Niese, Colon combine for three huge outs

NEW YORK -- Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon were summoned out of the bullpen in the sixth inning of Saturday's Game 4 of the World Series, recording three of the biggest outs of the season as the Mets attempted to even the Fall Classic at two games apiece.

However, the Mets fell, 5-3, and trail three games to one in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Sunday (8 p.m. ET game time on FOX).

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Mets manager Terry Collins elected to start the inning with rookie left-hander Steven Matz, who permitted a Ben Zobrist double on the first pitch he threw and served up a run-scoring Lorenzo Cain single, drawing Kansas City within 3-2.

Collins emerged and collected the ball from the 24-year-old Matz, who spiked his glove to the dugout bench following his 84-pitch outing. The left-hander Niese entered and saw Cain steal second base, but induced Eric Hosmer to line to center field and got Mike Moustakas to ground out to third base.

With the right-handed Salvador Perez due up, Collins again called to the bullpen, this time summoning the 42-year-old Colon. Cain danced off second base and drew a throw from Colon on a daylight play, but the ball sailed into center field, moving the tying run 90 feet away.

Colon relies mostly on the control of his fastballs and engaged in a terrific 10-pitch battle with Perez. Four 2-2 pitches were fouled off before Colon snapped off a slider that Perez swung through, ending the inning and earning a standing ovation.