Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/31): Everybody's In First Place (Almost)

[Seth Stohs]

The calendar of the year 2015 is turning to June, and the Minnesota Twins have the best record in the American League.

 

Wait…what?!

 

There were few who believed that might be case this season, except maybe Terry Ryan, but it’s true and this team has certainly been fun to watch again!Like their parent club, many of the teams in the minor leagues are having great seasons as well, as both Rochester and Chattanooga lead their divisions while Cedar Rapids is 33-18 and in second place. Fort Myers is the only affiliate with a losing record at 24-26, but are just a game behind second place in the Florida State League South Division.

 

In the games on Sunday, there were two rainouts, but Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids were in action so read on to find out what happened and where!

 

 

TRANSACTIONS

 

Before we get to the games, there were a few transactions in the lower levels of the system late Saturday night.

 

We reported yesterday that Tyler Kuresa was sent back to extended spring training, and Alex Real was removed from the Eizabethton restricted list and assigned to Kuresa's place. Today, we learned that Hudson Boyd came off of his suspension and was also placed on the 7-day disabled list with a separated left shoulder.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester @ Buffalo, Postponed (Rain)

 

Rochester’s game against the Buffalo Bisons was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up the next time the Red Wings head to Buffalo, August 10^th to the 13^th.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Biloxi @ Chattanooga, Postponed (Rain)

 

Southern League South division leaders, the Biloxi Shuckers, were in town to take on the Southern League North-leading Lookouts over the weekend, but Sundays tilt was postponed due to wet field conditions. The game will not be made up as the teams are not in the same division, and will not play again in the first half.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 4, St. Lucie 10

Box Score

 

The St. Lucie Mets moved a game in front of the Miracle for second place in the South division with their victory on Sunday. Both teams trail the division-leading Charlotte Stone Crabs by a significant margin, so they have a lot of work to in the first half of the season to clinch a playoff spot.

 

Fort Myers starter Aaron Slegers was coming of one of his best games as a pro, where he pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out nine in the process. Unfortunately in this one, St. Lucie got to him early and often.

 

They scored four runs in the first, four runs in the second, and two in the third before Slegers was finally removed from the game. Two of the runs were unearned after a Niko Goodrum error in the first, but Slegers' final line ended up as 3.0 IP, with ten runs on twelve hits and two walks. He struck out three.

 

Though he didn’t give up a home run, six of those hits went for extra bases.

 

After he left the game, the Miracle bullpen of Luck Westphal, Matt Summers, and Dallas Gallant threw five shutout innings. They combined to allow just three more hits and three walks, and struck out two. Westphal went the first three innings, and Summers and Gallant pitched one apiece.

 

On the offensive side, the Fort Myers lineup managed just four hits, but did produce four runs, helped out by seven walks from Mets’ pitchers. Niko Goodrum went 2-3 with his tenth double and scored two runs, Bryan Haar knocked in two runners and added a double, and Marcus Knecht also picked up an RBI with a double in the second inning. As a team, they went 2-10 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Clinton 5, Cedar Rapids 6 (11 innings)

Box Score

 

Cedar Rapids got the walk-off victory in extra innings on Sunday, coming back from a 5-0 deficit in the sixth inning.

 

The Kernels sent Sam Gibbons to mound to make his first appearance of the 2015 season, and he cruised through the first four innings. He struck out the side in the second inning and retired seven in a row at one point.

 

He finally ran into trouble in the fifth inning, as consecutive singles put a runner in scoring position with two outs. Another single brought in the game’s first run, then a triple added two more. Gibbons got a groundout to finish the inning and his day with 5.0 innings pitched and three earned runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out six.

 

Michael Cederoth entered the game for the top of the sixth, and began the frame by committing an error on a throw to first that moved the batter to second base. Two outs later, shortstop Niko Goodrum committed his seventh error of the season allowing the first run of the inning to score. A stolen base, walk, and single brought in the second run before Cederoth escaped with his team down 5-0.

 

Edgar Corcina got the scoring started for the Kernels with a double to left field leading off the bottom of the inning. He would score after consecutive errors put Gordon and Zack Larson on first and second. T.J. White then brought them in with his fourth triple of the season, cutting the lead to 5-3.

 

In the eighth inning, the LumberKings defense again failed them. Larson again reached base due to an error, and would score after singles from Jorge Fernandez and White. Fernandez would score to tie the game at five on a Pat Kelly groundout to second base.

 

From the seventh inning on, the long-named and untouchable duo of Michael Theofanopoulos and Trevor Hildenberger held Clinton scoreless. Theofanopoulos went three innings, allowing zero hits and two walks, while striking out three. Hildenberger picked up the win by pitching the extra innings. He allowed just one hit and struck out three. He lowered his ERA to 0.31 on the season.

 

In the bottom of the eleventh, Kelly started the inning with a single, and was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Brett Doe. After a pop out and intentional walk, Tanner English stepped in the box with two outs. He sent a single into center field, bringing Kelly home for the walk-off win.

 

T.J. White (2-5) and Brett Doe (2-4) each collected multiple hits for the Kernels, and Brian Navarreto was the only hitter in the lineup without a base knock on the game.

 

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Trevor Hildenberger, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R’s, 0 BB’s, 3 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – T.J. White, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-5, 3B, 3 RBI)

 

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester – Scheduled Day Off.

Tennessee @ Chattanooga (6:15 PM CST) – LHP David Hurlbut (0-1, 21.00 ERA)

Fort Myers @ St. Lucie (5:30 PM CST) – LHP Mat Batts (0-0, 1.29 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (2:00 PM CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves (5-1, 1.31 ERA)

 

The Twins Dominican Summer League team also began play with their first game on Saturday. They continue Monday morning, as they host the DSL Giants at 10:30.

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Sunday games.

 

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[Target Field of Dreams]

Niko Goodrum had an error in the Miracle and Kernels games last night? Impressive

[nater79a]

Michael Theofanopoulos has to be an arm injury waiting to happen, what with the weight of the stitching hanging on the back of his shoulder blades!

[Cap'n Piranha]

Niko was a busy guy yesterday apparently, making appearances for the Miracle and the Kernels.

[Steve Lein]

 

Niko Goodrum had an error in the Miracle and Kernels games last night? Impressive

 

Niko was a busy guy yesterday apparently, making appearances for the Miracle and the Kernels.

 

Good catch, should be Nick Gordon for Cedar Rapids!