The New York Mets finally broke through their nightmare losing streak Wednesday night, defeating the Minnesota Twins 3-2 at home to end a devastating 12-game slide that had plagued the team for weeks.
Mark Vientos provided the heroics in the eighth inning, driving in the decisive run with a clutch single that made up for his earlier mistake on the basepaths. The victory marked the Mets’ first win since their skid began, representing their longest stretch of losses since they dropped 12 straight games between August 10-23 in 2002.
However, the breakthrough win came with a significant concern as All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor exited the game due to tightness in his left calf. The injury occurred after Lindor scored from first base on Francisco Alvarez’s double during the fourth inning. Prior to his departure, Lindor had been productive at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI infield single in the opening frame.
The timing of Lindor’s injury is particularly troubling for New York, as it happened on the same evening that Juan Soto made his return from a 15-game absence caused by his own right calf strain. Ironically, the Mets had won their first three contests following Soto’s April 3 injury before their lengthy losing streak commenced.
Minnesota managed to tie the game twice during the contest. Victor Caratini brought the Twins even with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, while Byron Buxton knotted things up again with a solo home run in the sixth. The loss continued Minnesota’s recent struggles, as they have now dropped five of their last six games.
In other major league action, the Chicago Cubs extended their hot streak to eight consecutive victories by defeating the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 7-2. Pete Crow-Armstrong led the offensive charge with three hits and two RBIs, while Seiya Suzuki contributed a two-run homer. The loss extended Philadelphia’s misery to eight straight defeats, their longest skid since September 2018.
The Arizona Diamondbacks outlasted the San Diego Padres 11-7 in Phoenix, with Ildemaro Vargas powering the offense with two home runs and a career-high five RBIs. Meanwhile, Munetaka Murakami continued his incredible power display by homering for the fifth consecutive game, becoming the fastest player in White Sox history to reach 10 home runs in just 24 games.
The Los Angeles Angels snapped their own four-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Jose Soriano continued his remarkable season start, extending his scoreless innings streak to 24 2/3 while maintaining a microscopic 0.24 ERA through his first six starts.
In American League East action, the New York Yankees dominated the Boston Red Sox 4-1 behind Amed Rosario’s four RBIs in just two plate appearances and Max Fried’s eight shutout innings. The Yankees nearly recorded their third straight shutout before allowing a ninth-inning run.
The Seattle Mariners walked off against the Oakland Athletics 5-4 when Josh Naylor delivered a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning. The victory salvaged the series finale after the A’s had tied the game moments earlier on Nick Kurtz’s home run.
Other notable results included the Houston Astros defeating Cleveland 2-0, the San Francisco Giants shutting out the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 despite six strong innings from Shohei Ohtani, and the Atlanta Braves rallying past Washington 8-6 behind Michael Harris II’s two-homer performance.
