Colon Pitches Mets Over Twins 3-0 as Last Homestand Starts

Bartolo Colon limited the Twins to three singles in seven innings, Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera hit consecutive home runs off rookie Jose Berrios in the third, and the New York Mets beat Minnesota 3-0 Friday night in the opener of their final homestand this season.

Matched against a pitcher nearly half his age, the 43-year-old Colon (14-7) won for the fourth time in five decisions. He allowed soft singles in the third to Berrios and Brian Dozier, who extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a slow bouncer to third, then retired Jorge Polanco on a flyout to escape a bases-loaded jam. Polanco singled in the sixth.

Addison Reed pitched the eighth and Jeurys Familia worked around a pair of walks to complete the three-hitter, retiring pinch-hitter Kennys Vargas on a flyout to deep left for his 49th save in 53 chances.

New York began the night with a one-game lead over St. Louis for the second NL wild card, one game behind San Francisco. After the Twins, the Mets host the Atlanta Braves and Phillies before finishing with a six-game trip to Miami and Philadelphia.

The 22-year-old Berrios (2-7) was 2 years old when Colon made his big league debut in April 1997. Berrios allowed two runs and four hits in four innings and has given up 12 home runs in 48 2/3 innings. He dropped to 0-6 in seven starts since beating Cleveland on Aug. 1 in his return from the minors. He also singled in the third inning in his first professional plate appearance.

Minnesota, a major league-worst 55-93, is making its first visit to Citi Field since 2010. The series opener was played on the 20th anniversary of the 3,000th big league hit by Paul Molitor, now the Twins manager.

Reyes homered over the right-field wall on a curveball and, three pitches later, Cabrera sent a fastball into the right-field second deck. New York has 199 home runs, one shy of the club record set in 2006.

Yoenis Cespedes added an RBI single in the seventh off Pat Light.

Cabrera left after eight innings because of a right leg cramp.

REFRESHED

New York is 14-2 after off days. The Mets have one remaining, on Sept. 29.

WHOOPS

Cespedes tried for a nonchalant basket catch on Max Kepler's soft leadoff fly to left in the fourth only to have the ball tick off the webbing of his glove for an error. Colon then picked off Kepler, originally ruled safe by first base umpire Brian Gorman but called out on video review.

WHIFFS

Travis d'Arnaud struck out in the sixth, stranding James Loney at second, and is hitting .109 (5 for 46) with runners in scoring position. ... Jay Bruce was 0 for 3 and booed. He is hitting .200 in September (8 for 40). ... Curtis Granderson was 0 for 3 and is in a 1-for-22 slide.

DIFFERENT TYPE OF JAM

Minnesota's second bus from its hotel arrived at Citi Field about 2 hours, 40 minutes ahead of game time after getting stuck in traffic.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: Joe Mauer, a DH on Thursday after missing four games due to a sore quadriceps, started at first base. ... C Kurt Suzuki took a foul ball to the mask with Granderson batting in the seventh. Suzuki needed 5 stitches to close a cut after taking a foul ball off the mask from Detroit's Cameron Maybin.

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (right forearm soreness) is scheduled to start Sunday and will be limited to 75 pitches in his first appearance since Sept. 1. ... 1B Lucas Duda (stress fracture in lower back) is to be activated from the DL on Saturday; he last played on May 20. ... LHP Steven Matz (shoulder tightness) is to throw a bullpen Saturday; he has not pitched since Aug. 14. ... OF Juan Lagares (surgery to repair torn ligament in left thumb) was activated Friday. He has not played since July 28 and will be limited to a defensive replacement role. ... INF Wilmer Flores, out since a home-plate collision Sept. 10, said he had an injection of painkiller in his right wrist Thursday and could return in a few days.

UP NEXT

RHP Seth Lugo (4-2) is to start for the Mets on Saturday, and RHP Ervin Santana (7-10) for the Twins. Lugo joined Terry Leach, Jason Jacome and Matz at the only Mets with four wins in their first five starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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