KANSAS CITY -- Edinson Volquez gave up two hits over six shutout innings and the reigning World Series champion Royals held off the Mets, 4-3, on Sunday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Kauffman Stadium in the season opener for both teams.It was the first time in history two World Series teams faced off in the following season's opener. And it was a rematch of the Game 5 matchup between Volquez and Mets right-hander Matt Harvey, who lasted 5 2/3 innings and gave up eight hits and four runs (three earned). 
The Royals scratched out a 4-0 lead before the Mets rallied with three runs off reliever Joakim Soria in the eighth, two on a bases-loaded flare to left from Lucas Duda. But with the tying run on second, right-hander Luke Hochevar struck out Asdrubal Cabrera for the third out.Closer Wade Davis then closed out the Mets in the ninth.MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Dee-fense! The Royals, as always, flashed more terrific defense as they opened the season. Third baseman Mike Moustakas saved a run in the second when, with runners at the corners and two outs, he fielded a deep grounder at third by Travis d'Arnaud and fired a strike to first, just beating d'Arnaud. Likewise, first baseman Eric Hosmer may have saved a run with a diving stop on a grounder by Duda with runners on first and second and two out. And catcher Salvador Perez threw out Michael Conforto on a steal attempt from his knees.Two hands, Yo: One of the game's most damaging plays for the Mets occurred in the bottom of the first inning, when Moustakas hit a routine liner directly at Yoenis Cespedes, who was starting in left field to accommodate Juan Lagares. After playing all but six of his 67 defensive innings this spring in center, Cespedes attempted to make a one-handed catch, but watched the ball bounce off his glove to the turf. Moustakas later came around to score on Hosmer's RBI single.That's what speed do: The Royals manufactured a couple of runs with their legs, which is nothing new. In the fourth, Lorenzo Cain bolted from first to third on a grounder to right by Hosmer. Hosmer then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kendrys Morales. In the sixth, after Cain walked, Hosmer pushed a bunt toward third and beat the throw with a headfirst slide. Two batters later, Alex Gordon dropped an RBI single to center and the Royals led 3-0.Mets claw back: Momentum shifted violently in the top of the eighth, when the Mets quietly loaded the bases with one out, and Duda drove home their first two runs with a single. The next batter, Neil Walker, plated a third run with a fielder's choice, and the Mets later -- thanks to Conforto, who reached base safely four times on the night -- put the tying run in scoring position with two outs. But Cabrera struck out to end the rally.UPON FURTHER REVIEW
After a down year defensively in 2015, Lagares nearly nabbed his first outfield assist of the season as Omar Infante attempted to dash first-to-third on Alcides Escobar's single in the fifth. When third-base umpire Carlos Torres called Infante safe, David Wright jumped off the bag in apparent disagreement. A one-minute, 47-second replay review determined the ruling would stand, though Infante did not come around to score.Anthony DiComo/ MLB.com
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