NEW YORK -- Their rotation ravaged, the Mets handed the ball to a rookie for his first major league start.Their late-inning relievers run down, they allowed a 33-year-old left-handed specialist to face the big leagues No. 2 home-run hitter with two outs in the ninth.With veterans tired after an extra-inning win, backups filled many of the starting spots.In yet another surprising September turn, Gabriel Ynoa struck out eight over 4 2/3 innings, Jerry Blevins fanned Brian Dozier to complete a four-out save and New York completed a three-game sweep of the woeful Minnesota Twins with a 3-2 victory Sunday.Michael Conforto drove in two runs with a first-inning, opposite-field single to left, his first multi-RBI game since June 8. T.J. Rivera, a Bronx-born 27-year-old rookie, added a third-inning homer off Kyle Gibson (6-10).This is our season in a nutshell, Blevins said.A season-high 11 games over .500, the Mets won for the 11th time in 14 games despite benching Jose Reyes, Asdrubal Cabrera, James Loney, Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce from the starting lineup after Saturdays late-night win, powered by Grandersons home runs in the 11th and 12th innings.New York opened a one-game lead over San Francisco for the NL wild-card lead, with St. Louis another game back. The Mets 13 remaining games are against teams with losing records: Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami.Youve got to have guys that when they get the opportunity come through, Mets manager Terry Collins said.So under-the-radar that he is able to ride in a scooter from his Manhattan apartment to the subway, then scoot the short distance from the subway to the players entrance at Citi Field, Blevins wants to make up for last year. He was limited to seven games after his left arm was broken by a line drive in April, then fractured again when he slipped off a curb in August. He lost a chance to pitch against left-handers in October.The Royals have a ton of them, so that was heartbreaking for me as a competitor, he said.With closer Jeurys Familia and set-up man Addison Reed unavailable, Blevins retired pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar on a popup to strand Robbie Grossman at third in the eighth inning.He struck out John Ryan Murphy starting the ninth, then got pinch-hitter Joe Mauer to pop out. After a mound visit by pitching coach Dan Warthen, Blevins threw a pair of called strikes to Dozier and got him to swing over a curveball in the dirt.Hes done it 41 times. He wanted to tie the ballgame up, Blevins said. So you try to give him something that looks like a strike and make him chase.New Yorks sixth pitcher, Blevins got his fourth career save and second this year. Dozier had extended his hitting streak to 22 games with a fifth-inning single that chased Ynoa.Ynoa started in place of 2014 NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, likely out for the rest of the year because of an injury to the ulnar nerve in his right elbow that probably will require surgery. Ynoa entered with a 15.19 ERA in six relief appearances and became the Mets 11th starter this season.He allowed four hits, one walk and Murphys sacrifice fly in the second.I was informed yesterday and I prepared myself mentally on the fly, he said through a translator.After a strong start as a rookie last year, Conforto was demoted to Triple-A twice this season and entered Sunday hitting .214. Rivera spent six seasons in the minors before making his debut Aug. 10.You visualize this moment all your life, Rivera said.Erik Goeddel (2-1) struck out Kennys Vargas to strand the bases loaded in the fifth, and Vargas cut the lead to one when he homered in the eighth against Fernando Salas, a drive off the Wise billboard above the bullpens. Blevins then held on.Were in a position where if we play well, play the way we know we can the rest of the way, Conforto said, well be playing playoff baseball.GIDDY-UPAfter riding a horse at spring training one day, Cespedes is to visit Cespedes, a thoroughbred named after him, at Belmont Park on Tuesday.LATE SHOWGranderson joined Philadelphias John Mayberry Jr. (June 4, 2013) and St. Louis Matt Adams (Sept. 4, 2013) as the only players in the last 25 years to go deep twice in extra innings in the same game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.TRAINERS ROOMLucas Duda went 0 for 2 in his return from a stress fracture in his lower back, an injury that had sidelined him since May 20. ... Juan Lagares, coming off left thumb surgery, played center field in the ninth, his first appearance since July 28. ... LF Yoenis Cespedes left after six innings because of a nausea and dizziness. ... Collins wanted to play Wilmer Flores (wrist), but the infielder was unable to swing a bat. Flores has not played since Sept. 10. ... Collins said LHP Steve Matz (left shoulder tightness) could take this rotation turn the next time it comes up, which would be his first appearance since Aug. 14.UP NEXTMets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (13-8) starts on five days rest in Mondays series opener against Atlanta and RHP Aaron Blair (0-6). Syndergaard has a 1.36 ERA in his last six starts. Asics Shoes Clearance Sale .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Cheap Wholesale Asics .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. http://www.cheapasics.net/ . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Asics Shoes Discount Online . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Asics Shoes Discount Sale . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. DETROIT -- Chris Tillman is back from the disabled list -- and looks ready to help the Baltimore Orioles in their push for the playoffs.Tillman pitched six impressive innings, and Michael Bourn and Jonathan Schoop homered off Justin Verlander to lead the Orioles to a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The Baltimore right-hander hadnt pitched since Aug. 20 because of right shoulder bursitis.He didnt look very rusty, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Its a really good lineup, too, he went through.Baltimore and the Toronto Blue Jays are now tied in the standings and occupy both wild-card spots in the American League. Theyre two games behind first-place Boston in the AL East, and the Orioles are now headed to Fenway Park for a three-game series with the Red Sox.Detroit fell two games behind the wild cards. The New York Yankees are also two back of the Orioles and Blue Jays.Tillman (16-5) allowed a run and four hits after being activated before the game. He struck out four and walked one.It was definitely a little bit of rust there, but I feel like we were able to work through it, Tillman said. You get kind of bored and frustrated sitting on the bench that long, and not being able to help the team.Three relievers finished for the Orioles, with Zach Britton pitching the ninth for his 41st save in 41 chances. Britton retired pinch-hitter Casey McGehee with two on for the final out, taking sole possession of the AL saves lead.Verlander (14-8) lasted only five innings, ending his streak of 11 straight quality starts.The Orioles lead the majors with 226 home runs, but Bourn has only two of them. His two-run shot off Verlander in the third opened the scoring.Bourn is 14 for 37 (.378) in his career off Verlander, but this was the first time hed gone deep against the Detroit rigght-hander.ddddddddddddSchoops 23rd homer of the season made it 3-0 in the fourth, and Detroits only run came on Ian Kinslers RBI single in the fifth.The Tigers put runners on first and second in the eighth before Miguel Cabrera bounced into an inning-ending double play against Mychal Givens. They had runners at first and second in the ninth when James McCann struck out and McGehee grounded out to end it.Cabrera went 0 for 4 and failed to hit the ball out of the infield.Verlander allowed three runs and seven hits in his second loss since the All-Star break.BACK AND FORTHMark Trumbo grounded out to the shortstop to lead off the second, and Cabrera had to position himself awkwardly at first to receive a bouncing throw from Jose Iglesias. Trumbo and Cabrera appeared to exchange words after the play.Miggy was like, `What am I supposed to do? His job is to catch the ball and be on the base, Verlander said. I dont really know what their issue was on that.Trumbo didnt have much to say about it after the game.He had given me a restaurant recommendation, Trumbo said.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: Jordan Zimmermann, hit hard Saturday in his return from a neck injury, will not make his next start Thursday against Minnesota. Manager Brad Ausmus said hell throw an 80-pitch simulated game Wednesday.I definitely understand the reasoning, Zimmermann said. We cant afford to lose games right now.UP NEXTOrioles: Baltimore heads to Boston, and LHP Wade Miley (8-12) starts Monday night for the Orioles against David Price (15-8).Tigers: Detroit hosts a four-game set against Minnesota. LHP Daniel Norris (2-2) takes the mound for the Tigers on Monday night against Ervin Santana (7-10). ' ' '