KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The most automatic member of the New York Mets had a rare stumble on a big stage.
Attempting to convert a four-out save, Jeurys Familia worked out of danger after inheriting runners on the corners from Tyler Clippard in the eighth. But an inning later, Alex Gordon delivered a game-tying solo homer against the sturdy closer to force extra innings.
The Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Mets 5-4 in 14 innings in Game 1 of the World Series as Eric Hosmer delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly against Bartolo Colon with the bases loaded and none out. Alcides Escobar, who scored the decisive run, reached to open the frame on a throwing error by third baseman David Wright.
The game matched the longest in World Series history.
When he took the mound for the ninth, Familia already had logged 10 scoreless innings this postseason. He had not suffered a blown save since July 30, when Justin Upton's homer against him capped San Diego's comeback from a six-run deficit. Coming on the heels of the Carlos Gomez trade falling apart, Familia's blown save against the Padres arguably was the lowest moment of the Mets' season.
Of course, one day after Upton's three-run homer in the rain against Familia, the Mets acquired Yoenis Cespedes in the afternoon. Wilmer Flores then had a walk-off homer in the 12th inning on July 31 and the Mets won the opener of what became a weekend sweep of the Washington Nationals, which pulled the Amazins even with the Nats for first place in the division. Familia was lights out the rest of the season.
Until Familia faltered Tuesday, an Amazin' play appeared poised to hand the Mets a victory.
With the score tied at 3 in the eighth, Eric Hosmer failed to backhand a two-out grounder by Flores at first base. The eighth-inning error allowed Juan Lagares to score the go-ahead run.
How's this for amazing? Flores became the first player to put his team ahead on an error in the eighth inning or later of a World Series game since Mookie Wilson's grounder to first baseman Bill Buckner back in the 10th inning of Game 6 in 1986, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
The Mets claimed their second (and last) championship the following day -- on the day Jonathon Niese was born. Niese celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday with two scoreless relief innings.
Lagares did not start Tuesday's game, which cost the Mets early. But Lagares singled with two outs against Kelvin Herrera to cap a nine-pitch at-bat and stole second base ahead of Flores' grounder to Hosmer.
Earlier, Matt Harvey had retired 11 straight batters and took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth. However, Harvey surrendered a leadoff double to Ben Zobrist and eventually a sacrifice fly to Hosmer and RBI single to Mike Moustakas in the frame as the Royals tied the score.
That was Harvey's final inning. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks in six innings, in an 80-pitch no-decision.
Conscious of the Royals' propensity to deliver against high-velocity offerings, Harvey threw fastballs only 37.5 percent of the time. That marked the lowest percentage of his career, according to Inside Edge. The previous low had been 43.5 percent.
Thumbs up: Daniel Murphy's MLB-record streak ended at six straight postseason games with a homer, but the slugger continued to contribute. Murphy's leadoff single in the fourth was the team's first hit against Royals starter Edinson Volquez. Murphy ultimately scampered home from third on Travis d'Arnaud's infield single to even the score at 1.
Murphy finished 2-for-7. He now has 18 hits -- a franchise record for a single postseason. He entered the World Series tied with Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alonzo, Todd Zeile and Benny Agbayani (16 apiece, all in 2000).
Volquez deserved plaudits, too … along with condolences. He allowed three runs on six hits in six innings despite learning pregame that his father Daniel had died in the Dominican Republic at age 63 earlier in the day, according to ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas.
Thumbs down: Manager Terry Collins opted to use Kelly Johnson as the designated hitter, not one of his outfielders. Had Collins gone the latter route, it would have allowed him to start Lagares -- a 2014 Gold Glove winner -- in center field at spacious Kauffman Stadium. The decision ended up backfiring. On Harvey's first pitch, Escobar sent a fastball into the left-center gap. Michael Conforto and Cespedes converged. The fly ball kicked off Cespedes' leg and away from him. The official scorer credited Escobar with an inside-the-park homer.
It marked the first inside-the-park homer in a World Series since Mule Haas for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929.
Three players now have produced a leadoff homer in Game 1 of a World Series. Two have come against the Mets -- Don Buford in 1969 and Escobar. Dustin Pedroia had the other.
Escobar's feat put the Mets in an early 1-0 hole. The Amazins had not trailed the entire National League Championship Series.
Cespedes is playing through left shoulder discomfort. He curiously also missed his turn during pregame introductions.
Collins eventually did place Lagares in center field. After Conforto's sacrifice fly in the sixth plated Cespedes and gave the Mets a 3-1 lead, Lagares entered for defense in the bottom half. Cespedes slid over to left field.
What's next: Jacob deGrom opposes right-hander Johnny Cueto on Wednesday at 8:07 p.m. ET.