I spent my evening at Target Field, and the guy behind me mentioned that Joe Mauer was the highest paid player on the team six different times. Once each after each Mauer at bat, and a couple times during the game when recently activated Max Keper had base hits, despite not being the highest paid player on the team. And then this dude still managed to boo the Rays when they intentionally walked Mauer. This is the same Joe Mauer that is the reigning AL Player of the Week. Sheesh. Anyways, things had to be more positive in the Minor Leagues, right?

Continue reading to find out more detail about Thursday in the Twins farm system:

Transaction Log: The Twins signed outfielder Logan Schafer to a MiLB deal and assigned him to the Rochester Red Wings.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester @ Indianapolis Indians

Box Score

The Red Wings are now six games over .500 and tied with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders for first place in the International League North, and just a half game behind the Columbus Clippers for the best record in the league. The Red Wings played to a 1-1 tie through the first three innings, but pulled ahead with a 3-run fourth, and never looked back.

Former Yankee catcher John Ryan Murphy (he of the Aaron Hicks trade) had a 1-3 night out of the 9-hole with a double and an RBI, but is hitting just .162 at AAA after a super disappointing start to the year in Minnesota. The Red Wings received multi-hit games from Wilfredo Tovar (2-4, 2 RBI, BB), James Beresford (2-5), and Eddie Rosario (2-5, HR, RBI). Rosario is now hitting .317 in AAA and likely a little pissed off that the Twins brought up Max Kepler to replace the injured Miguel Sano instead of him. Good on him, get to work and we'll see you back in a Twins uniform before too long.

Tommy Milone (another Twins castoff, along with nearly 1/3 of this Red Wings roster) earned his third AAA win to move to 3-0 and has a 2.08 ERA on the year. He went 6.1 innings giving up 7 hits, one earned run, one walk, and he struck out a trio of Indians. J.T. Chargois came in and gave up a run in 1.2 innings, and his ERA climbed all the way to 0.90. He also struck out 3 of the 7 batters he faced. Alex Wimmers (couldn't hit a barn because he used to have the yips) pitched a perfect ninth, retiring all three batters he faced, recording a strike out to boot.

Final: Red Wings 5, Indians 2

LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN

Chattanooga Lookouts @ Birmingham Braves

Box Score

Despite giving up a run in the bottom of the first to fall behind 0-1, the Lookouts hung tough and took the lead after scoring runs in back-to-back-to-back innings to pull ahead 3-1 after 6 and then hung on for the victory.

As a team the Lookouts struck out 12 times to go along with just 2 walks, but still managed to push enough runs across to win a game. Only two Chattanooga hitters had multi-hit games, Zach Granite and Daniel Palka who hit a pair of home runs for the second night in a row! Granite was 2-5 with a double and a strike out from the leadoff position, while Palka provided a 2-4 night with a pair of solo home runs (and a pair of strike outs). Palka now leads the Southern League with 11 dingers and is sixth in slugging. Palka, if you recall, was the return on the Chris Hermann to the Diamondbacks trade, completed in November of last year.

David Hurlbut earned his third win of the year to even his record at 3-3 with 6.1 innings of 7 hit, one run ball. He walked one and struck out two. He was replaced by Mason Melotakis who earned his fifth hold of the year by finishing off the fifth. Luke Westphal waned a hold as well, his first of the year, despite giving up a run in the eighth. Jake Reed earned his second save of the year, closing out the game with a two-stirkeout ninth.

Final: Lookouts 4, Braves 2

MIRACLE MATTERS

Game 1: St. Lucie Mets @ Fort Myers Miracle

Box Score

Luckily the Miracle had an opportunity to play two on Thursday night as they managed just a single hit in the first game of the double-dip, a Brian Olson single in the third innings. The rest of the squad, including first-round draftee Nick Gordon were a combined 0-20 with three strike outs and no walks.

Miracle starter Keaton Steele had a forgettable outing, going just 3.0 innings and giving up five runs (all earned) in a disaster start on the front end of a double header. Brian Gilber pitched 1.2 innings of less-than-stellar baseball, giving up 2 truns on three hits, three walks, and a home run. John Curtiss gave up a run over a four-out outing, and Luke Bard finished things respectably for the Miracle with a quick, scoreless, ninth inning.

Final: Mets 8, Miracle 0

Game 2: St. Lucie Mets @ Fort Myers Miracle

Box Score

The Miracle used a Chris Paul walk-off single to win the second game of the double header to earn a split. With one out and a runner on third, the Chris Paul singled scored Tanner Witt from third to win the game.

After picking up just a single hit in the first game, the Miracle added eight hits in the second game, with a pair from Chris Paul, including the game winner, and three from Alex Real (3-3, with a double and 2 RBI).

Felix Jorge pitched a complete game (7 innings) for the Miracle, saving the bullpen after the disaster start in Game 1, giving up 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned) while walking no one and striking out four. He also gave up a home run. Jorge has a 1.83 ERA on the year to go along with a 4-3 record.

Final: Mets 3, Miracle 4

KERNELS KORNER

Cedar Rapids Kernels @ Beloit Snappers

Box Score

It is really hard to have nine hits and score just one run, while outhitting an opponent that scored seven runs on just eight hits, but the Kernels managed to do just that.

LaMonte Wade remained hot with a 2-4 night, and A.J. Murray had a nice little night as well, going 2-4, including a double and a strike out. Jermaine Palacios was 3-4 out of the 8-hole with a double and a strike out, raising his average to .205.

Kernels' starter Dereck Rodriguez gave up all seven Snappers runs over the first four innings, givngup up seven hits, a walk, and a home run while striking out just 2. After four, D-Rod was lifted for Anthony McIver who went 2.0 innings and gave up just a single hit while striking out three. Sam Gibbons and Michal Theofanopoulos each pitched a scoreless inning to finish the game. Theofanopoulos now sports a nifty little 1.73 ERA.

Final: Kernels 1, Snappers 7

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Hitter of the Day - Daniel Palka - Chattanooga Lookouts

Pitcher of the Day - Felix Jorge - Fort Myers Miracle

FRIDAY'S PROBABLES

Rochester @ Louisville Bats (6:05pm) - Andrew Albers (3-1, 3.93) vs. Cody Reed

Chattanooga @ Birmingham Braves (7:05pm) - Aaron Slegers (2-4, 4.08) vs. David Holmberg

Daytona Flyers @ Fort Myers (6:05pm) - Tejay Antone vs. Randy Rosario (2-4, 3.53)

Peoria Chiefs @ Cedar Rapids (6:35pm) - TBD vs. Miles Nordgren (2-1, 2.58)

Please ask questions and discuss the Thursday games.

-ERolf