Rising Apple
FanSided

NY Mets: 3 games that define heartbreak courtesy of one pitcher

By Michael Calascione

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 12: A baseball hat and a glove sit on the bench in the dugout before a game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 12, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 3-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 12: A baseball hat and a glove sit on the bench in the dugout before a game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 12, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 3-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Mets
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 30: Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets pitches against the Kansas City Royals during Game Three of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field on October 30, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

October 27th, 2015 Mets vs. Royals

Game 1 of the 2015 World Series between the Mets and the Kansas City Royals was filled with a lot of emotions from the very beginning of the game. Unfortunately, by the time the game was over the only emotion most Mets fans had was heartbreak.

The game was pretty back and forth with four lead changes through eight innings. Both Matt Harvey and Edison Volquez giving up three earned over six innings each.

It was the eighth inning, and the Mets were winning 4-3 and Terry Collins decided to go to Familia with 2 outs in the eighth to try and get the four-out save.

Familia had been lights out all year long with the only blemish coming in the game previously mentioned where he had given up the home run to Justin Upton.

Familia was able to get Mike Moustakas to ground out to end the inning keeping the Mets lead intact. Then came the ninth.

The whole season in 2015 Familia was able to command the bowling ball sinker that has made him such a successful career and trusted. In fact, he had never allowed a home run off that pitch since it is so hard to elevate as a hitter.

Getting back to the ninth inning, Familia made quick work of Salvador Perez getting him to ground out. That would bring Alex Gordon to the plate and he did something no one else in baseball was able to do that season. He hit a Familia bowling ball sinker to dead center for a home run tying the game at 4.

This was devastating. The Mets could not have started the game any worse with Alcides Escobar hitting an inside the park home run to start the game and for the Mets to fight back and have a lead going into the ninth we as Mets fans thought that with Familia pitching the way he was we were going to grab game 1 and get one step closer to a World Championship.

Unfortunately, the Baseball Gods had a different idea. The game would 14 innings and the Mets would lose on a sacrifice fly by Eric Hosmer.

A true heartbreaker of a game and a tone-setter for the rest of the World Series.

Home/New York Mets All-Time Lists