Mets drop their 12th straight as Devin Williams struggles again in 5-3 loss to Twins

NEW YORK (AP) — Embattled Mets closer Devin Williams allowed a tiebreaking RBI single to Luke Keaschall in the ninth inning, and New York lost its 12th consecutive game, falling 5-3 to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

The Mets' skid is their longest since they dropped 12 straight from Aug. 10-23, 2002. No team has made the playoffs after a season in which it lost 12 in a row.

Matt Wallner followed Keaschall by drawing a bases-loaded walk off Williams (0-1), who didn’t retire any of the five batters he faced before being booed off the mound. Williams has allowed seven runs while recording four outs in his last three appearances.

The Mets were in position to end their streak when Nolan McLean retired the first 15 Twins batters and Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer in the third to give the Mets their biggest lead since April 5, when they beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2.

The homer was Lindor’s first with a man on base since last Aug. 15 — one day before McLean’s debut.

Wallner led off the sixth with a single off McLean and Byron Buxton homered with two outs. Keaschall tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.

A quartet of Twins pitchers retired the final 14 Mets in order. Cole Sands (1-1) tossed the last two innings.

McLean allowed three runs and struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings. Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson gave up three runs and struck out two in five innings.

LHP Connor Prielipp will make his major league debut on Wednesday for the Twins in place of Richardson, who was moved up in place of the injured Mick Abel. RHP Clay Holmes (2-2, 1.96 ERA) is set to pitch for the Mets.

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

Minnesota Twins' Kody Clemens (2) gestures to Luke Keaschall after Keaschall hit an RBI single during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Tyrone Taylor (28) reacts after striking out to end a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Minnesota Twins' Luke Keaschall (15) celebrates with teammates Byron Buxton (25) andn Austin Martin (16) after a baseball game against the New York Mets Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

A New York Mets fan watches during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets pitcher Devin Williams, right, hands the ball to manager Carlos Mendoza as he leaves during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The coach of Iran's World Cup team said it was ordered to leave the U.S. and return to its training base in Mexico only a few hours after opening its politically charged tournament by playing to a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday night.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei didn't say who ordered the Iranians to leave earlier than planned. The team had expected to spend the night in California to maximize the normal recovery process after its opening game, only to be told after the match that everyone must immediately get on a plane for the 140-mile trip back to Tijuana.

“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, (but) we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that.”

The Iranians’ World Cup cycle has been in upheaval since the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran ultimately decided to compete even after FIFA rejected its request to move its three group-stage matches out of the U.S.

“We don’t know why they are returning us, to be honest,” Ghalenoei said. “I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere. We were supposed to come two nights before the game, and we were supposed to stay tonight to recover and return tomorrow at lunchtime. We have no idea why.

"I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup.”

Captain Mehdi Taremi and Ghalenoei both decried the team's lack of many important staff members — including the president of Iran's football federation, coaching support personnel and media officials — who were denied visas by the U.S., amplifying the team's difficult preparations.

“We have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us,” Taremi said about an hour after the match. “I think FIFA have to help us more than this. ... Everything is like a disaster, actually, for us.”

Iran opened its World Cup with a disappointing draw despite overcoming two deficits and getting the tying goal from Mohammad Mohebbi in the 64th minute in front of a solidly pro-Iranian crowd despite the presence of many Iranian American fans engaged in protest against Iran's government.

Iran's next match is also at SoFi Stadium against Belgium on Sunday.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

An attendees holds an Iranian flag with an "X" on it before the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Iran's Arya Yousefi (17) and New Zealand's Joe Bell (6) battle for the ball during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Iran's Milad Mohammadi (5) jumps over New Zealand's Callum McCowatt (20) during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Iran's Ramin Rezaeian (23) celebrates after scoring a goal during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Iran's Ramin Rezaeian (23) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Iran and New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)