MINNEAPOLIS — Otto Lopez doubled home the go-ahead run in the 13th inning as the lowly Miami Marlins beat the reeling Minnesota Twins 8-6 on Thursday night.
Carlos Correa homered for the Twins, who were just 2 for 19 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 on the night.
“We had every opportunity put in front of us to win that baseball game,” said Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. “Our season is on the line and we weren’t able to execute to get that run across.”
The Twins (82-77) have lost six of their last eight and now trail the Tigers and Royals by three games in the race for the last two AL wild card spots with just three games remaining. They would be eliminated with one more loss or one victory by Detroit and Kansas City.
“I know how we’ve played. I’ve been here and been a part of it and watched it all,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We are not eliminated right now, at this point. And I don’t have the mindset that we are out of this. I don’t care who’s available in the pen tomorrow. I don’t care how we played today. My intention is to win out ... and see what happens.”
The Twins blew that opportunity to "win out" on Thursday night. In the 13th, Lopez drove home automatic runner Dane Myers with a one-out drive down the left field line off Scott Blewett (1-1). Griffin Conine put the game out of reach with a two-out, two-run single off Justin Topa.
“We like playing the role of villain,” Conine said of the Marlins, who have lost 100 games this season and are mired in last place in their division. “We want to be the spoilers. That’s what we said going in, and we got a couple of good wins this series, which is awesome.”
Anthony Maldonado (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings to earn his first career victory. Darren McCaughan allowed one run in the 13th, picking up his first save.
Trailing 4-0 after five innings, the Twins battled back, tying it on Brooks Lee’s two-run double in the eighth.
Each team scored with a sacrifice fly in the 10th.
The Twins fell behind for the third straight game as Jake Burger’s RBI double gave Miami a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Miami (59-100) knocked out Twins starter David Festa in the fifth after he allowed singles to four of the first five batters he faced in the inning. The Marlins ended up scoring three runs on RBI singles by Xavier Edwards and Burger and an error on Jeffers, who dropped a throw at the plate.
Correa led off the sixth with a home run that caromed off the facing of the third deck in left field. The Twins tacked on a run in the seventh on a throwing error by the shortstop Edwards.
“It’s one of those that hurts,” said Twins outfielder Byron Buxton. “We know what’s at stake and we’ve got to keep pushing.”
Up next
Twins: RHP Pablo López (15-9, 4.11) will make his final start of the season against the Orioles on Friday. López allowed a season-high seven runs in four innings on Sunday at Boston. The Orioles have not named their starter.
Marlins: RHP Adam Oller (1-4, 5.06) gets the nod as the Marlins open their final series of the season in Toronto on Friday. In his last start, Oller gave up two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings against Atlanta on September 21. Toronto has not named a starting pitcher.