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

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

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

Trevor Story singled for the Red Sox, who are 7-14 in their last 21 games and five games behind the Twins with eight games remaining. They also trail the Tigers and Seattle.

Red Sox starting right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts became the first in club history (and only the second in the major leagues since 1901) to allow no earned runs over five or more innings in his first three major league starts. He allowed five hits with three strikeouts and a walk in five scoreless innings.

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

With runners on first and third base and no outs, Larnach hit a high fly ball off the top of 6-foot-6 Cooper Criswell’s glove that scored the deciding run. Wallner singled into a tight infield and Willi Castro added a sacrifice fly.

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

“It was incredibly impressive and courageous, I found all the words,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You feel it watching that game. You felt it in the dugout the whole game. It was a very intense, well-crafted game.”

The Red Sox tied the club record with 20 strikeouts and left 17 runners on base. The Twins left 15.

“We had a lot of opportunities,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We didn’t take advantage of them.”

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

“It’s nice to get back in the win column,” said reliever Cole Sands, who struck out three in one inning after allowing a leadoff double. “All the relievers did their job.”

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

Fitts, 24, was acquired in an offseason trade with the rival Yankees along with right-hander Greg Weissert and another minor league pitcher for outfielder Alex Verdugo.

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

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

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

In his final inning, Fitts got out of a jam at first and third with one out by getting Jose Miranda on a fielder’s choice before Carlos Santana flied to right.

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

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers left the field in overtime. His shoulders have been bothering him for months. After the game, Cora said, “This is probably the end for him” and that he will have an MRI of his right shoulder Saturday. … Outfielder Rob Refsnyder was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain. … Outfielder Jarren Duran hit his right arm and shoulder against the Green Monster while lunging for it and was quickly examined by a team trainer but remained on the field.

FOLLOWING

Twins right-handed pitcher Pablo Lopez (15-8, 3.84 ERA) is scheduled to face Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford (8-15, 4.19 ERA) on Saturday.