NEW YORK -- Matt Harvey implored his manager to let him return to the mound for the ninth inning and complete a shutout bid, saying “No way! No way!” to a dugout query about whether to remove him.
The Citi Field onlookers roared when Harvey stepped out of the dugout for the final three outs.
By the time the frame ended, Jeurys Familia had suffered his third blown save of the World Series -- a major league record for a single Fall Classic -- and the score was even.
Three innings later, the New York Mets’ season ended. Pinch hitter Christian Colon delivered a tiebreaking RBI single against Addison Reed in what became a five-run 12th that included an error by Daniel Murphy as the Kansas City Royals beat the Mets 7-2 on Sunday in Game 5 to complete the World Series.
The Mets were four outs, five outs and now three outs from victories only to see the Royals storm back each time. Kansas City produced seven comebacks from two-run deficits this postseason -- a major league record.
Harvey took the mound for the ninth with his pitch count at 102 and the Mets leading 2-0. The Dark Knight proceeded to walk leadoff batter Lorenzo Cain, who subsequently stole second base. Eric Hosmer followed with an RBI double.
Familia entered with the tying run on second base and none out. Familia coaxed a ground out from Mike Moustakas that advanced Hosmer as the tying run to third base.
Then the Mets’ latest defensive flub of the World Series took place.
Salvador Perez sent a grounder to third base. David Wright looked at Hosmer, then threw to Lucas Duda at first base for the second out.
Hosmer, who appeared to have no chance to score, made a risky bolt for the plate. Duda’s throw to catcher Travis d’Arnaud was way wide, though, and the Royals evened the score at 2-2.
Harvey was charged with two runs on five hits and two walks in eight-plus innings in a no-decision. He struck out nine in a 111-pitch effort.
Harvey took the mound for the ninth bidding for the first postseason shutout by a Met since Mike Hampton in Game 5 of the 2000 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Harvey’s strikeout total ranked second in franchise history in a World Series game. Tom Seaver had 12 against the Oakland Athletics in 1973.
Thumbs up: Curtis Granderson scored both Mets runs and produced the first leadoff homer in a World Series game by a Met since Lenny Dykstra in Game 3 against the Boston Red Sox in 1986. Granderson now has three homers in the Fall Classic. That matches Donn Clendenon (three in 1969) for the franchise career record for World Series homers.
Granderson’s 12 RBIs match John Olerud’s 1999 total for the franchise record for a single postseason.
Thumbs down: Yoenis Cespedes fouled a ball off the top of his left knee in the sixth inning while batting with the bases loaded and none out. Cespedes dropped to the ground in agony. He completed the at-bat by popping out to shortstop, then limped badly toward first base and off the field. He was replaced by Juan Lagares in center field the following half-inning.
Cespedes suffered a bruise, not a fracture. A pending free agent, his Mets career now is likely over.
The Mets mustered only one run in that inning despite loading the bases on Hosmer’s fielding error at first base with none out, just ahead of Cespedes’ at-bat.
Duda had a sacrifice fly that plated Granderson as the Mets opened a 2-0 lead in the frame, and d’Arnaud then grounded out with two aboard.
What’s next: The offseason. The Mets’ free agents include Cespedes, Murphy, Tyler Clippard, Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson.