ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Twins’ chances to get where they want to go rest largely on a rotation now filled with three rookies.

So if there’s something positive to take from Tuesday night’s 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, it’s the fact that rookie David Festa has started looking every bit the top pitching prospect that the Twins thought he would be.

Festa went five innings on Tuesday, struck out seven and gave up just two earned runs. Since returning to the big leagues in early July, he now has a 3.13 earned run average and has struck out 50 in 37 1/3 innings.

The two runs he gave up both came in the fourth inning, the first scoring on a slicing hit towards Austin Martin in left field that he seemed to get a late jump on. The second run scored a couple batters later when a ball deflected by first baseman Carlos Santana wound up in the outfield.

On some nights, that kind of performance might have been enough.

Not on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Festa had limited run support as the Twins’ offense mustered just four hits through the first eight innings off starter Jeffrey Springs and reliever Drew Rasmussen. They finished with six hits total.

Two were from Santana, who hit his 19th home run of the season in the second inning and led off the ninth with a single.

That single was the Twins’ first hit since the fifth inning and began a ninth-inning rally that saw them put two runners on base with no outs. But they were unable to advance either runner with Brooks Lee and Willi Castro striking out and Christian Vázquez grounding out to end the game.

Austin Martin #82 of the Minnesota Twins can’t make the catch on a ball hit by Jonathan Aranda (not pictured) of the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth inning at Tropicana Field on Sept. 03, 2024 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays’ Christopher Morel dives back safely to first base ahead of the tag by Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Santana (30) on a pickoff attempt during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)