Familia entered the game not having blown a save since July 30, and he'd only allowed one home run in that span during the regular season. He had thrown 9 2/3 shutout innings this postseason entering Game 1, tallying five saves.
"He doesn't give up home runs, so we were all shocked by it," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We liked where we were at."
Gordon, the longest-tenured Royals player, stepped in against Familia with Kansas City trailing by a run with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Familia brought the heat -- a 97-mph sinker -- but it never quite bit down toward the dirt and Gordon was ready for it.