NEW YORK (AP) — The resilient and relentless Kansas City Royals are World Series champions for the first time in 30 years — thanks to Christian Colon. His pinch-hit RBI tiebreaking single keyed a five-run rally in the top of the 12th inning in the Royals come-from-behind 7-2 victory over the New York Mets to win the World Series in five games.

World Series MVP Salvador Perez opened the 12th inning rally with an opposite field single. Pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson stole second and moved to third on a groundout. Colon — making his first plate appearance in the playoffs — delivered a run-scoring single off Mets reliever Addison Reed. Alcides Escobar scored Colon on a double. The Royals then added three more for insurance.

The lightly used Colon is the first player in World Series history to drive in the winning run in a clinching victory in his first plate appearance.

The Royals won all four World Series games coming from behind. After taking the first two at home, the Royals won two of three in New York. In a year of improbable comebacks — they won eight postseason games coming from behind — this was one of the most unlikely of all.

Kansas City trailed 2-0 after Mets right-hander Matt Harvey hurled eight powerful innings, striking out nine. After he gave up a run in the ninth, Harvey gave way to Jeurys  Familia. The Mets closer allowed the tying run to score on a gutsy baserunning move by Eric Hosmer, who scored from third on a ground out. It was Familia’s third blown save of the series.

That opened the door for the Royals’ extra inning heroics — and their second World Series title in history. The Royals avenged their seven-game loss to San Francisco in last year’s Series.