It was Game 5 of the 2015 World Series the Mets were holding onto a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out when Salvador Perez hit a ground ball to David Wright. The ball was cleanly fielded and Wright looked back Eric Hosmer to third before throwing to Lucas Duda for the out at first. But Hosmer then broke for the plate and Duda made an errant, off the mark throw that allowed him to score. The rest is history.
Duda spoke to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com as he reflected on his role on the night that ended the Mets’ 2015 season.
“He was dead to rights,” Duda said Thursday, at Tradition Field. “A good throw would have got him. No excuses.”
The throw had weighed on him quite a bit, longing for what could have been if the throw was on line and the game ended with the Mets a 2-1 winner and forcing a game six in Kansas City.
“I took some time off a bit, reflected, and then I took what happened and used it as a positive,” Duda said. “What happened last year happened last year. So learn from it, get better, and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The door has closed on the 2015 season and it is time to look forward as the Mets defend their National League Championship this year. Duda, of course, is a significant part of the Mets lineup. Peaks and valley’s aside, Duda is a bona fide clean-up hitter and one of the league’s top power hitters, walloping 57 home runs over the last two seasons for the Amazins.
Entering his seventh major league season, Duda says his ultimate goal this season is simple. “I’d like to go back to the World Series and win it. That’s our goal. That’s everyone’s goal here. So hopefully we can make it happen.”
