Second Time Around

It's been a long journey for Carlos Gomez to return to the place his major league career began. After 58 games as a 2007 Mets rookie (when the team still played in Shea Stadium), he was part of the package that brought ace Johan Santana to Flushing. From Minnesota to Milwaukee, Houston, Texas and Tampa Bay, he's kept movers busy during a productive 12 years in the majors.
Last winter, he found himself unwanted after batting just .208 with the Rays. The Mets offered him the outside chance on a minor league free agent deal, which left him in Syracuse as the season began.
But this week, as the Mets began to imitate the cross-town rival Yankees, first with a wave of injuries, Gomez (seen here Monday night) was summoned. And Thursday, he made his first statement: batting in the 8th inning with his team down 4-3, he smacked a three-run homer off Washington's Wander Suero to put his team ahead.
One more way that the Mets are copying the Yankees -- their injury-riddled team has put together a winning streak. Gomez's homer sealed the deal as the Mets capped a four-game sweep of the staggering Nationals.
In baseball you play every day. And a series or a week -- especially in May -- won't totally sink a season. Monday, the Mets were reeling, having been swept in Miami, and five games under .500. Tonight, bolstered by four big wins, they have the chance to even their record when they host another weakling, the Detroit Tigers.

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