Royals fans get Halloween treat with rally, win
KANSAS CITY -- For elated Royals fans looking to celebrate both a World Series victory and Halloween on Saturday night, the Power & Light District was their version of Times Square on New Year's Eve.
Thousands of party revelers flocked to downtown Kansas City and certainly got their Halloween treats. There were costumes of pure creativity, live music and entertainment and big-screen televisions that had the fans going wild when the Royals rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to pull out a 5-3 victory and take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Mets in the World Series.
• Shop for Royals AL champs gear
:: World Series: Mets vs. Royals -- Tune-in info ::
"It seems like our boys can never get ahead until they get behind," said Richard Renner of Lawrence, Kan.
Renner was one of the early arrivals in front of the stage and towered above the crowd. Dressed in a Royals uniform with a blue glove and holding a baseball, he made his rounds on stilts, which were ideal for people watching.
"I'm about 9 feet tall, or almost regulation height for a basketball goal," Renner quipped. "I like to say I'm the stretch outfielder. They would never let me bat because the strike zone thing is just too big."
The crowd was properly warmed up 30 minutes prior to first pitch by watching highlights of the regular season and the postseason games leading up to Saturday.
Angela McCorkle of Raytown, Mo., and Travis Janney of Overland Park, Kan., made the rounds in bright costumes. McCorkle came as a Greek goddess and Janney was Deadpool, the comic book character.
"We just wanted something to do for Halloween and also be somewhere we could watch the baseball game," Janney said. "This is the best of both worlds."
The Power & Light District, known for hosting rousing parties for sporting events such as the Big 12 basketball tournament and the World Cup, has been the hot spot for Royals' postseason watch parties the past two years. Jeff Day came all the way from Omaha, Neb., to enjoy the Game 4 festivities, which included a midnight costume contest.
"My girlfriend lives here [in the Kansas City area], so we just wanted to enjoy the atmosphere," Day said. "I was wishing this would be the clinching game tonight, but this is great."
Video: WS2015 Gm4: Yost discusses Davis' save, Game 4 win
The swelling crowd waited patiently for a chance to erupt in cheers. A man with a microphone inside nearby McFadden's sports bar proved prophetic when he yelled, with the Mets still up, 3-2, that "every late inning is a Kansas City inning."
Sure enough, the Royals overcame a one-run deficit in the eighth. The entire area rocked when second baseman Daniel Murphy's error allowed the tying run to score. It got even louder moments later when Mike Moustakas singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
Another Wade Davis save meant Halloween was only scary for the Mets and their fans, and now the Royals are just one win away from their first World Series title since 1985.
That means Sunday night's party could make Saturday's pale by comparison, as Royals fans will be back, looking for a clincher that would make the good times roll.