The Mets wasted a late comeback in dropping the rubber game of their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins Wednesday, losing 4-3 in extra innings at Target Field.
Ryan Jeffers walked it off for the Twins with an RBI single to center field, scoring Byron Buxton from second. That came after the top half of the extra frame in which the Mets blew a golden chance to win the game and series; they had runners on first and second with nobody out when Jesse Winker grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, and Brandon Nimmo subsequently popped out in foul territory.
“Overall, we couldn’t close the deal today,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. “We didn’t get the job done. We’ve just got to play better.”
It was a bitter end to a game in which the Mets offense, kept quiet much of the afternoon, sprung to life in the eighth inning while down 3-0.
Pete Alonso continued his scorching start, lacing a double to left field, scoring Francisco Lindor to cut the deficit to 3-1. Winker followed Alonso’s double with his second double of the game, scoring Alonso from second, bringing the Mets within one run of the Twins in the eighth.
Luisangel Acuna got in on the hit parade in the eighth, with a game-tying RBI single to left center, knotting the game up at 3-3.
Much as it has done this entire year to date, strong pitching kept the Mets in the game. With scheduled starter Griffin Canning sidelined due to illness, reliever Huascar Brazoban opened the game in the first with an inning of scoreless pitching; he was followed by late call-up Justin Hagenman, who struck out four Twins in 3 1/3 innings in his big league debut.
“It was fun,” Hagenman said. “It was everything you hope for and more.”
Meanwhile, familiar friend Harrison Bader continued to pummel the Mets, with his two-for-three day at the plate, while adding a run scored and an RBI.
In the bottom of the fifth with a runner on third, Bader knocked in Willie Castro on a single to left field, giving the Twins a 1-0 lead. With two outs in the inning speedy centerfielder Byron Buxton singled to center field, as Bader came around to score to increase Minnesota’s lead to 2-0.
The game temporarily unraveled for New York in sixth, as Jeffers scored from second base on a groundball hit to first base. José Buttó covered first on a diving stop by Alonso, but the close play at the bag took Butto’s focus away from the runner, scoring Jeffers from second, giving the Twins a 3-0 lead.
But the Mets’ offense, save for the eighth-inning rally, had no answer for the Twin’s pitching. That included Juan Soto, who went 0-5 at the dish with three strikeouts after homering in each of the first two games of the series. He had a golden opportunity to put the Mets ahead in the top of the ninth with Lindor on first and two away — but Soto fanned on a curveball.
On the positive side, Brett Baty put together a 2-for-4 day at the plate. After struggling at the start of the 2025 campaign, he’s gone four-for-13 (.307) at the plate in his last three games.
There was a scary moment during the game, as first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was struck in the head with a foul line drive off Tyrone Taylor’s bat in the top of the seventh. After being down on the ground for a moment, Wendelstedt eventually got back to his feet and was escorted off the field by the Twins training staff.
The Mets will return to Queens on Thursday for the start of a homestand that will include a four-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.
