NEW YORK (AP) — No late comeback for Kansas City this time.
Back in the ballpark where they celebrated a championship last fall, swigging sweet champagne well past midnight, the Royals were beaten 2-1 by the New York Mets on Tuesday night in a World Series rematch at Citi Field.
Bartolo Colon's early injury put the Mets in a major bind, but they won a battle of bullpens against the best relief corps in baseball.
"It was a fun atmosphere. I think we anticipated that coming in," Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "It's a fun stadium to play in."
Yoenis Cespedes hit his 18th home run and Asdrubal Cabrera also connected off Ian Kennedy (5-6), dropping the Royals to 13-24 on the road. They have the top home record in the majors at 25-8.
Cabrera hit an opposite-field drive to left in the first inning, just beyond the reach of a leaping Brett Eibner. Cespedes homered to center leading off the fourth.
"I don't think I made that many mistakes, except for the two that were solo homers," said Kennedy, pulled for a pinch-hitter in the fifth.
The 43-year-old Colon was hit on his pitching hand by a line drive and left after one batter with a bruised right thumb. Yet a gritty Hansel Robles (1-3) and four other relievers bailed out the Mets by combining for 8 2/3 stellar innings in the opener of a two-game set.
"They did a great job, threw a great game, and really did a good job picking them up after the injury to Bartolo," Hosmer said. "It definitely would have been nice to get to that first guy a little bit and try to dig into that bullpen a little more."
The teams split a two-game series in Kansas City to open the season, but the Royals returned to Citi Field on Tuesday for the first time since clinching their World Series title last November with a stirring rally in Game 5.
Still, manager Ned Yost insisted the trip was no sunny stroll down memory lane.
"Just another series," he said before the game. "I don't know if it's weird or not. I mean, it was a great accomplishment, but it's kind of in the rearview mirror in the middle of the season now."
Hours earlier, the Mets announced a tweak to their pitching rotation. Colon was bumped up a day to start on regular rest, and Noah Syndergaard was pushed back one day to Wednesday afternoon.
After only four pitches, however, the NL champions were scrambling.
Royals leadoff man Whit Merrifield hit a line drive that barely glanced off Colon's glove and struck him hard on his right thumb. X-rays were negative, the Mets said.
The ball deflected to second baseman Neil Walker, who threw to first for an out. Colon shook his pitching hand in obvious pain and bent over at the waist as Collins and trainer Ray Ramirez rushed out of the dugout.
Following a brief meeting near the mound, Colon walked off the field. Robles was given all the time he needed to warm up.
"That could spell disaster, but he didn't allow that to happen," Yost said.
Indeed, Robles provided yeoman's work. After throwing 41 pitches Sunday, he threw 65 over 3 2/3 effective innings and struck out six. His previous career highs were 52 pitches and three innings, in different games.
"He's very sneaky. Guys were having a little bit of trouble picking the ball up, but he just came in throwing strikes with pretty good stuff," Yost said.
The right-hander finally faded in the fifth and gave up an RBI single to Eibner with nobody out before Erik Goeddel pitched out of trouble. Pinch-hitter Kendrys Morales flied out to the right-field fence with two on, and Goeddel tossed two scoreless innings.
Jerry Blevins worked a perfect seventh and Addison Reed a 1-2-3 eighth.
Jeurys Familia struck out two in a one-hit ninth for his major league-leading 23rd save. Familia, charged with three blown saves in the World Series last year, has converted a club-record 39 consecutive regular-season chances dating to last August — though he did blow a four-run lead in the ninth inning of a game this season.
ON HIS WAY OUT
Kansas City has requested unconditional release waivers on 2B Omar Infante, designated for assignment last week. If he goes unclaimed, the 34-year-old Infante would become a free agent Thursday and could sign with any team.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Three-time All-Star LF Alex Gordon (broken right wrist) could return to the lineup this weekend, Yost said. Gordon was 3 for 6 with a home run and a double in two rehab games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
UP NEXT
Syndergaard (7-2, 1.91 ERA), winner of five straight decisions, will start on six days' rest Wednesday against LHP Danny Duffy (2-1, 3.17). Syndergaard won 2-0 at Kansas City in April. Of course, he also earned New York's lone World Series victory last fall and rankled the Royals by firing his first pitch above Alcides Escobar's head.
