The Kansas City Royals won the World Series against the Mets after taking Game 5 on Sunday night and the team now can celebrate for the first time in decades as MLB champions. The Royals were a resilient team dating back to last season after losing in Game 7 to the Giants in the World Series and they came back this year to win 4-1 against the Mets to take the title.
The Royals refused to give up against the Mets on Sunday night despite being down two runs in the ninth inning and the team ended up winning in extras. The team made some great plays to get the lead late and now the team heads into 2016 as champions.
Here are 5 things to know with the Royals winning the World Series:
Championship drought ends for Royals, first title since 1985
The Royals had not been to the playoffs since winning the World Series in 1985 when the team made it last year and the 2014 run ended in the World Series. The team lost in seven games to the Giants and had the tying run left on third base in Game 7 and that motivated the team into 2015. The Royals now are champions for the first time in 30 years, giving a new generation of fans a team to cheer about.
Salvador Perez wins World Series MVP
Perez did not have some crazy stat line in the World Series, but he was one of the most consistent hitters for the Royals and also played solid defense in the series. Perez had a slash line of .364/.391/.455 and went eight of 22 with two doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs in the series. Perez scored the tying run in the game in the ninth inning and also had a hand in the 12th inning rally to win the series, hitting a single before being replaced by Jarrod Dyson as a pinch runner. Perez got some redemption for last year, as he made the final out of the 2014 World Series with a pop up.
Eric Hosmer's aggressive running forced the Mets to make a play
Hosmer made a truly amazing play in the ninth inning, as he took a risk and bolted for home after David Wright tried to hold him at the base with a pump look. Hosmer was at third base with one out when Salvador Perez hit a ground ball to the left side, which was fielded by David Wright. Hosmer waited for Wright to look him in and then bolted to home plate, forcing Lucas Duda to make a throw to home plate to try and get the out. While Duda had Hosmer based on timing (at least with the naked eye) the throw was not on target and that allowed Hosmer to score.
Comeback Kids: The Royals always seem to find a way to come back
The Royals came back to win Game 5 of the series to win the championship and they also came from behind to win Game 1. According to ESPN Stats, the Royals are the first team to win three games in the World Series where they trailed in the eighth inning or later. The team also had to make comebacks in the earlier rounds and that only added to the excitement when the team did it in the World Series. ESPN Stats also reports that the Royals had seven wins this postseason where they trailed by multiple runs and that is the most of any team in one postseason.
The Royals are a very resilient team
The Royals have been a resilient team, as they have refused to give up when they are down and when things are looking like they are over. The team made a comeback against the Oakland Athletics in the wild card game in 2014 and that propelled them to the World Series and this year they did it multiple times in the playoffs. The team was on their last legs against the Astros, but they were able to come back and win the series. This was the first World Series with two extra-inning games since back in 2001 and the Royals won both in Game 1 and Game 5. In both of those games the Royals forced extras with runs in the ninth.
