Buxton launched a soaring go-ahead shot in the 11th inning, but then Curtis Granderson hit a tying homer in the 11th and another solo shot with two outs in the 12th, lifting the New York Mets over the Twins 3-2 on Saturday night. Since being recalled September 1, Buxton is batting.333 with six homers and 15 RBIs, a huge spike from his.193 average and 16 RBIs in 63 games earlier in the year. Twins manager Paul Molitor said an MRI on IF/OF Miguel Sano (back) showed no new injury and Sano could return to the lineup next week. “And he’s just kind of learning to trust his ability a bit more”. They took a 2-0 lead when Conforto blooped a single to center field but didn’t score after Travis d’Arnaud lined into a double play and Lucas Duda grounded out.
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Granderson pulled a 3-2 pitch from Ryan O’Rourke (0-1) down the right-field line to win it after leading off the 11th with a drive against closer Brandon Kintzler that made it 2-all. He brought Josh Edgin in for a batter before turning it over the Erik Goeddel, who pitched 1.1 innings to get the win.
I’m not sure they have much to gain, either, after watching them complete a weekend sweep of the very bad Twins on Sunday – and retain the National League’s top wild-card spot – with a grittily ugly, 3-2 victory at Citi Field.
The day did not start particularly well for the New York Mets, who lost pitcher Jacob deGrom for the season with a nerve injury, but it ended in grand (erson) style.
Yoenis Cespedes added an RBI single in the seventh off Pat Light.
The Mets bullpen allowed one run and four hits while striking out 10 in seven innings.
But he yielded only four hits and one run after stranding five in scoring position.
Santana didn’t allow a baserunner until the fourth and only permitted three Mets past first base.
Colon is a staff-best 14-7, with a 3.14 ERA, having held up when several of the younger guys in that rotation have broken down.
“We thought … he was going to give us innings early”, Collins said.
Jose Berrios got the start for the Twins. He got an 88 miles per hour fastball on the outside corner and well below the strike zone, and did what you do when you swing at a pitch like that and make contact: he pounded it into the dirt in front of home plate. The Cardinals, inexplicably, haven’t been able to win at home this season (33-41) and have done well on the road (43-30).
When the sun came up Saturday morning, it meant the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays were tied for the American League wild card spots with the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners 3 games behind.
The New York Mets are the second hottest team in the National League right now, winning in seven of their last 10 games. The 2014 NL Rookie of the Year felt fine while throwing a bullpen Friday but sensed a twinge after tossing a baseball in from the outfield during batting practice about 15 minutes later. Recovery time for the operation is expected to be three months, meaning the 28-year-old will be ready for spring training.
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson announced deGrom’s prognosis hours before NY began giving away Jacob deGrom Hair Hats at the gate.
TWINS: Rosario injured his left hand diving into first base trying to beat out a grounder in the 10th inning. “I always do that”, Colon said through a translator.
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Their rotation ravaged, the Mets handed the ball to a rookie for his first major league start. 2B Brian Dozier’s 22-game hitting streak is the longest by a Twin since Torii Hunter hit in 23 straight games April 11-May, 9, 2007.
