The pitch was a 95 mph slider, hard and precise, diving at Kendrys Morales back leg. It came from the right arm of Mets starter Noah Syndergaard, and it undermined the Royals’ best chance for a breakthrough in a 2-0 loss to the Mets on Tuesday afternoon.
Morales was facing Syndergaard with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the sixth. Syndergaard retired the Royals’ designated on three pitches, all sliders, including one that defied the historical conventions of breaking balls. Starting pitchers are not supposed to throw 95-mph pitches that move like sliders. Then again, starting pitchers are not supposed to throw 99-mph fastballs for seven innings.