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The Twins’ playoff hopes are on life support after a 13-inning loss to the 100-over Marlins

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa throws to Miami in the first inning on Thursday evening, September 26, 2024, at Target Field in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Caleb Thielbar relieved Festa and walked Jesús Sánchez to load the bases. With the infield in, pinch-hitter Dane Myers hit a ground ball right to shortstop Carlos Correa, whose throw effortlessly beat Edwards to the plate. But it bounced off catcher Ryan Jeffers’ glove and fell into the dirt, an error that allowed the Marlins to score in the fourth.

Mistakes cost the Marlins – who have committed more misplays (116) than any other MLB team this year and gave the Twins a win on Wednesday with four errors – the chance to finish off the Twins without going in extra innings.

The Twins were down 4-1 early in the seventh when Jeffers hit a single and Austin Martin moved him to third with a two-out double deep to right-center. But the inning appeared to be over when Byron Buxton hit a routine groundball to Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards.

However, Edwards hurried his throw to catch the speedy Buxton, and it flew high and well over the base, pulling first baseman Jonah Bride an inch or two off the base and allowing Jeffers to score.

And in the eighth, Royce Lewis hit a foul popup in front of the Marlins dugout that would almost certainly leave the Twins with two outs and nobody out.

Instead, the ball fell to the ground between catcher Nick Fortes and third baseman Connor Norby. Given a second chance, Lewis drew a walk and moved to third on Carlos Santana’s single. Brooks Lee followed with a double off the right field wall, scoring two runs and delighting the announced crowd of 17,341.

By Jasper

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