Watch CBS News

Schwei's Mets Notes, Stats And Facts From A Disappointing World Series

By John Schweibacher
» More Columns

The New York Mets came up short in their quest for their first World Series championship since 1986, as the Kansas City Royals won the Fall Classic for the first time since 1985, four games to one.

The Royals, as they did all postseason, came from behind with two runs in the ninth inning to tie the game and scored five times in the 12th to beat the Mets, 7-2, to take Game 5 and clinch the World Series.

The loss was the Mets' second in extra-innings in this World Series. There have now been seven extra-inning World Series games in Mets history:

  •       Game 5, 2015: Kansas City 7 at Mets 2 (12)  Royals score 5 runs in 12th
  •       Game 1, 2015: Mets 4 at Kansas City 5 (14)  Hosmer sac fly
  •       Game 1, 2000:  Mets 3 at Yankees 4 (12)    Vizcaino single
  •       Game 6, 1986:  Mets 6 vs. Boston 5 (10)     Buckner error
  •       Game 3, 1973:  A's 3 at Mets 2 (11)   Campaneris single
  •       Game 2, 1973:  Mets 10 at A's 7 (12)     Mets score four runs in 12th
  •       Game 4, 1969: Mets 2 vs. Orioles 1 (10)      Richert error

Jeurys Familia became the first pitcher to blow three saves in a single World Series, allowing the game-tying run to score in top of the ninth as Eric Hosmer's baserunning gamble paid off in the Royals' Game 5 victory.

The Royals rallied with three runs in the eighth inning to beat the Mets, 5-3, in Game 4. Familia was charged with his second blown save of the series when Daniel Murphy's error allowed the tying run to score.

Familia also allowed Alex Gordon's game-tying home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 1. The Mets' closer had not blown a save chance since July 30, in the 8-7 loss (with two rain delays in the ninth inning) against the Padres.

In their four previous trips to the World Series, Mets pitchers had only blown two saves:

  •       Game 5, 2015: Jeurys Familia vs. KC (Mets lost 7-2 in 12)
  •       Game 4, 2015: Jeurys Familia vs.KC (Mets lost 5-3)
  •       Game 1, 2015: Jeurys Familia at KC (Mets lost 5-4 in 14)
  •       Game 1, 2000: Armando Benitez at NYY (Mets lost 4-3 in 12)
  •       Game 2, 1973: Tug McGraw at Oak (Mets won 10-7 in 12)

Curtis Granderson hit a leadoff home run in Game 5, tying Donn Clendenon's Mets record with three homers in a World Series.

Granderson is the oldest Mets player to hit a home run in the World Series:

(Age on date of last Mets World Series home run):

  •       Curtis Granderson: Game 5, 2015 -- 34 years, 7 months
  •       Donn Clendenon:    Game 5, 1969 --  34 years, 3 months
  •       Ray Knight:        Game 7, 1986 --  33 years, 10 months
  •       Robin Ventura:     Game 3, 2000 --  33 years, 3 months
  •       David Wright:    Game 3, 2015 --  32 years, 10 months

Michael Conforto hit two home runs for the Mets in their Game 4 loss, becoming the fifth rookie to homer twice in a World Series game and the youngest Mets player ever to hit a home run in the Fall Classic:

(Age on date of first Mets World Series home run):

  •       Michael Conforto:  Game 4, 2015 --  22 years, 8 months
  •       Lenny Dykstra:       Game 3, 1986 --  23 years, 8 months
  •       Darryl Strawberry:  Game 7, 1986 --  24 years, 7 months
  •       Ed Kranepool:       Game 3, 1969 --  24 years, 11 months
  •       Wayne Garrett:     Game 2, 1973 --  25 years, 12 months

Granderson and David Wright both homered in the Mets' 9-3 win over the Royals in Game 3 of the World Series. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was only the third time in MLB history that a team got homers from the No. 1 and No. 2 batters in its lineup in a World Series game.

Don Buford and Merv Rettenmund of the Orioles did it in Game 1 of the 1971 Fall Classic against the Pirates, and Lonnie Smith and Terry Pendleton of the Braves did so in Game 4 of the 1991 World Series vs. the Twins. Granderson and Wright also homered from the top two spots in the order in the Mets' NL East division-clinching win at Cincinnati back on September 26.

The Mets broke open Game 3 with a four-run sixth inning, with all of the runs charged to Franklin Morales. Morales is the third relief pitcher to allow four runs in a World Series game against the Mets, but the first to be charged with four earned runs in the outing:

  •        Game 3, 2015: Franklin Morales, KC -- 1/3ip 2h 4r 4er
  •        Game 6, 1986: Calvin Schiraldi, Bos --   2 & 2/3ip 4h 4r 3er
  •        Game 2, 1973: Rollie Fingers, Oak --      2 & 2/3ip 6h 4r 1er

Yordano Ventura took the loss for the Royals in Game 3, allowing five runs in 3 1/3 innings. The only starting pitcher to allow more runs than Ventura in a World Series start against the Mets was Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd, who gave up six runs over seven innings in Game 3 of the 1986 Fall Classic.

Johnny Cueto threw a complete game two-hitter for the Royals as they defeated the Mets, 7-1, in Game 2 of the World Series. It was the fourth complete game pitched in the Fall Classic by a Mets opponent:

  •       Game 2, 2015:  Johnny Cueto, KC (W) 9ip 2h 1r 1er 2bb 4k
  •       Game 5, 1986:  Bruce Hurst, Bos (W) 9ip 10h 2r 2er 1bb 6k
  •       Game 2, 1969:  Dave McNally, Bal (L) 9ip 6h 2r 2er 3bb 7k
  •       Game 1, 1969:  Mike Cuellar, Bal (W)  9ip 6h 1r 1er 4bb 8k

The Royals scored four runs against Jacob deGrom, all in the fifth inning of Game 2, to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series. It was the seventh time a Mets pitcher gave up four or more runs in a World Series start:

  •       Game 2, 2015: Jacob deGrom at KC (L) 5ip 6h 4r 4er
  •       Game 5, 2000: Al Leiter vs. NYY (L) 8 & 2/3ip 7h 4r 3er
  •       Game 2, 2000: Mike Hampton at NYY (L) 6ip 8h 4r 4er
  •       Game 5, 1986: Dwight Gooden at Bos (L) 4ip 9h 4r 3er
  •       Game 2, 1986: Dwight Gooden vs. Bos (L) 5ip 8h 6r 5er
  •       Game 7, 1973: Jon Matlack at Oak (L) 2& 2/3ip 4h 4r 4er
  •       Game 1, 1969: Tom Seaver at Bal (L) 5ip 6h 4r 4er

The Mets' 5-4, 14-inning loss in Game 1 dropped their all-time record in the opening game of the Fall Classic to 0-5. Here are the Mets' combined records in each game of their five World Series:

  •       Game 1: 0-5
  •       Game 2: 2-3
  •       Game 3: 4-1
  •       Game 4: 3-2
  •       Game 5: 2-3
  •       Game 6: 1-1
  •       Game 7: 1-1

Nine Miles of Rough Road: No National League team has won the World Series after losing one the previous season since the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944.

Happy Recap: Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz become the first pair of first-year major league pitchers to start for a team in the same World Series since Marty Bystrom and Bob Walk of the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.