Baseball is a game of redemption as much as it is a game of execution.

In the top of the eighth inning, with the score tied 3-3, the Mets were batting with two outs and nobody on. Juan Lagares singled. Stole second. Then scored on a rare Eric Hosmer error on a ball that he let misplay him.

Knowing the New York state of pitching, that run looked devastating at the time. Especially when, in the bottom of the eighth, the Royals Ben Zobrist led off with a double and they were not able to score him.

It looked like their one chance slipped away.

But Alex Gordon hit a monster home run to deep center off Mets unhittable closer Jeurys Familia to tie it in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth.

Then Game 1 went into extra innings. As a game this great with two teams this evenly matched should do.

Nothing for four innings until yet another error opened the door for the Royals in the bottom of the fourteenth.

Alcides Escobar is living right these days. He led off the game with a long fly ball that should have been caught, wasn’t, and ended up going down as an inside-the-park home run. He led off the bottom of the fourteenth with a hit to third base that should have been an out, but instead was a throwing error by David Wright.

Perpetually under-rated Ben Zobrist singled to make it first and third.

Lorenzo Cain was intentionally walked to set up the desperation force play at home.

And who stepped up? Eric Hosmer. The guy whose error in the eighth caused all of this in the first place.

He hit a fly ball to right deep enough to score Escobar from third.

And just like that, the Royals won a thrilling Game 1, 5-4. And just like that, Eric Hosmer is off the hook.

Baseball works.