WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Festa fell behind 2-0 to four of the first six batters he faced on Thursday. All four of them scored, three coming on a Max Muncy home run. But he settled down in the second inning and, it seemed, for a brief second, as if he could be on the Zebby Matthews path.

Festa, who has struck out 15 batters and posted a 1.38 ERA in 13 MLB innings, is expected to face the Athletics in the series finale.

It was about 11 p.m. in St. Paul when Pablo López walked off the mound in Sacramento, and after midnight when the Twins realized the righthander’s shoulder strain would likely require a stint on the injured list.