NEW YORK — The Kansas City Royals won their first World Series crown since 1985, rallying in the ninth inning when Eric Hosmer scrambled home and then breaking away in the 12th to beat the New York Mets, 7-2, in Game 5 on Sunday night.
The daring Royals capped their postseason full of comebacks with a dash for the ages, and made up for last year’s near-miss in a Game 7 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Hosmer’s alert sprint home from third base on a grounder finished off a two-run burst in the ninth inning against starter Matt Harvey and closer Jeurys Familia.
Mets manager Terry Collins sent Harvey, who demanded to remain in the game, back out to the mound a roaring ovation, but the pitcher walked Lorenzo Cain and then let him score on a double by Hosmer.
After Collins went to Familia, Mike Moustakas grounded out and Hosmer advanced to third.
Then, Salvador Perez hit a ground ball to the left side. Third baseman David Wright fielded the ball, quickly checked Hosmer at third and fired to first. Hosmer sprinted for the plate on Wright’s throw and slid in safely with the tying run after first baseman Lucas Duda’s relay home sailed wide.
In the 12th, Perez led off the inning with a single off Addison Reed. Pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson stole second, then later scored on pinch-hitter Christian Colon’s single to left.
Daniel Murphy’s error allowed Paulo Orlando to reach, and Alcides Escobar scored Colon with a double to left. After Ben Zobrist was intentionally walked, Cain hit a three-run double off Bartolo Colon.
Wade Davis entered to pitch the bottom of the 12th and struck out Wilmer Flores for the final out.
Royals starter Edinson Volquez threw two-hit ball for six innings. He pitched a day after returning from his father’s funeral in the Dominican Republic.
After Curtis Granderson’s leadoff home run in the first, Volquez didn’t allow another hit until the sixth, when he walked Granderson leading off and Wright grounded a single into left field.
Murphy hit a one-hop smash off the glove of Hosmer, who made a backhand attempt and was charged with an error that loaded the bases.
Yoenis Cespedes fouled a pitch off his left knee, popped out to shortstop, and limped back to the dugout. Duda flied to center, and Travis d’Arnaud grounded out.
Perez was named the World Series MVP, becoming the first catcher to win the award since the Toronto Blue Jays’ Pat Borders in 1992.
The Royals became the first team since the Anaheim Angels in 2002 to come from behind in all four World Series wins.
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