Twins’ Carlos Correa breaks out of season-long slump with WALKOFF homer vs. Brewers, LA beats Texas

After the sidewinding offseason that led Carlos Correa back to Minnesota, the star shortstop has endured an concerningly slow start at the plate.

His swing is finally rounding into form. Milwaukee closer Devin Williams can attest.

Correa hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run ninth inning off the usually dominant Williams, giving the Twins a 7-5 victory over the Brewers on Tuesday night.

‘Through even the great nights like tonight, or anything that went on earlier this year, he handles it all the same,’ Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said, later adding: ‘By the way, that’s called leadership.’

Correa crushed a 1-1 changeup from Williams (3-1) off the second-deck façade beyond left field, dropping his bat as he turned to his dugout and tapped his wrist to signal it’s his time, like he did for World Series champion Houston during the 2021 postseason.

‘Through even the great nights like tonight, or anything that went on earlier this year, he handles it all the same,’ Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said, later adding: ‘By the way, that´s called leadership.’ 

Carlos Correa celebrates as he runs to home plate with third base coach Tommy Watkins (40) 

Williams, who took his first blown save in 11 attempts, didn’t record an out and had his sparkling 0.42 ERA spike to 2.08. Michael A. Taylor greeted him with a home run, before Eduoard Julien walked.

‘Just didn’t have my stuff today, you know?’ Williams said. ‘As much as you strive for it, you’re never going to be perfect.’ 

Then pinch-runner Willi Castro stole second and raced home – ignoring the stop sign from third base coach Tommy Watkins – on Donovan Solano´s tying single to set up Correa’s 13th career walk-off hit. That includes three in the postseason.

‘Correa pointing to his watch, that was probably one of the coolest moments I´ve seen on a baseball field,’ Julien said.

Williams, who allowed two homers in a game for the first time in his big league career, had an opponent batting average of .110 entering the day. The Brewers fell to 28-1 when leading after eight innings and saw their losing streak reach five games despite a homer and season-high four RBIs by Christian Yelich.

‘When you´re in kind of a tough stretch, that´s just how it goes sometimes,’ Yelich said.

Solano and Correa combined for five RBIs for the Twins, who have 22 runs in the last three games. They loaded the bases in the eighth, but Joey Gallo – taken off the injured list before the game – struck out to end it.

‘There´s a different vibe. There´s a different aura and level of confidence. You can see it when guys go up to the plate,’ said Correa, who has three homers in the last five games and is batting .217.

Twins’ Carlos Correa hits a walk off two-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers 

ANGELS 7, RANGERS 3

Hunter Renfroe hit a two-run homer during a three-run sixth inning and surging Los Angeles beat AL West-leading Texas.

The Angels have won three straight and eight of nine. Shohei Ohtani reached base all five times with a single, double and three walks.

Renfroe´s homer helped spoil the major league debut of Owen White (0-1), who was recalled from Double-A Frisco earlier in the day. White entered with one out in the fifth inning and gave up three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Jimmy Herget (1-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Jaime Barria, who allowed all three runs in 4 1/3 innings. Carlos Estevez recorded the final two outs, leaving runners at first and third, for his 18th save in 18 opportunities.

Angels’ Hunter Renfroe (12) and Luis Rengifo (2) celebrate together after Renfroe hit a homer 

YANKEES 7, METS 6 

Clay Holmes pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees stormed back from four runs down against Max Scherzer to beat the skidding New York Mets 7-6 in the Subway Series opener Tuesday night at Citi Field.

Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu homered off Scherzer, and pinch-hitter Josh Donaldson drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth after Brandon Nimmo misplayed a ball in center field.

Before the seventh, reliever Drew Smith became the second Mets pitcher ejected this season for using an illegal foreign substance. The Mets (31-36) have lost nine of 10.

Scherzer allowed five runs and six hits in the fourth as the Mets blew a 5-1 lead. Josh Walker (0-1) gave up Billy McKinney´s infield single to start the sixth and a double by Anthony Volpe that should have been caught by Nimmo.

Ron Marinaccio (3-3) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Michael King worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.

Umpire Bill Miller, right, ejects New York Mets relief pitcher Drew Smith, during the seventh

ORIOLES 11, BLUE JAYS 6

Rookie Gunnar Henderson hit his first career grand slam to power Baltimore past Toronto.

The Orioles banged out a season-high 17 hits and won their fifth straight. They climbed 18 games over .500 (42-24) for the first time since 2016, when they last reached the playoffs. Adam Frazier, Ryan O’Hearn and Aaron Hicks also homered.

Dean Kremer (7-3) gave up two runs and eight hits over six innings.

Chris Bassitt (7-5) allowed eight runs and 11 hits in three innings as the Blue Jays fell to 0-4 against Baltimore this season.

Baltimore Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson watches his ball as he hits a grand slam home run

ROCKIES 7, RED SOX 6, 10 INNINGS

Randal Grichuk had a two-run double in a three-run 10th inning and Colorado held on to beat Boston.

Jurickson Profar added a sacrifice fly in the 10th.

With an automatic runner on second, Justin Garza (0-1) walked Nolan Jones to start the 10th and Grichuk lined the first pitch he saw down the left-field line.

Rafael Devers led off the bottom half against Matt Carasiti with his second two-run homer of the game and 17th homer this season. After a one-out walk, Pierce Johnson got two outs for his 12th save in 14 chances.

Daniel Bard (3-0) pitched a scoreless ninth.

Rockies left fielder Randal Grichuk, celebrates with teammates after defeating the Red Sox 7-6

GIANTS 11, CARDINALS 3

Mike Yastrzemski and Patrick Bailey homered, Michael Conforto had four hits and three RBIs, and San Francisco beat St. Louis.

The Giants have won five straight on the road and six of eight games overall.

San Francisco outfielder Mitch Haniger suffered a fractured right forearm after being hit by a pitch from Jack Flaherty in the third inning. Flaherty (3-5) allowed six runs on 10 hits over 4 1/3 innings.

St. Louis lost for the ninth time in the 11 games and fell to 27-41, its worst start since 1978.

San Francisco´s Luke Jackson (1-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief.

Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Francisco Giants hits a two-run home run vs the Cardinals

ASTROS 6, NATIONALS 1

Rookie Hunter Brown (6-3) allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings and Houston beat Washington.

Mauricio Dubón, Kyle Tucker, Martín Maldonado and Chas McCormick homered for the Astros.

Patrick Corbin (4-7) walked a season-high five while allowing four hits and two runs in five innings.

Houston Astros’ Mauricio Dubon celebrates after hitting a home run against the Nationals 

REDS 5, ROYALS 4

Kevin Newman had an RBI double during Cincinnati’s five-run second inning, and Brandon Williamson did just enough to earn his first big league win.

Kansas City lost its eighth straight.

Williams (1-0) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings, and the Reds’ bullpen held on from there. Alexis Diaz handled the ninth for his 16th save.

Jordan Lyles (0-11) allowed all five Cincinnati runs on six hits and three walks over six innings.

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Kevin Newman (28) hits a RBI single in the first inning of play

CUBS 11, PIRATES 3

Ian Happ hit a three-run, first-inning drive for his first home run since May 5, Christopher Morel added a three run homer in the eighth and the Chicago Cubs routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-3.

Happ had four RBI and scored three runs for the Cubs, who outhit the Pirates 14-7.

Jack Suwinski had a pair of solo homers for the Pirates, who have lost four of six after a six-game winning streak.

Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ swings through a three-run home run off the Pittsburgh Pirates

DODGERS 5, WHITE SOX 1

Tony Gonsolin pitched six shutout innings, Will Smith and David Peralta hit two-run homers in the first inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1.

Gonsolin (4-1) allowed singles to Andrew Vaughn and Yoán Moncada after being staked to an early 4-0 lead. The right-hander struck out six and walked two.

Smith went deep on his bobblehead night, sending a 413-foot blast to the left-field pavilion that scored Freddie Freeman, who walked.

Tony Gonsolin #26 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the Chicago White Sox

MARINERS 9, MARLINS 3

George Kirby struck out a career-high 10 as Seattle beat Miami.

Kirby (6-5) retired the first 13 batters. He worked six innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run.

Cal Raleigh hit a three-run homer in the second inning off Edward Cabrera (5-5) and Mike Ford homered twice for the Mariners, the second multi-homer game of his career and first since Aug. 26, 2019.

Miami’s Luis Arraez, the MLB batting leader, went 0-for-5 to drop his average to .384.

Seattle Mariners starter George Kirby watches a throws to a Miami Marlins batter in the fifth

PADRES 6, GUARDIANS 3

Gary Sánchez hit a three-run home run, his sixth homer since joining the Padres on May 30, as San Diego beat Cleveland.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his 13th homer for San Diego. Joe Musgrove (4-2) surrendered three runs on seven hits over six innings. Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth for his 16th save.

Tanner Bibee (2-2) allowed six runs over four innings.