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NEW YORK — 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.
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.
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.
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.
The homer was Lindor's first with a man on base since last Aug. 15 — one day before McLean's debut.
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.
A quartet of Twins pitchers retired the final 14 Mets in order. Cole Sands (1-1) tossed the last two innings.
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.
LHP Connor Prielipp will make his major league debut on Wednesday for the Twins in place of Richardson, who was moved up in place of the injured Mick Abel. RHP Clay Holmes (2-2, 1.96 ERA) is set to pitch for the Mets.
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