Brewers' Carlos Gomez hopes to play Monday after fastball to helmet
There's always a nervous moment when a player is hit in the head by a pitch, but Carlos Gomez survived a serious scare Sunday afternoon.
Gomez was struck by a 97 mph fastball from Mets rookie right-hander Noah Syndergaard in the fifth inning of Milwaukee's 5-1 loss to New York at Citi Field.
The Brewers later announced Gomez had a facial contusion but did not suffer a concussion.
"I wasn't expecting him to pitch in, especially when you look at the scouting report and you see him mostly away," Gomez said. "That's why he kind of got me a little bit. But I put my head in the right position so the ball hit right in the helmet. I still have some mark, but I'm fine.
"Everything is good. No concussion. It's lucky, man."
Gomez said he briefly lobbied to stay in the game, but Brewers manager Craig Counsell made the decision to replace the center fielder with Gerardo Parra.
"I said, 'I'm fine, seriously,'" Gomez said. "He said, 'No, I remember you were hit a couple of times, and I don't want to take a chance. It's not about the game, it's about your health.' I agreed. I came inside to the doctor to take a look, to get checked. We did the tests for concussion and everything is fine."
While the Brewers haven't had much luck on the field this season, this is the third time a Brewers player has avoided serious injury after being struck by a pitch in the head.
Jean Segura was hit in the head by Colorado's Jordan Lyles on April 7 and by Chicago's Pedro Strop on May 3.
"It's just scary," Counsell said. "We're fortunate that the guys' helmets have protected them."
Gomez missed 17 games in 2010 with a concussion after being hit by a pitch during an August game against the Chicago Cubs.
But this time he's hopeful to be able to play Monday when the Brewers open a three-game interleague series in Detroit.
"I think so, the way I feel," Gomez said. "I think I could have stayed in the game today, but I have a history in the past of a couple concussions, and my manager didn't want to take a risk. I understand that. But everything is fine.
"I understand what's going on. I got lucky, like I said. It hit me right in the helmet, and I feel fine. Just a little sore in the jaw, but that's normal."
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