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The New York Mets try to get back into the World Series after dropping the first two games to the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Tonight, however, the 111th Fall Classic changes venues as the AL and NL champions meet in Citi Field for Game 3. Noah Syndergaard takes the mound for the Mets tonight at home against Royals' righty Yordano Ventura.
Syndergaard, 23, was (9-7) in his first major league campaign with a 3.24 ERA, a 3.25 FIP, 31 walks (1.86 BB/9) and 166 Ks (9.96 K/9) in 150 innings, over which he held opposing hitters to a combined .221/.268/.378 line.
In three postseason appearances thus far, one in relief, the right-hander has put up a 2.77 ERA and a .174/.269/.239 line in 13 innings pitched.
The 2010 Blue Jays' first-round pick, acquired by the Mets in the R.A. Dickey trade in 2012, talked on Thursday about preparing for and making his first World Series start and whether or not he was able to tune out the distractions.
"You can't be too focused on 'It's a World Series game,'" Syndergaard said.
"When I started in L.A. I thought it was going to be a totally, completely different game.
"But in reality it's the same game, a little louder, a little bit different atmosphere. Travis [d'Arnaud] is still sixty feet, six inches away and you still have to execute every single pitch."
On the mound for the Royals is Ventura, 24, who was (13-8) in 28 regular season starts with a 4.08 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 58 walks (3.20 BB/9) and 156 Ks (8.60 K/9) in 163 ⅓ innings pitched, over which opposing hitters had a .246/.319/.378 line.
In four postseason starts, the right-hander is (0-1) with a 5.09 ERA and a .278/.358/.500 line against in 17 ⅔ innings pitched.
Through an interpreter, Ventura talked yesterday about making his ninth postseason start overall tonight in New York, his emotions on the mound and keeping them in check on the big stage.
"It pretty much is in my blood that when I strike out a guy in a big situation, I'm going to be myself and let it all out there," Ventura said.
"But I have changed a lot. Some of the hitters sometimes can take me the wrong way and say something to me, but I just ignore it now.
"Nervous or anxious or anything like that, I feel none of that at this point. I'm just ready to go, just kind of like we're all in this together. I feel, like, the support from the team and I feel good going out there."
Game 3 of the 2015 World Series starts at 8:00 PM EDT in Citi Field.