Trevor May was cruising for the Twins early in Baltimore tonight, as he had struck five through the first three scoreless innings. But in the fourth the wheels fell off, as he plunked Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz consecutively to load the bases. He struck out old friend(?) Delmon Young, but a walked another, J.J. Hardy, to bring in the game’s first run. Chris Davis then launched a 3-1 pitch for a Grand Slam, and a 5-0 Orioles lead May and the Twins would not recover from.

<rant> Of note in this game, was a Delmon Young (finger quotes) Home Run (/finger quotes). Replays on TV clearly showed not only fan interference to Jordan Schafer’s leaping attempt for the catch, but also the fact that said fan also caught the ball well in front of and below the wall. Ron Gardenhire had the umpires take a second look, and the home run call was inexplicably and embarrassingly upheld. I only bring this up because Major League Baseball should be ashamed. If the (finger quotes) replay official (/finger quotes) in New York is not looking at the same replays we see on TV, this is a major problem with how the system works and needs to be fixed. Gardenhire’s comments after the game on the subject were perfect, and I disagree with Roy Smalley. It was conclusive evidence. It obviously didn’t cost the Twins the game, but it is unfathomable to me with the technology we have that something like this can be botched. </rant>

In the Minors, Rochester continued its hunt for a playoff spot, two affiliates had games rained out or ended early, and there wasn’t much hitting across the board. Check it out!

RED WINGS REPORT

Buffalo 2, Rochester 3

Box Score

Locked in battle for a Wild Card in the International League, this was a must win game for the Red Wings.

Seam Gilmartin took the hill for Rochester, and put them in a hole by allowing two singles to start the game, with a run scoring on Sac Fly. The next two innings were scoreless for Gilmartin as he induced a double play and struck out two.

In Rochester’s half of the third inning, Eric Farris provided some fireworks. After a leadoff single from Chris Rahl, Farris blasted a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall, and 2-1 Red Wings lead.

Unfortunately, Gilmartin gave it right back after three singles for Buffalo in the fourth. He would pitch into the sixth inning before being replaced by A.J. Achter with one out. Achter gave up a single to the first batter he faced, but would retire the next five.

In the bottom of the sixth, Chris Colabello added an insurance run for Rochester when he doubled into the corner in right field, and two wild pitches later crossed home plate.

Aaron Thompson relieved Achter in eighth with one out and a man on base, and recorded out number two on a fielder’s choice, but would be replaced by Stephen Pryor with men on first and second. A wild pitch put the tying run on third base, but Pryor struck out Buffalo’s Matt Hague to end the threat.

Hague and Bisons Manager Gary Allenson were ejected for arguing the call.

Lester Oliveros worked a perfect ninth inning with a strikeout to earn the save, and put the Red Wings in front of the Bisons in the Wild Card standings.

The team in front of them, the Pawtucket Red Sox, also won on Friday night however, so Rochester remains two games back with three games to play. Luckily for them, their last two games of the season are against Pawtucket, so they control their destiny at this point.

ROCK CATS REVIEW

New Hampshire 4, New Britain 3

Box Score

Reynaldo Rodriguez (21) and Tony Thomas (12) homered for New Britain, but as a team they only collected four other hits in the game. Stephen Wickens was 2-4 with a double and the other Rock Cats RBI.

Pat Dean started and was fantastic, pitching seven quality innings. He allowed just two runs on seven hits, and struck out two. Madison Boer worked a clean eighth and pitched into the ninth inning before Manager Jeff Smith played the matchups and brought in Ryan O’Rourke to record the final out. He didn’t. A single and home run later had New Britain down 4-3.

Mike Kvasnicka drew a walk to start the bottom of the ninth, but was quickly erased on a double play. Wickens then flew out to end the game.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Jupiter 3, Fort Myers 1

Box Score

Fort Myers had a scheduled double-header after their game was rained out yesterday, but they were only able to get in one due to rain again on Friday.

In the seven inning game they did finish, it was D.J. Baxendale on the bump for the Miracle. He went five innings and allowed just two runs on five hits while striking out four. Alem Muren allowed 1 run on four hits in the sixth, and Todd Van Steensel pitched a scoreless seventh despite two hits. He struck out two.

The Fort Myers lineup managed just five hits in the game and left eleven men on base. Max Kepler was 2-3 with a walk, and the lone run of the game was scored by Adam Brett Walker II after he singled in the fourth inning. The Miracle had the bases loaded with nobody out but were only able to push across one.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Kane County 6, Cedar Rapids 1 (six innings)

Box score

The Kernels game was finished early due to rain, and it was the Kane County Cougars who were in front on the scoreboard by a good margin when it was called.

Mitch Garver put Cedar Rapids on the board first with a second inning home run, his sixteenth of the year, but it would be the only run of the game for the home team. Engelb Vielma, Alex Swim, and J.D. Williams were the only other’s to collect a hit for the Kernels.

Mat Batts made the start and pitched two perfect innings, striking out two. He was replaced by Jared Wilson who was knocked around for five runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk in 2.2 innings, striking out four. An Engelb Vielma error led to the first run of the game for the Cougars. Brandon Bixler pitched the final 1.1 innings before the game was called, allowing one run on two hits and a walk.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Kingsport 5, Elizabethton 2

Box Score

Both teams managed just five hits apiece, but the Mets were helped by the wildness of Brandon Poulson in the first and second innings to put four runs on the board.

Poulson went just 1.1 innings in the start of a group effort game, allowing the four runs on five walks and three hits. He struck out two. Randy LeBlanc struck out four in 2.2 scoreless innings. Michael Cederoth allowed an unearned run in an inning. Then Josh Burris (2 IP, 3 K’s), Samuel Clay(IP, 2 K’s), and Trevor Hildenberger (IP, 2 K’s) combined to throw the final four perfect innings.

Nick Gordon did not record a hit, but scored one of the two Twins runs after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning. Tyler Kuresa brought him in with a single for the only E-Town RBI. T.J. White was 1-2 with two walks.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher – Pat Dean, New Britain Rock Cats (7 IP, 7 H’s, 2 ER’s, 2 K’s)

Hitter – Eric Farris, Rochester Red Wings (1-4, HR, 2 RBI)

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Buffalo @ Rochester – TBD, 6:05PM CST

New Hampshire @ New Britain – TBD, 6:05 PM CST

Fort Myers @ Jupiter – Game 1: TBD, 4:05 PM CST

Fort Myers @ Jupiter – Game 2: TBD

Cedar Rapids @ Clinton – Stephen Gonsalves (2-2, 1.91 ERA), 6:30PM CST