Flushing, NY – Eric Young's first home run as a New York Met came at a crucial time.
His two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted the Mets to a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Citi Field.
With Luis Mendoza (2-6) pitching for the Royals, Omar Quintanilla walked with one out. After Justin Turner popped out, Young clubbed a 3-1 fastball over the right-field wall.
"I couldn't wait to get to home plate to see my teammates," Young said. "It was an awesome feeling."
Carlos Torres (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Starter Dillon Gee allowed just one run on three hits and a pair of walks over seven- plus innings but ended up with a no-decision.
David Wright also hit a two-run home run, the 220th of his career, tying Mike Piazza for second all-time in franchise history. However, bad news struck for him in the bottom of the 10th. While reaching first on an infield single, he pulled his right hamstring and exited the game.
Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain had an RBI apiece for Kansas City, which was looking for its first 10-game winning streak since winning 14 in a row in 1994.
The Mets held on to a 2-0 lead through the first seven innings, but faced trouble in the eighth.
Gee walked Cain to start the inning and was immediately replaced by Scott Rice, who hit Alex Gordon with a pitch and got Eric Hosmer to ground into a fielder's choice.
LaTroy Hawkins came in relief with runners at the corners and Perez grounded into a fielder's choice to third, allowing Cain to score.
David Aardsma pitched the ninth for the Mets. He allowed a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Miguel Tejada and walked Alcides Escobar. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Elliot Johnson, and pinch-hitter Billy Butler was intentionally walked, loading the bases.
Cain then hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Tejada, and tying the game at 2-2.
Pedro Feliciano, making his first major league appearance since 2010, replaced Aardsma and got Gordon to ground out, stopping the rally.
In the bottom of the ninth, Ike Davis ripped a leadoff double to right. Andrew Brown came in as a pinch-runner and advanced to third off Quintanilla's sacrifice bunt. Pinch-hitter Justin Turner struck out and Young was intentionally walked. Juan Lagares hit a grounder towards second to send the game to extra innings.
In the Mets' 10th, Wright hit an infield single and Marlon Byrd walked. However, Daniel Murphy grounded into a fielder's choice and a double play by John Buck ended the frame.
Wright's two-run shot to left came with two outs in the first. Lagares knocked a one-out single to right prior to the homer.
The Mets had a chance to extend their lead in the fourth, loading the bases with two outs. However, Lagares flew out to right, ending the inning.
Kansas City had an opportunity to score in the seventh. David Lough hit a one- out single up the middle and stole second. With two outs, Lough advanced to third as Johnson reached first on a fielding error by Davis. However, after Johnson stole second, Jarrod Dyson flew out to left.
"We battled," Butler said. "We matched them blow for blow."
Game Notes
Prior to the game, Feliciano was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas and pitcher Josh Edgin was placed on the 15-day disabled list .... Coming into the game, these teams split six all-time matchups but hadn't met since 2004 ... Young entered the game having just one home run this season, which came on May 14. He was traded to the Mets on June 18 ... Davis went 3-for-3. He is hitting .269 since being recalled from Las Vegas on July 5 ... Since June 20 of last season, Gee has a 2.10 ERA at home ... The Mets are 9-2 this season in interleague play and are 72-65 since 2005, the best record of any NL team.
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