Festa walked one and struck out one in 1.1 scoreless innings of relief Wednesday to record his first save of the season in a 10-2 win over the Royals.
The right-hander got the final out of the eighth inning with the Guardians ahead 5-2, then watched his offense erupt for five more runs in the bottom of the frame, eliminating the need for closer Cade Smith to work the ninth. Festa has had a bumpy beginning to the season, getting tagged for runs in two of his five appearances, but Wednesday's usage was encouraging, even before he backed into the save. Through six innings, he sports a 6.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 5:1 K:BB.