SAN FRANCISCO — The first part of the Twins’ season was defined by streakiness — a poor start was followed by a 12-game winning streak, and then, eventually, a seven-game losing streak.

The second part has featured much more consistent play as the Twins’ offense has settled in and emerged as one of the best in the game, helping the team, at one point, to six straight series wins.

But a recent spate of injuries has diminished the Twins’ lineup, leaving them limping into the break with two of their best hitters — Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda — on the injured list and another two — Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton — hurting on the bench.

That’s part of the reason why the Twins almost found themselves on the wrong side of history on Sunday.

Manuel Margot’s single to lead off the seventh inning broke up former Cy Young winner Blake Snell’s bid for perfection. But even after Margot doubled home a pair of runs to tie the game in the ninth, the Twins still fell 3-2 in a dramatic walk-off loss in the final game of the first half to the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.

Margot had two of the Twins’ three hits in the loss, one in which the Twins fell behind in the second inning after Carlos Santana could not catch what should have been the third out of the inning on a double-play attempt.

Instead, Santana got an error and an unearned run would eventually be charged to starting pitcher Chris Paddack, who allowed a walk and a single before getting out of the inning.

Paddack gave up another run an inning later, the only two blemishes in his five innings of work.

But Snell, his former teammate, on the other side, was nearly perfect. He cruised through his seven innings of work, striking out eight in the process.

After shortstop Brett Wisely made a diving stop on a Christian Vázquez groundball up the middle and threw him out in the sixth inning, it looked as if history could be on his side.

It wasn’t to be for Snell.

The Twins made noise in the top of the ninth with Diego A. Castillo, called up with Miranda on the injured list, drawing a walk to begin the inning and pinch hitter Trevor Larnach doubling, setting the table for Margot.

Margot’s double brought home both runners — Buxton, dealing with an elbow issue, pinch ran for Larnach — but the Twins were unable to bring him home.

Margot’s ill-advised dive at a ball hit to center by Mike Yastrzemski in the bottom of the ninth allowed the right fielder to get to third. While he was standing on third, Brooks Lee’s relay throw went out of play and Yastrzemski came home to score the game-winning run.

Despite the loss for the Twins, they wrapped up the first half 54-42, on a 91-win pace and 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians and in the position to win a Wild Card berth.

“I love where our team is at,” Correa said earlier in the weekend. “I really enjoy watching us play day in and day out. I feel like our lineup is a top-3 lineup in the game depending on what numbers you want to look at. It’s fun to see all the young guys rising to the occasion, getting better, showing improvements, showing why the organization believed in them. I’m very excited for the future.”

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