Mets' Wright: Royals have played near-flawless baseball
With his club teetering on the brink of an insurmountable comeback, David Wright is giving the Kansas City Royals all the credit for their 2-0 series lead.
"They've played near-flawless baseball," the New York Mets third baseman told reporters after Wednesday's 7-1 loss. "We don't need to be reminded we're a good team. We're in the World Series. You just have to look on your shoulder and see that patch."
The Royals' offense was especially impressive against one of the top pitchers this postseason, Jacob deGrom, who was battered for four runs on six hits by an aggressive Kansas City lineup. The right-hander's three swings-and-misses were the fewest generated during a start in his career.
ROYALS GET TO DEGROM
| Series | Opponent | Pitches | Misses |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLDS G1 | LAD | 121 | 24 |
| NLDS G5 | LAD | 105 | 15 |
| NLCS G3 | CHC | 100 | 19 |
| WS G2 | KC | 94 | 3 |
(Courtesy: MLB Network)
Despite the Royals' superb play - they've now won seven straight postseason games at home and eight of 10 overall - the Mets' offense continues to struggle.
Perhaps most concerning has been the lack of production the Mets have received from ailing slugger Yoenis Cespedes, who's now 6-for-32 with no home runs over his last eight games. It's not just Cespedes, though, who's slumping.
Terry Collins' group managed just two hits, both from Lucas Duda, and one run off right-hander Johnny Cueto, who extended New York's troubles with runners in scoring position to 2-for-14 through two games.
"Yeah, we're not hitting," Collins said. "That's what I see. (Cespedes is) not the only one. ... We've stressed it enough, when we play good our lineup produces throughout. It just shows you right now with us not hitting how big Dan Murphy really was in the NLCS with the home runs."
The series now shifts to New York as the Mets attempt to become the first team since the 1996 New York Yankees to comeback from a 2-0 deficit to win the World Series.