MINNEAPOLIS — The Red Sox did not lack opportunities to extend their win streak on Wednesday night, putting pressure on the Twins throughout the game.
But those chances were all too often missed in a 5-4, 10-inning loss before a crowd of 23,912 at Target Field.
The Sox left two runners on base in the top of the 10th inning then watched helplessly as Kyle Farmer’s single off Kaleb Ort won the game for the Twins.
The Twins executed perfectly. With ghost runner Willi Castro on second to start the inning, the Sox intentionally walked old friend Christian Vazquez. Michael A. Taylor bunted the runners over.
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Sox manager Alex Cora went to the mound and called in center fielder Jarren Duran as part of the conference. The intent was for Duran to play shallow enough to prevent a run. But Ort left a slider over the plate and Farmer lined it to center. Duran played the ball on one hop, far too late to get Castro at the plate.
“Didn’t happen,” Cora said.
There was some consideration to having Duran play on the infield but it wasn’t something Cora was comfortable trying on the run. Given that Ort was unable to execute, it wouldn’t have mattered.
The Sox were 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base as their win streak ended at six games.
“We didn’t do much. We had a lot of opportunities and didn’t cash in,” Cora said.
The Sox hit .377 with runners in scoring position during their streak.
Garrett Whitlock allowed four runs on eight hits over seven innings and struck out six without a walk. He left trailing, 4-3.
“I think our offense did their job. That was on me for giving up four runs,” said Whitlock, never one to duck responsibility.
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The Sox tied the game against hard-throwing Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning, getting Whitlock off the hook.
Masataka Yoshida drew a walk and was replaced at first base by David Hamilton, who was recalled earlier in the day from Triple A. Hamilton had a productive debut, stealing second and scoring on a double to the gap in left-center by Triston Casas.
“He’s a difference maker with that speed,” Whitlock said of Hamilton.
Justin Turner was 2 for 3 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs for the Sox.
The Red Sox will be without catcher Reese McGuire for at least a few weeks. He left the game in the sixth inning after straining an oblique muscle on his right side taking a swing.
McGuire is expected to be placed on the injured list before the final game of the series on Thursday afternoon.
The Sox outscored the Twins, 19-7, in the first two games of the series. The pace was a bit less frenetic on Wednesday.
Turner drew a two-out walk off Twins starter Sonny Gray in the first inning and stole second. He scored when Rafael Devers doubled to center field.
In the second inning, the Twins scored a pair of runs to take their first lead of the series.
Byron Buxton led off with a double to right-center. Max Kepler followed with a bouncer that found its way to center field and drove in Buxton. With two outs, Vázquez hit a low line drive that ate up Kiké Hernández at shortstop and deflected into center field. Kepler took third and scored when Duran threw the ball to second base instead of the plate.
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The Sox tied the game in the third on a 447-foot homer by Turner that hit the facing of the third deck in left field. It was his 11th of the season.
The Twins came right back against Whitlock in the bottom of the inning.
Edouard Julien doubled off the wall in the left field corner, just missing a home run. He moved to third on a fly ball to deep left and scored on Carlos Correa’s slow grounder to third base.
The Sox tied the game in the fifth when Alex Verdugo led off with a triple to right field and scored on Turner’s single. Verdugo has four triples this season after having five over his first six big league seasons.
The Twins lost left fielder Joey Gallo and manager Rocco Baldelli to ejections in the fourth inning.
Gallo struck out looking at a changeup from Whitlock that was up and a bit over the plate. Gallo was tossed by umpire David Rackley. Baldelli showed plus speed coming out of the dugout and was soon ejected. After returning to the dugout, Baldelli came back out for more, a display that included throwing his cap to the delight of the crowd.
Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.