This Royals team just will not cease to amaze.
In the top of the 8th inning, down a run after struggling to find their rhythm at the plate all night, the team we've been rooting on for 14 months now showed up to the tune of two walks, two singles and three runs due in part to one colossal error.
It's what the Royals do.
Well, the error, committed by star second baseman Daniel Murphy at just the wrong time, was kind of what the Mets do.
But, it was still with contact that Kansas City took a two-run, 5-3 lead in what may prove to be the decisive inning in this fantastic World Series.
To add a Halloween spook to Royals fans everywhere, manager Ned Yost trotted out closer Wade Davis to follow up the big inning to get six outs- a move that's highly called for in the advanced stats community. And also something he's not known for as a very rigid bullpen and lineup manager.
Davis skimmed through a clean 8th, but then was scheduled to bat 2nd in the top of the ninth. He predictably didn't lift the bat off his shoulder. Thank goodness.
But Game 4 began very differently for both teams. Mets starter Steven Matz, making just his 9th big league start, looked good through four innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five.
The Mets' offense had also seemed to have carried over some momentum from last night's nine-run, 12-hit outburst. Rookie left fielder Michael Conforto hit the first of two solo homers in the third, a towering fly down the right field line, that was followed up by a sac fly scoring Wilmer Flores after Royals right fielder Alex Rios forgot there was only one out left in the inning and delayed his throw home.
Quick aside- read that again. It's the World Series, not little league. Please don't forget how many outs there are in a World Series game, Alex Rios. Thank you.
The Royals scratched a run together in the top of the fifth when Alex Gordon singled home a limping Salvador Perez, who doubled just before.
But New York then celebrated again in the bottom of the fifth after Conforto's second big fly coasted over the right-center wall to expand the Mets' lead to 3-1.
Then it was Kansas City's turn to steal the spotlight one more time. The top of the eighth came around, and once more the Royals found themselves turning a less-than-20-percent win probability into yet another playoff victory. It's so improbably probable nowadays. The Royals cannot be killed.
And the Mets gave them their best shot in the bottom of the ninth. After Game 3 hero David Wright struck out to begin the frame, the Mets' goat Daniel Murphy rapped an infield single to third and Yeonis Cespedes stroked a clean single to right a few pitches later. With one out they were in business with Lucas Duda at the plate and the ball carrying out to right field.
But, as only the Mets could do, and as had happened just the inning prior, a star player committed an egregious gaffe that ended the game. Duda hit a soft liner to third baseman Mike Moustakas and Cespedes was inexplicably caught off the bag for a game- (and likely -Series) ending double-play. Cannot make this up. Just a bonehead play.
And just like that, the Mets went from five outs from tying the Series to a devastating 3-1 deficit. And the Royals are just one game away, continuing to do their thing in the face of adversity. It's an incredible team doing incredible things at the most incredible of moments.
The only trick remaining is getting the best of the Dark Knight in Gotham.
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