Johnny Cueto threw a complete game two-hitter as the Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Mets 7-1 to take a two-game lead in the World Series. Cueto is the first pitcher to throw a 2-hitter in World Series play since Greg Maddux did it for the Braves in 1995 against the Indians.
Lucas Duda had the only two Mets hits with singles in the second and fourth innings, the latter of which drove in Daniel Murphy to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Murphy has now scored a run in nine consecutive playoff games, tying the postseason record.
The Royals struck back as Alcides Escobar and Eric Hosmer singled off of Mets starter Jacob DeGrom to give the AL champions a 2-1 lead. Mike Moustakas capped the scoring in the fifth with a two-run single to extend Kansas City’s lead to 4-1. The Royals added three runs in the seventh on an RBI double by Alex Gordon, the Game One hero, a sacrifice fly by Paulo Orlando, and an RBI triple by Escobar, who continued his torrid hitting. The runs were scored off of Jonathan Niese and Addison Reed, Niese being charged with all three after being lifted for Reed. One scored while Niese was in, and Reed let the other two inherited runners score.
Cueto is the first Kansas City pitcher to toss a complete game in the World Series since Bret Saberhagen in the 1985 Fall Classic, and the first American League starter to do so since Jack Morris in 1991. The series shifts to New York for Game three on Friday night, where the Royals will send Yordano Ventura to the mound against the Mets Noah Syndergaard.
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