Twins snap a three-game skid with 8-3 win over Miami and send the Marlins to their 100th loss

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota's Manuel Margot scored from second in a five-run seventh inning on one of four Miami errors and the Twins rallied to beat the Marlins 8-3 on Wednesday night.

Christian Vázquez’s sacrifice bunt in the seventh was thrown wide of first base, allowing Margot to score. Carlos Correa followed with an RBI double that scored Vázquez, and Carlos Santana added a three-run double as Minnesota snapped a three-game losing streak and sent Miami to its 100th loss of the season for the fourth time in franchise history.

The Twins kept their playoff hopes alive. Minnesota is two games games behind Detroit in the race for the AL's final wild card with four games to play. Detroit, Kansas City (which owns the second wild card) and Seattle, which trails the Twins by a half-game, were all victorious on Wednesday.

Another short start by Minnesota rookie Simeon Woods Richardson necessitated the comeback. Jake Burger hit a three-run homer for the Marlins three batters into the game, and Miami’s first five hitters reached base in the first.

“There’s some tough-mindedness there,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “And the guys stayed at it. It’s not easy when you are down and you’re down early. It is a challenging thing. We almost pretend like it’s not, but it is. It is. But the ability to refocus our attention on what we needed to do was very good.”

Griffin Jax (5-5) worked 1 1/3 innings of relief and earned the win for Minnesota. Six Twins relievers covered eight innings and allowed five hits and no walks.

Marlins right-hander Declan Cronin allowed the inherited runner to score in the seventh after Brooks Lee had doubled off the right-field wall against Michael Peterson (3-1). Peterson allowed one run in one-plus innings. Cronin surrendered four unearned runs.

Woods Richardson finishes his first full season in the majors with a 5-5 record and 4.17 ERA. He was 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in the first half before pitching to a 5.23 ERA in the second half.

“Baseball happened,” Woods Richardson said of his start. “But what also happened is the bullpen put up zeroes. We got a great team win. We never gave up today. Each pitch, each out, each quality AB we have, we never gave up.”

Byron Buxton homered for the Twins, snapping a stretch of 67 consecutive innings for the team without a home run. Minnesota hadn’t homered since Willi Castro went deep in the eighth against Cleveland on Oct. 17.

“As long as we win, that’s all that matters,” Buxton said.

Edward Cabrera allowed three runs in five innings in a start for Miami. The 26-year-old right-hander was coming off a seven-run start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but had a 3.71 ERA in his previous 12 starts since the All-Star break.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Matt Wallner was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain, and RHP Justin Topa (left patellar tendinitis) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Topa, acquired in the January trade that sent Jorge Polanco to Seattle, had missed the entire season before pitching the ninth. RHP Jorge Alcala and Austin Martin were recalled from Triple-A, with LHP Brent Headrick options and LHP Cole Irvin designated for assignment.

UP NEXT

RHP David Festa (2-6, 4.80 ERA) starts for Minnesota in the finale of the three-game series on Thursday. Miami counters with RHP Valente Bellozo (3-4, 3.82).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Minnesota Twins pitcher Justin Topa, right, celebrates with catcher Christian Vazquez after defeating the Miami Marlins 8-3 during a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 8-3. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Miami Marlins' Jake Burger, right, is safe at second on a double as Minnesota Twins second baseman Brooks Lee misses the tag during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 8-3. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Twins' Brooks Lee celebrates after hitting a double against Miami Marlins pitcher Michael Petersen during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 8-3. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana hits a three-run double as Miami Marlins catcher Jhonny Pereda looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. Royce Lewis, Trever Larnach and Carlos Correa scored as the Twins won 8-3. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Twins' Christian Vazquez (8) bunts allowing Manuel Margot to score against the Miami Marlins during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 8-3. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson throws against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Miami Marlins' Jake Burger, right, celebrates with Jesus Sanchez after hitting a three-run home run against Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. Connor Norby and Xavier Edwards also scored. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his family waved to a crowd of flag-waving New Year’s well-wishers gathered at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Friday.

Standing with his wife Masako and the rest of the royal family, he wished a happy new year to people lined up below the palace balcony, some shouting, “banzai" — Japanese for "long live.”

The annual New Year’s appearance by the emperor and his family draws huge crowds to the palace’s usually cloistered grounds in central Tokyo.

People stand in long lines, weathering the cold, for each of the five appearances during the day, as the imperial family remains relatively popular.

The emperor does not have political power but holds symbolic significance for Japan. He and his family are longtime advocates for peace, although World War II was fought in the name of Naruhito’s grandfather Hirohito.

In a statement released in advance, Naruhito noted that last year marked 80 years since the end of that war. He stressed the importance of the message of peace, given that war and strife continued in parts of the world.

“I deeply feel it’s important to continue with efforts among people for dialogue, trying to deepen mutual understanding, so we can build a world of peace,” he said in the statement.

In both the statement and comments Friday, he spoke about recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rainfall and snow, and forest fires.

In 2024, the annual appearance was canceled because of a New Year’s Day quake in the Noto Peninsula, a coastal area in central Japan, which killed hundreds of people. In 2021 and 2022, it got canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Princess Aiko, the imperial couple's only child, appeared with her parents at this year’s greeting, as did other relatives. She is at the center of a national debate about rules allowing only men to inherit to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

The presence of Naruhito’s nephew, Hisahito, also drew attention, as he now takes part in adult imperial events and is a possible heir to the throne. He is second in line after his father, the emperor’s brother.

Akihito, Naruhito’s father and emperor emeritus who abdicated in 2019, was also there with his wife Michiko, the emperor’s mother.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama

Japan's Princess Kako and Prince Hisahito, daughter and son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito greets well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)