Oct 30, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning in game three of the World Series at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — Third baseman David Wright homered and finished with four RBIs Friday night and rookie right-handed pitcher Noah Syndergaard recovered from a rough start to throw six sturdy innings as the New York Mets beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3 in Game 3 of the World Series at Citi Field.
The Royals lead the series two games to one. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday night.
Wright gave the Mets their first lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first and finished off a four-run sixth inning by lacing a two-run single. He finished one RBI shy of the franchise record for a World Series game, set by Rusty Staub in 1973.
Syndergaard allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings. He absorbed most of that damage in the first two innings, when the Royals scored all their runs on six hits.
Syndergaard retired 12 in a row between the second and sixth before the Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, when New York was hanging on to a 5-3 lead. But Syndergaard induced right fielder Alex Rios to ground out to short to end the threat.
Right fielder Curtis Granderson had two hits, including a two-run homer, for the Mets, who pounded out 12 hits after being limited to five runs and 13 hits in the first two games. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud had two hits while left fielder Michael Conforto and pinch-hitter Juan Uribe had an RBI apiece.
Rios and first baseman Eric Hosmer each had an RBI for the Royals.
Right-hander Yordano Ventura took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out one over 3 1/3 innings.
The Royals scored in the first inning when second baseman Ben Zobrist doubled with one out, went to third on an infield single by center fielder Lorenzo Cain and scored when the Mets couldn’t complete a double play on Hosmer’s grounder to first.
The Mets wasted no time taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning, when Granderson beat out an infield single and Wright, batting at home in a World Series game for the first time, homered to left-center field.
The Royals retook the lead in the second, when catcher Salvador Perez, left fielder Alex Gordon and Rios opened the inning with singles. Rios’ hit scored Perez but Gordon was thrown out at third. Rios went to second when Gordon was thrown out, took third on a bunt by Ventura and scored on a wild pitch by Syndergaard.
The Mets’ hulking right-hander helped regain the lead in the bottom of the third leading off the inning with a single. Granderson then homered down the right-field line to put New York ahead 4-3.
Ventura was chased in the fourth, when first baseman Lucas Duda led off with a single and went to third on a double by d’Arnaud. Duda scored when Conforto beat out an infield single. But the Mets failed to tack on as Ventura and left-hander Danny Duffy combined to retire the next three batters in order.
NOTES: The National Anthem was sung by Long Island pop superstar Billy Joel, who performed the final concerts at Shea Stadium in 2008 and sang the Anthem at the opener of the Mets-Yankees Subway Series in 2000. The first pitch was thrown out by ex-Mets C Mike Piazza. … Steve Phillips, the Sirius XM host who was the Mets’ general manager the last time they made the World Series, watched batting practice before taking a seat in the press box. … The Royals, who fielded the same lineup during the first 13 games of the playoffs, moved their six through nine hitters up a spot to make room for RHP Yordano Ventura in the National League park. … The Royals are the 38th team to win the first two games of the World Series at home. … The Mets’ top eight batters were the same as in the team’s last six games against right-handed pitchers.
