Larnach and Wallner get RBI singles in 12th, Twins beat Red Sox 4-2

BOSTON (AP) — Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner both had RBI singles in the 12th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Friday night.

Winning for just the sixth time in their last 17 games, the Twins moved a game ahead Detroit, which lost 8-1 to the Baltimore Orioles, for the American League's third and final wild-card spot. The Twins hold the tiebreaker over the Tigers.

Trevor Story had an RBI single for the Red Sox, who are 7-14 in their last 21 games and trail the Twins by five games with eight to play. They are also behind the Tigers and Seattle.

Red Sox rookie right-hander Richard Fitts became the first in club history — and only the second in the majors since 1901 — to not allow an earned run over five innings or more in his first three big league starts. He gave up five hits with three strikeouts and a walk over five shutout innings.

Cincinnati left-hander Andrew Abbott is the other pitcher to start his career that way, when he also didn’t give up an earned run in his first three starts last season.

With runners on first and third and no outs, Larnach hit a high chop that ticked off the top of the glove of the leaping 6-foot-6 Cooper Criswell (6-5) that scored the go-ahead run. Wallner singled through a drawn-in infield and Willi Castro added a sacrifice fly.

Scott Blewett (1-0) worked the 11th for the victory and Griffin Jax got the final three outs for his 10th save despite allowing a run.

“That was incredibly impressive and gutsy, come up with all the words,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You feel it watching that game. We felt it in the dugout the whole game. It was a very intense, good type game.”

The Red Sox struck out a club record-tying 20 times and left 17 runners on. The Twins left 15 on base.

“Plenty of chances,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We didn't cash in.”

Both teams left two runners on in the 10th and 11th innings.

“It's good to get back in the win column,'' said reliever Cole Sands, who struck out three in one inning after giving up a leadoff double. ”All the bullpen guys did their job."

The Twins (81-73) are just 11-20 since being 17 games over .500 on August 17.

The 24-year-old Fitts was acquired in an offseason trade from the rival Yankees along with righty Greg Weissert and another minor-league pitcher for outfielder Alex Verdugo.

Story’s single gave Boston a 1-0 edge in the fourth against Minnesota starter David Festa.

The Twins tied it in the seventh when Byron Buxton scored from third on Carlos Correa’s fielder’s choice against Chris Martin on a ground ball not hit hard enough for an inning-ending double play.

Boston left the bases loaded against Jhoan Duran in the eighth when Ceddanne Rafaela lined softy to second.

In his last inning, Fitts escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam by getting Jose Miranda on a fielder’s choice before Carlos Santana flied to right.

Festa allowed only a run and four hits, striking out six and walking three in five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers left in extra innings. His shoulders have been nagging him for months. After that game Cora said: “Probably, this is it for him" and that he'll get an MRI on his right shoulder Saturday. ... Placed OF Rob Refsnyder on the 10-day injured list with a strained right forearm. … LF Jarren Duran banged his right arm and shoulder against the Green Monster, making a leaping grab, and was checked on quickly by a team trainer, but stayed in.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP Pablo López (15-8, 3.84 ERA) is scheduled to face Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (8-15, 4.19) on Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers (11) is forced out at second base as Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro turns the double play on Tyler O'Neill during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox's Connor Wong (12) steals second base against Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro, front left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran (16) steals second base against Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Richard Fitts throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story watches his RBI single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Griffin Jax (22) and catcher Ryan Jeffers, left, celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox during the 12th inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

From left to right, Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton, Ryan Jeffers, Griffin Jax and Trevor Larnach celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox in 12 innings of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Minnesota Twins' Kyle Farmer (12) scores behind Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, right, on a single by Trevor Larnach during the 12th inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a tiebreaking homer in his return from the injured list as the Arizona Diamondbacks bounced back after blowing a four-run lead and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 on Friday night.

The Diamondbacks moved into sole possession of the NL’s second wild-card spot by taking a one-game lead over the New York Mets, who lost 12-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Atlanta Braves, who lost 4-3 at Miami, are three games behind the Diamondbacks and two games behind the Mets.

“It's a good feeling, but we've got eight more games to go,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “No deal is done. We've got to go out and play our best baseball from here on out.”

Milwaukee already has clinched the NL Central title.

Arizona’s Ketel Marte hit his 33rd homer – setting a new career high – and also doubled and singled. William Contreras went 4 for 5 with a homer and Garrett Mitchell and Joey Ortiz also went deep for the Brewers.

Milwaukee rallied from a 4-0 deficit by homering off Arizona ace Zac Gallen (13-6) three times in a four-run fifth inning before the Diamondbacks took the lead for good in the sixth.

Gurriel led off the sixth by connecting on a 1-1 pitch from DL Hall (1-2) and hitting it over the wall in left center. Gurriel had been activated from the injured list earlier in the day after recovering from a strained left calf.

“It's always a great thing after the opposite team comes and scores a few runs, if you come back and — boom — hit them back, it will shut down their momentum and actually pick up momentum on our side,” Gurriel said through a translator.

His homer started a three-run rally that culminated with Randal Grichuk drawing a bases-loaded, two-out walk from Jared Koenig. Grichuk took a 3-2 pitch low to bring home Gabriel Moreno.

“You don’t win when you give up seven," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s not who we’ve been.”

Rhys Hoskins and Sal Frelick opened the bottom of the sixth with consecutive singles to bring the tying run to the plate, but Kevin Ginkel retired the next three batters to keep the score at 7-4. The Brewers got the tying run to the plate but failed to score again in the seventh.

A.J. Puk worked the ninth for his third save in six opportunities.

The Brewers had gotten back into the game in the fifth by pouncing on Gallen, who hadn’t allowed more than two homers in any of his previous 26 starts this season. He entered Friday having given up a total of two homers over his last 11 starts.

Ortiz hit a one-out drive to left-center that traveled 416 feet. After Brice Turang grounded out, Jackson Chourio beat out an infield single and Contreras followed with a 409-foot homer to center. Mitchell sent Gallen’s next pitch over the wall in left center for a game-tying, 393-foot blast.

It was the first time the Brewers had homered three times in an inning since Rowdy Tellez, Brian Anderson and Mitchell went deep against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in the sixth inning of a 9-0 victory over the New York Mets on April 4, 2023. Gallen hadn’t allowed three homers in a game since a 5-3 loss to Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of last year’s NL Championship Series.

Gallen gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings while striking out five and walking one.

Brewers starter Colin Rea gave up three runs and five hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked one.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Gurriel was playing his first game since Sept. 1. The Diamondbacks made room for him by designating INF Luis Guillorme for assignment.

BREWERS' MOVE

The Brewers designated RHP Enoli Paredes for assignment and promoted RHP Kevin Herget from Triple-A Nashville.

UP NEXT

RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0, 4.00 ERA) pitches for the Diamondbacks and RHP Aaron Civale (7-8, 4.48) starts for the Brewers when this four-game series continues Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Colin Rea (48) throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras, right, reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers third base Joey Ortiz (3) throws out Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio, left, and Willy Adames, right, collide after Adames caught a ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras hits a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)