Royals OF Lorenzo Cain: ‘We wanted (Harvey) to come out in the ninth’
New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey may have dominated the Kansas City Royals for eight innings during Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday, but Royals centerfielder Lorenzo Cain said that there was no doubt that his team wanted to face Harvey in the ninth.
“Even though Harvey pitched a great game, we wanted him to come out in the ninth,” Cain said after the game. “We wanted him. We didn’t want to face anybody but him.
“That was the mind-set of our team. We kept saying, ‘We’re going to get him. We’re going to knock him out of the game.’”
Through eight innings, Harvey had given up just four hits—all singles—and one walk, and looked poised to extend the series to a sixth game. However, he opened up the ninth inning with a walk to Cain, followed by a RBI double from Hosmer.
Harvey had to convince manager Terry Collins to pitch him in the ninth, but after walking the first batter, Collins had enough faith in Harvey to let him face Hosmer.
Hosmer would eventually score from third on a Salvador Perez groundout to third to tie the game 2–2. The Royals won 7–2 in 12 innings, clinching their first World Series title since 1985.
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