Embattled Mets closer Devin Williams allowed a tiebreaking RBI single to Luke Keaschall in the ninth inning, and New York lost its 12th consecutive game, falling 5-3 to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
The Mets’ skid is their longest since they dropped 12 straight from Aug. 10-23, 2002. No team has made the playoffs after a season in which it lost 12 in a row.<\/p>\n
Matt Wallner followed Keaschall by drawing a bases-loaded walk off Williams (0-1), who didn’t retire any of the five batters he faced before being booed off the mound. Williams has allowed seven runs while recording four outs in his last three appearances.<\/p>\n
The Mets were in position to end their streak when Nolan McLean retired the first 15 Twins batters and Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer in the third to give the Mets their biggest lead since April 5, when they beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2.<\/p>\n
The homer was Lindor’s first with a man on base since last Aug. 15 \u2014 one day before McLean’s debut.<\/p>\n
Wallner led off the sixth with a single off McLean and Byron Buxton homered with two outs. Keaschall tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.<\/p>\n
A quartet of Twins pitchers retired the final 14 Mets in order. Cole Sands (1-1) tossed the last two innings.<\/p>\n
McLean allowed three runs and struck out 10 in 6 2\/3 innings. Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson gave up three runs and struck out two in five innings.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/p>\n
The Twins have yet to announce a starter for Wednesday, which was Richardson’s day to pitch before he got moved up in place of the injured Mick Abel. RHP Clay Holmes (2-2, 1.96 ERA) is set to pitch for the Mets.<\/p>\n