MLB World Series: Kansas City Royals leave it late to beat New York Mets in game one

Kansas City Royals 5 New York Mets 4

(Getty Images)

In what proved to be the longest night in World Series Game 1 history, the Kansas City Royals outlasted the New York Mets to take a 1-0 lead in the best of seven series.

It was a rollercoaster ride that lasted five hours and nine minutes, neither team dominating the game, and reducing the fingernails of both sets of fans to dust.

The Royals took the lead in unlikely fashion, Alcides Escobar hitting an inside-the-park single home run. The Mets responded with three singles of their own, before Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas hit singles for the Royals, levelling the game at 3-3 in the fourth innings.

The Mets led again in the eighth, first baseman Hosmer taking his eye off Juan Lagares’ routine ground ball which flew past him, gifting the visitors a one-run lead. The error drew comparisons back to 1986 where Red Sox first baseman Billy Buckner saw a grounder fly past him in the defining moment of the Mets’ last World Series victory.

However the game was not over as Alex Gordon levelled things up at the bottom of the ninth, clearing the ball into centre field for a solo homer, ensuring Game 1 headed into extra innings.

It was Hosmer who, looking so likely to be the villain, became the Royals’ hero as he produced a sacrifice fly, hitting the ball high and wide, to allow Alcides Escobar enough time to run home for the 14th innings single and a Royals victory.

It was a captivating Game 1, which endured early into Wednesday morning at Kauffman Stadium. It is the first time Royals have taken a 1-0 lead in their three World Series appearances, and neutrals will certainly be hoping for more unpredictability in Game 2 tonight (00:07 GMT, Thursday).