Twins drop fourth straight as Braves finish off sweep at Target Field

The dumpster fire keeps burning for the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota dropped its fourth straight loss and were swept by the Atlanta Braves Wednesday night at Target Field, losing 5-1. It's the first time Minnesota has been swept in a three-game series this season since June 4-6 against the New York Yankees.

Rookie starting pitcher David Festa went the longest he's gone so far this season for the Twins, pitching six-plus innings while only allowing two runs, two hits, one walk and striking out seven.

Festa walked the Braves' Marcell Ozuna to lead off the seventh inning and was pulled by manager Rocco Baldelli, who went to a bullpen that has been anything but reliable as of late.

The Twins' offense also struggled against National League Cy Young award candidate Chris Sale, who picked up his 12th career win against Minnesota. He pitched six innings, allowing six hits, one run, one walk and struck out six. He's now 15-3 on the season with a 2.58 ERA, which leads the NL.

Related: Twins look to avoid sweep against NL Cy Young award candidate Chris Sale

Atlanta got off to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, off a Jorge Soler home run, his 17th of the season. Soler was 0-for his last 18 at-bats before he took Festa deep.

It took some time but the Twins were able to finally get something going against Sale in the bottom of the sixth, as Manuel Margot doubled to center and Ryan Jeffers followed that up with a single to right. However, Soler's throw hosed Margot at home.

Margot appeared to get a bad jump from second and Jeffers' hit was hit hard, resulting in the easy out at home. However, after a José Miranda single and Carlos Santana popout, Willi Castro singled home Jeffers from second to tie the ballgame at one.

The inning ended on a Christian Vázquez strikeout.

Then came the seventh inning, when Festa walked Ozuna leading off and was replaced by southpaw Caleb Thielbar. Festa pitched well, as according to Baseball Savant, he generated a 42.9 whiff percentage on his changeup against the Braves hitters.

Thielbar immediately gave up a double to the Braves Matt Olson that scored Ozuna from first. Ramón Laureano singled the next at-bat, driving home Olson to make it a 3-1 game. Thielbar then struck out Michael Harris II and was replaced by Jorge Alcala.

Orlando Arcia singled to move Laureano to third and then Sean Murphy reached on a fielder's choice while Laureano was tagged out at home plate. Umpires initially ruled Laureano safe but it was overturned after replay review following a challenge by Minnesota.

Atlanta's Luke Williams then drove in both Arcia and Murphy off double to left to make it 5-1 Braves.

Minnesota's bats fell silent the rest of the way. The Twins are now 1-5 in the current homestand and 2-8 in their last 10 games. Injuries continue to hinder the team as Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa remain out and the bullpen is showing wear and tear as the team approaches the final month of play.

Minnesota dropped to 3.5 games back of the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central and 2.5 back of the second-place Kansas City Royals. As for the AL Wild Card race, the Twins remain three games ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the third spot.

The Twins will get a day off Thursday before starting a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field on Friday night.