David Festa fans 10 but Saints blow five-run lead in 7-5 setback to Bats
David Festa tied the Saints’ single-game record with 10 strikeouts and pitched into the fifth inning for the first time at the Triple-A level, but St. Paul fell to Louisville on Tuesday, 7-5, in front of 4,636 at CHS Field.
Patrick Winkel hit a grand slam in the Saints’ five-run first inning, but Louisville right-hander Lyon Richardson followed with four scoreless innings and five bats relievers combined to shut out St. Paul for the final four innings. Right-hander Brooks Kriske (3-0) pitched two-thirds of the sixth inning, fanning one, to earn the win.
Festa, the Twins’ fifth-rated prospect according to MLB.com, surrendered two runs on three hits and a walk in five innings. The right-hander struck out the side in the first on the way to 10 strikeouts, tying the Saints’ single-game record set by Twins reliever Griffin Jax on May 28, 2021, at Iowa.
Making his second rehab appearance, Justin Topa started the sixth inning by hitting Blake Dunn, who stole second and scored on a single to right by Rese Hinds to pull Louisville within 5-3. Topa gave up three runs on three hits and a walk and was charged with a blown save.
Dunn’s RBI single in the seventh scored the go-ahead run.
The teams meet in the second game of a six-game series Wednesday at 6:37 p.m. Right-hander Joe Gunkel (0-3, 8.47 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Saints.
