Mets, Michael Conforto aren’t about to return this gift

It is the dream-come-true of every sandlot slugger, every Wiffle-ball wizard, every Little League legend, every backyard bombardier: bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, the crowd on its feet, the pitcher on the ropes, the dugout going crazy, here comes your moment, here comes your pitch and …

… and it nicks your elbow? “Well, obviously, that’s not the way I wanted to win the ballgame,” Michael Conforto said, not even trying to camouflage his sheepish grin after winning the ballgame, the Mets’ home opener, exactly that way, a walk-off nick that delivered a 3-2 win. “I wanted to go up there and put the ball in play and drive the ball somewhere.”