MINNEAPOLIS — Ty France singled in the 10th inning to give the Minnesota Twins a 4-3 victory Wednesday over the New York Mets, who had rallied with a three-run eighth.
With the speedy Byron Buxton conveniently on second as the automatic runner, France smacked a 1-1 pitch from Reed Garrett (0-1) with none out that bounced in center field with no chance for Tyrone Taylor to get his glove down.
Buxton, Harrison Bader and Willi Castro had RBI singles for the Twins (7-12), who won just their second series in six sets this season.
First base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt had to leave in the sixth after being hit in the head by a foul ball by Taylor.
Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker hit RBI doubles to end a 12-inning scoreless streak for the Mets (11-7) in the eighth against Griffin Jax, and Luisangel Acuña tied it with a two-out single.
Bader saved the Twins another run or two with a diving catch of Taylor’s line drive to end the eighth. Bader, who played for the Mets last year, threw out Winker at the plate in the second.
The Mets got 3 1/3 solid innings from Justin Hagenman in his major league debut after his call-up from Triple-A Syracuse in a bullpen game after Griffin Canning was scratched for illness.
Castro’s RBI single in the sixth came after a diving stop by Alonso at first and a throw to pitcher José Buttó. The Mets unsuccessfully used their challenge earlier and thus couldn’t request a review, but replays appeared to show Buttó’s foot beat Castro’s to the bag.
Francisco Lindor singled in the eighth and has a 20-game hitting streak at Target Field since Aug. 8, 2019, the longest by an opponent in the ballpark’s 16-year history.
The Mets host St. Louis for four games starting Thursday. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Canning would likely re-enter the rotation early in the series, but he wasn’t ready to annpounce a starter for the opener, when RHP Andre Pallante (2-0, 2.20 ERA) pitches for the Cardinals.
The Twins begin a three-game series Friday at Atlanta when RHP Chris Paddack (0-2, 9.49 ERA) starts opposite Braves RHP Bryce Elder (0-1, 7.20 ERA).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB