When New York Mets pinch-hitter Jesse Winker stepped to the plate in the ninth inning of a 3–3 game Wednesday in Queens, he was a man badly in need of a home run.
Winker had hit well enough (.275) since coming over via trade on July 28, but hadn't been able to find the modest power stroke he had with the Washington Nationals—for whom he hit 11 home runs in 101 games.
