Twins rookie starter David Festa wasn't hit around during the Twins' 6-1 loss in their series opener to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. He felt he beat himself.

Festa lasted only 3⅔ innings, requiring 75 pitches, and he gave up three runs on three hits and three walks.

Walks were a common theme for Twins pitchers, setting a season high with nine free passes, and their offense wasn't any better at Target Field. Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, along with relievers John King and Ryan Fernandez, didn't allow a hit after the third inning while retiring 19 of the final 20 Twins batters.

The Twins slipped to third place in the American League Central, falling a game behind the Kansas City Royals. They remain two games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians.

"Too many deep counts and just not efficient," Festa lamented.

Festa must improve maneuvering through lineups multiple times. When hitters see him for the first time, he is near unhittable. He struck out four batters with zero hits and one walk in his first trip through the Cardinals lineup.

Facing hitters for a second time has been a challenge. Festa issued a one-out walk in the third inning, then gave up an RBI single to Masyn Winn, the Cardinals' leadoff batter.

During the fourth inning, Festa surrendered a leadoff double to Willson Contreras and he walked Brendan Donovan. After Contreras led a successful double steal, Lars Nootbaar hit a two-run double to right field. Hitters are producing .393 batting average against him during their second turn through the batting order.

"Even the first time around, I don't think I was efficient enough," Festa said. "I didn't get a lot of first pitch, second pitch outs. After three innings, it was [56] pitches and they only had one hit and a walk. I don't think it had anything to do with the second time around more than just battling and putting together really good at-bats."

It didn't help Festa that the bullpen is in a rough stretch. Jorge Alcala, pitching for the first time since coughing up a four-run lead last Sunday in Texas, allowed a homer to Brendan Donovan on the fifth pitch of his outing. He's allowed three homers in his last two outings, and he issued a pair of two-out walks.

"Five heaters in a row, even if you're a hard thrower, there's probably not too many scenarios where you're probably going five heaters in a row," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "I think Donovan timed him up pretty good and got on top of a fastball good, and that's it."

Trevor Richards, the Twins' lone trade acquisition, walked three batters, including one with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. In 11 innings since joining the club, he's yielded 10 walks and six wild pitches.

All five Twins pitchers walked at least one batter. Their nine walks were their highest total in a game since Aug. 19, 2023.

The Twins had a 1-0 lead in the second inning. They loaded the bases with one out after singles from Ryan Jeffers and Max Kepler, and Edouard Julien drew a walk. Austin Martin followed with a slow chopper to third base, which he beat out for an infield RBI single.

Willi Castro nearly followed the same formula, bouncing a ground ball to first base, but Kepler was thrown out at the plate. Kepler opted to slide feet first, instead of continuing to run through the plate, and his lead foot popped up and he didn't touch the plate despite being a touch faster than Paul Goldschmidt's throw.

Trevor Larnach ended the second-inning threat when he struck out, one of his three strikeouts against Pallante. The Twins didn't have another runner reach second base until Matt Wallner drew a walk in the ninth inning and advanced on defensive indifference.

Pallante, who gave up five hits and one run in seven innings, retired his final 13 batters.

"He's got a unique type of fastball is what he has," Baldelli said. "Maybe it is a four-seamer but the way he throws it, it's a cutting fastball, like a true cutting four-seam fastball. He's had good success against left-handers this year, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to stack your lineup with righties every time. We sent some left-handers out there, and a few right-handers too, but he did a number on us."