching base. And five of them hit singles off deGrom, making hard contact with a fastball that blew away the Dodgers and Cubs during the NL playoffs. Eric Hosmer struck the big blow, driving in two runs with his base hit and Kansas City had a four-run inning.
That’s really all the offense that Cueto needed, as he retired 15 consecutive batters following Duda’s RBI single in the fourth inning. That took him into the ninth inning when a Mets hitter finally reached base on a walk by Murphy. But the Royals scored an additional three runs for their starting pitcher, battering Jon Niese, Addison Reed and Sean Gilmartin with a single, two doubles and a triple. Stringing together hits, attacking fastballs and never giving an opposing pitcher a breather is how this Kansas City team wins, as the Mets now know all too well.
Alcides Escobar, Hosmer and Mike Moustakas each notched two hits, with Escobar and Hosmer both driving in two runs. Seven of the nine hitters in the Royals lineup got a hit, with Ben Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain — the No. 2 and 3 hitters in the batting order — the outliers. But on a team which any player can be the star on a particular night, virtually everyone wearing the home white uniform shined on Wednesday with the bat and glove.
Losing the first two games at Kauffman Stadium would seem to put the Mets in a bad position, but they have a possible three home games coming up and wouldn’t have to face Cueto again until Game 6, if the series extends that far. The Royals certainly showed how they can assert themselves over an opponent in Game 2, but Game 1 really could have gone either way. Were the Mets disheartened after losing the series opener? Perhaps, though that would be taking credit away from Cueto and his brilliant performance deserves nothing but praise. Whether or not the Mets can bounce back in Game 3 will likely decide this series.
The World Series moves to Citi Field for Games 3 through 5, beginning Friday night. Yordano Ventura has to try and follow up Cueto’s performance for the Royals, while the Mets counter with Noah Syndergaard. First pitch is scheduled for 8:07 p.m. ET and Fox has the telecast.