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.
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.
Key moment
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.
Scary moment when Umpire injured
Veteran umpire Hunter Wendelstedt had to leave the game in Minnesota on Wednesday after he was struck in the face behind first base by a line drive foul ball.
Wendelstedt instantly hit the ground after he took a direct hit from the line smash off the bat of New York Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor in the seventh inning. Both Taylor and Twins right-hander Louis Varland winced immediately after seeing where the ball hit Wendelstedt, who is in his 28th major league season as an umpire.
The 53-year-old Wendelstedt was down for a minute while being tended to by Twins medical staff and was able to slowly walk off on his own, pressing a towel against the left side of his head. Second base umpire Adam Hamari moved to first on the three-man crew for the remainder of the game.
Key stat
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.
Injuries
Outfield Matt Wallner was removed from the game with a hamstring injury and word is he is heading to the Injured List. Willi Castro also left the game with what the team is calling a slight oblique strain.
Shortstop Carlos Correa, who left Tuesday night's game with a wrist injury, did get into Wednesday's game as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning but didn't get an at-bat.
Up next
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).