David Wright breaks out with two-run homer, four RBIs
David Wright brought a .171 postseason batting average to the plate when he faced Yordano Ventura in the bottom of the first inning in Game 3 of the World Series at Citi Field Friday night.
The Mets already were trailing the Royals by a run, thanks to an unturned double play in the top of the first. Wright made sure they didn't trail for long.
In his first World Series at-bat in his home ballpark, Wright launched a two-run home run to left-center to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. It was his second career postseason home run, with the first coming way back in Game 4 of the 2006 NLCS against the Cardinals.
"Big hit for him," Terry Collins said. "Big hit for us."
Curtis Granderson singled before Wright's homer. Two batters into the bottom of the first, the Mets had as many hits and one more run than they did in nine innings against Johnny Cueto in Wednesday night's 7-1 loss in Game 2 at Kauffman Stadium.
Wright went on to have one of the best offensive games in Mets postseason history. He went 2-for-5 with four RBIs in the Mets' 9-3 win over the Royals.
Wright also had a bases-loaded, two-run single to center in the sixth that gave the Mets an 8-3 lead as their bats got hot again on a cold late October night.
And the captain was in the middle of it. The team record for RBIs in a postseason game is five by Rusty Staub in Game 5 of the 1973 World Series.
"Recently, the hitting coaches and I were working on some mechanical things, some timing things," Wright said. "Just trying to be a little more on time to get ready for the fastball . . . Just trying to get my foot down early, get the barrel to the ball and fortunately just put a good swing on it."
Wright showed up at the ballpark more than eight hours before the first pitch. He got treatment on his back, looked at some video of his recent at-bats and soaked in what he called an "incredible" atmosphere.
"It's just been part of the routine to have to go through, the things I have to do to get my back ready to play," he said. "It takes extra time, but nobody's complaining. It's the World Series."
After Game 2, Wright said his first two World Series games had been everything he hoped -- except for the results. The Mets were confident some home cooking would help as they came back from Kansas City down two games to none.
Wright's blast gave the Mets at least one homer in all five home games this postseason. Granderson added a two-run shot in the third to give the Mets a 4-3 lead after the Royals had rallied against Noah Syndergaard in the second.
A run in the fourth and four more in the sixth helped the Mets get their first World Series win since Game 3 of the 2000 Subway Series.