In dire need of a win to resist falling into a seemingly insurmountable gap, the New York Mets manufactured a 9-3 statement victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the World Series and now trail 2-1 with another pair of games at Citi Field. 

The Mets offense that stymied the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series finally awoke, putting away the Royals with a four-run sixth inning that they rode to victory.

The New York Mets pounded the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the World Series Friday night and will look to even the series at 2-2 Saturday night. In an interesting pitching matchup, 36-year-old Chris Young will face off against 24-year-old Steven Matz.

Just when you thought it was safe to count the New York Mets out, they're very much alive in this thing.

The Mets' bats woke up Friday night, erupting for nine runs on 12 hits as New York beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3 in Game 3 of the World Series at Citi Field, and they now trail 2-1 with Game 4 coming up Saturday night.

NEW YORK — Measured against the New York Mets’ staff of flamethrowers, Chris Young’s fastball can be timed with a sundial.

His fastball is soooo slow, Kansas City infielders often excuse themselves for dinner as he winds up and then return to their positions before the ball crosses the plate.

The Kansas City Royals may have found the blueprint to counter the New York Mets' strong pitching: Hit the ball anywhere and hope for the best.

Through two games of the 2015 World Series, the Royals have done just that. After a thrilling Game 1 that went late into the Kansas City night, the Royals' bats came alive in Game 2 as the American League champs took a 2-0 lead with a 7-1 win on Wednesday.

The World Series may be in full swing, but it's never too early to look ahead to the offseason. Over the next few slides, we'll identify a handful of teams that need significant makeovers to contend in 2016. 

The teams highlighted in this slideshow aren't cellar-dwellers with slim chances at a playoff push next season. We chose teams that entered the 2015 season with high expectations only to falter and miss the postseason after disappointing campaigns. 

Now, all of those teams face crucial decisions this winter if they want to erase the painful memories of 2015.

The New York Mets were within two outs of winning Game 1 of the World Series on the road. Instead, an Alex Gordon ninth-inning home run highlighted a Kansas City Royals comeback victory, and they followed it with a blowout triumph in Game 2.

NEW YORK — One by one, these hitters who make up the relentless Kansas City Royals lineup are reducing this game to its smallest common denominator.

The Kansas City Royals have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the World Series, but the New York Mets will get a chance to turn things around with three games in a row at home.

After sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series, the Mets have seen their bats go cold and their young pitchers struggle through the first two games. Based on the way the Royals have played so far, this could lead to a sweep if things don't change in a hurry.

The New York Mets had the pitching advantage in the 2015 World Series, but that didn't matter to the Kansas City Royals, who took both games at home and jumped out to a 2-0 series lead. The series now shifts to Citi Field, where the Mets will look to get back into it and challenge for the title.