The Kansas City Royals grabbed a commanding 2-0 lead against the New York Mets after winning Game 2, of the New York Mets vs Kansas City Royals MLB World Series, 7-1, with great pitching from Johnny Cueto following a terrible performance against the Blue Jays in the ALCS.
Cueto was two-hitting the Mets over nine innings giving him a complete game. Wednesday's complete game for Cueto was the first by by an American League pitcher in the Fall Classic since Jack Morris went 10 innings for the Twins in Game 7 in 1991, and the first by a Royal in the World Series since Bret Saberhagen in Game 7 in '85.
"I want to thank God for this opportunity and this outcome," Cueto in the post-game interview after becoming the pitcher from the Dominican Republic to throw a complete game in the World Series. "And it's a lot of pride being able to do what I did out there today and to do it for all of the Dominican."
Royals manager Ned Yost was indeed happy for Cueto's strong performance in Game 2. "Tonight was everything we expected Johnny to be," Yost said. "He was on the attack. He kept the ball down. He changed speeds. It was just a spectacular performance by him."
Even his team mates were happy with Wednesday's outcome, "He's been good here at home, but you could tell he was locked in those first couple innings," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said of Cueto. "When he was missing spots, he wasn't out over the plate. It was either a hair off in or out. He was electric tonight."
The Royals dedicated their victory to Edinson Volquez, whose father, Daniel died of heart failure just before he was to start in the Royals' victory in Game one of the World Series on Wednesday, reported BBC.
Volquez flew to Dominican Republic to mourn the death of his father and Cueto has to step into the mound to pitch.
"Yesterday was very sad," said Cueto.
The World Series will now shift to New York Mets on Friday for Game 3 (7:30 p.m. ET air time on FOX, 8 p.m. game time) after both teams get a much-needed rest on Thursday. The Mets are expected to send 23-year-old rookie Noah Syndergaard to the mound on Game 3. Citi Field will also host Games 4 and 5, and the Mets expect sellout crowds all weekend for the first World Series games in the ballpark's history.
But statistics are not on the side of the Mets. Historically, team who were up 2-0 in the World Series have gone on to win the championship in 42 of 53 times (79.2 percent), while teams that have won the first two games of a World Series at home have gone on to win 31 of 38 times (81.6 percent). Only 13 teams in the World Series history were able to comeback from a 2-0 deficit, but 10 of those teams lost Games 1 and 2 on the road.
With their new found confidence, the Royals are not afraid if they are playing in New York on Friday. "We know it's going to be loud in New York," Royals outfielder Alex Rios said. "But it was loud in Toronto, and it was loud in Houston. It's going to be loud no matter where we go."
TV Channel: All games will be televised on FOX.
Online: You can watch a live stream of every game on Fox Sports GO
