MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andre Pallante retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced over seven strong innings and Lars Nootbaar hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the fourth inning, leading the St. Louis Cardinals past the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Friday night.
Brendan Donovan homered, Masyn Wynn had two RBIs and Luken Baker drew three of nine walks by the Cardinals, who won their third straight game after falling 12 games behind NL Central leader Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Pallante (6-6) completed seven innings for the second consecutive start, a career first for the 25-year-old. He left the bases loaded after one run scored with one out in the second inning and never let another runner reach scoring position to send the Twins to their fourth loss in their last five games.
Minnesota began a nine-game homestand tied with Kansas City in second place in the AL Central, two games behind leader Cleveland. The Twins hold the final wild-card spot, 3 1/2 games ahead of Boston.
Pallante, with his unorthodox windup featuring a hitch and a leg kick before a deliberate and reared-back delivery, gave up five hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Trevor Larnach fanned in all three at-bats and Royce Lewis went 0 for 3 with three broken bats.
Twins starter David Festa (2-3) lasted only 3 2/3 innings and left trailing 3-1. The 13th-round draft pick in 2021 out of Seton Hall has helped stabilize the back of the rotation along with fellow rookies Simeon Woods Richardson and Zebby Matthews with Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack sidelined by injuries, but Festa has yet to make it to the sixth.
Opponents are hitting .134 (9 for 67) in their first at-bats against right-hander and .393 (24 for 61) in the second at-bats.
Winn’s two-out RBI single tied the game in the second inning, after rookie Victor Scott II beat the relay throw to avert a double play off a high-bouncing comebacker, stole second base — one of four steals by the Cardinals — and scored on the line drive to left-center.
The Cardinals played just their seventh regular season game at Target Field, which is open for its 15th season. The only active ballparks they’ve played at less frequently are Yankee Stadium, which opened in New York in 2009, and Globe Life Field, which opened in 2020 in Texas.
STILL WORKING
The Twins remained without center fielder Byron Buxton (hip inflammation) and shortstop Carlos Correa (plantar fasciitis), who are both continuing through a rehabilitation program to get them as healthy as possible for the stretch run. Buxton has missed the last 10 games. Correa has been out since the All-Star break. Manager Rocco Baldelli said both players were progressing.
The Twins started Triple-A rehab assignments for outfielder Alex Kirilloff (back strain) and infielder Brooks Lee (bicep tendinitis). Kirilloff has missed 2 1/2 months. Lee has been out for two weeks.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (11-8, 3.91 ERA) will pitch on Saturday night against his most recent former team, opposite Twins RHP Pablo López (11-8, 4.47 ERA). López and Gray were both All-Stars last year.
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