Ty France’s Walk-Off Single Lifts Twins Over Mets in Extras

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Ty France delivered a clutch single in the 10th inning to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 4-3 walk-off win over the New York Mets on Wednesday, capping off a dramatic finish after the Mets staged a late rally.

With Byron Buxton starting the extra frame on second base as the automatic runner, France lined a 1-1 pitch from Reed Garrett (0-1) into center field. The ball bounced just in front of Tyrone Taylor, giving Buxton more than enough time to score the game-winning run.

Minnesota (7-12) received RBI singles from Buxton, Harrison Bader, and Willi Castro, earning just their second series win in six tries this season. Jhoan Duran tossed a scoreless ninth, while Cole Sands (2-1) shut down the Mets in the 10th to secure the win.

The Mets (11-7) erased a 3-0 deficit with a three-run eighth inning. Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker each hit RBI doubles to snap a 12-inning scoreless streak, and Luisangel Acuña tied the game with a two-out RBI single.

Bader made a huge defensive impact, preventing further damage in the eighth with a diving catch on Taylor’s line drive. Earlier in the game, he also threw out Winker at home in the second inning. Ironically, Bader suited up for the Mets last season.

The game saw a scare in the sixth when first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt exited after taking a foul ball to the head off the bat of Taylor.

New York leaned on reliever Justin Hagenman, who tossed 3 1/3 effective innings in his MLB debut after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets had to pivot to a bullpen game following Griffin Canning’s late scratch due to illness.

Castro’s RBI in the sixth followed a great defensive effort by Alonso, who dove to stop the ball and tossed to pitcher José Buttó covering first. With no challenges remaining, the Mets couldn’t contest the close call, though replays suggested Buttó may have beaten Castro to the bag.

Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak at Target Field to 20 games with a single in the eighth — the longest such streak by a visiting player in the stadium’s 16-year history.

Up Next:

• The Mets return to Citi Field on Thursday to open a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Griffin Canning (1-1, 4.20 ERA) is slated to pitch against Cardinals righty Andre Pallante (2-0, 2.20 ERA).
• The Twins head to Atlanta to begin a three-game set on Friday. Chris Paddack (0-2, 9.49 ERA) will face off against Braves starter Bryce Elder (0-1, 7.20 ERA).