World Series: Mets strike back against Royals with 9-3 win in Game 3

NEW YORK —David Wright and Curtis Granderson homered, rookie Noah Syndergaard pitched six effective innings and the New York Mets roughed up the Kansas City Royals 9-3 Friday night, cutting their World Series deficit to 2-1.

Shut down in Kansas City, the Mets came out swinging in the first Series game at Citi Field. Wright launched a two-run homer in the first inning and finished with four RBIs as New York broke loose for 12 hits.

Syndergaard set a serious tone with the first pitch, firing a 97 mph fastball to the backstop that sent Alcides Escobar to the dirt and got the crowd buzzing.

Syndergaard struggled early, but the Mets took the lead after a back-and-forth start, chased Yordano Ventura and pulled away.

The Mets will try to even things in Game 4 on Halloween night, when hometown rookie Steven Matz starts against Chris Young, who won the opener in relief.