NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Reynolds snapped a sixth-inning tie with his first major league home run, leading Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets past the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday for a two-game sweep in their World Series rematch.
Asdrubal Cabrera homered for the second straight day and scored with an acrobatic slide to help Syndergaard (8-2) win his sixth consecutive decision. The only bad news for banged-up New York was another injury, this one to Yoenis Cespedes.
The star slugger had two hits and a walk, including a double off the center-field wall, but was removed in the sixth because of discomfort in his left wrist.
Cheslor Cuthbert homered for the Royals, who had won eight of nine when they arrived at Citi Field — where they clinched their 2015 championship with a late rally in Game 5.
But after a string of comebacks floored the Mets last fall, this time New York's bullpen held Kansas City at bay in two more tight games between the teams.
Including a two-game split at Kauffman Stadium to begin the season, the Mets took three of four meetings between the defending league champions this year.
Playing the outfield for the first time in his professional career, Reynolds hit an opposite-field drive to right off Joakim Soria (3-3) with two outs in the sixth.
That put New York ahead 4-3 and made a winner of Syndergaard, who pitched on six days' rest after getting pushed back a day. The big right-hander squandered a pair of one-run leads, giving up three runs and a season-high eight hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked none.
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
New York sat slumping LF Michael Conforto against the left-hander, so Reynolds started in left and made all his plays. The rookie infielder said the last time he played the outfield was in summer ball during college.