Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/6): Saturday In The (Minor League) Parks

[Seth Stohs]

In the Minnesota Twins minor league system, there were some great games on Saturday. Three of the four games were one-run games. The other was a one-run game until the bottom of the eighth inning. There was a lot of offense with 15 players having multi-hit games. Continue below to read all that happened in the Twins minor leagues on Saturday.REMINDER: Jeremy Nygaard and Seth Stohs will join John Bonnes on the airwaves of KFAN on Monday night from 7-8 central time. The plan is to discuss the MLB Draft, possible Twins picks and then the actual Twins pick and what the player does for the organization. Be sure to listen to that show live.

 

Twins Daily will be busy this next week as we will be busy throughout the three days of the draft. Jeremy Nygaard has posted his first mock draft as well as predictions for the Twins first ten picks. We have done profiles on about ten possible Twins picks. There is so much uncertainty at the top of the draft. For an interesting perspective of what it’s like around the MLB Draft for a college player, read about Matt Batts’ experience from last year.

 

Before we get started, we want to give a big shout out to former Twins minor leaguer Matthew Tomshaw. The left-hander was selected by the Marlins in the minor league Rule 5 draft in December. He is pitching for Jacksonville in the Southern League. As he did with the Twins organization, he pitched in various roles, starting or long relief. He made the start for them on Saturday and went six no-hit innings. He walked just one. He was lifted and the no-hitter was lost in the seventh, but an impressive showing for Tomshaw!

 

 

TRANSACTIONS

 

Cedar Rapids put RHP Michael Cederoth on the disabled list. To take his spot, RHP Miles Nordgren was brought back from extended spring training.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 1, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 2

Box Score

 

The Red Wings had chances, having the tying and/or winning runs up to bat in the last couple of innings, but they were not able to get one more big hit and fell to the Yankees top affiliate.

 

Tyler Duffey falls to 0-3 with the Red Wings, but he was pretty solid. He gave up one run on seven hits and a walk in 5.1 innings. He struck out nine. Logan Darnell came on and got the next five outs. Mark Hamburger got two outs. Ryan O’Rourke struck out both batters he faced. Micahel Tonkin gave up a hit, but he got the final two outs for the Red Wings.

 

The Red Wings had eight hits, but they were unable to score more than the one run. Doug Bernier and Eric Farris were both 2-4 in the game. Kennys Vargas went 1-3 with a walk.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Jackson 1

Box Score

 

The Lookouts held on to a 2-1 lead from the second inning through the eighth inning. In the top of the ninth, Michael Gonzales hit a two-run homer to give the team a little extra cushion. It was his third straight game with a home run. Gonzales went 2-3 with a walk, his sixth double and his fifth home run.

 

Byron Buxton played the role of instigator early in the game. He went 2-4 and stole three bases. He now has 19 steals on the year. Adam Brett Walker went 2-3 with his 13^th double. Carlos Paulino (4) and Jorge Polanco (8) each doubled in the game.

 

After two difficult starts, David Hurlbut had a terrific start. The lefty gave up one run on five hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out four. Nick Burdi needed just 11 pitches to work a perfect eighth inning. Zack Jones came on and gave up a hit, but that was it on the way to his eighth save.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 4, Bradenton 3 (12 innings)

Box Score

 

The Miracle got offense up and down the lineup. In fact, they had 16 hits in this game. For the 53^rd time this year, the Miracle needed to play some extra innings. OK, it was only their 15^th extra innings game, and on this night they were able to pull out a walk-off win.

 

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the first two batters struck out. Tanner Vavra walked and stole second base. He scored on a Zach Granite single to tie the game.

 

It remained tied at three a piece until the bottom of the 12^th. Alex Swim led off with his third hit. He stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Mitch Garver walked and was pinch-run for by Niko Goodrum. After a pitching change, Bryan Haar was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Chad Christensen came up and singled to left, scoring Swim from third and giving the Miracle the win.

 

video of Chad Christensen walk-off single by Bob Sacamento.

 

Aaron Slegers made the start. He went 6.2 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out two. Matt Summers got the next four outs, two of them on strikeouts. Brandon Peterson came on and gave up just one hit over two scoreless innings. Corey Williams came on and threw the 11^th and 12^th innings. He gave up two hits, but no runs, and was the winning pitcher. Williams, you recall, made his return to the mound on Thursday night, 14 months after having Tommy John surgery last April.

 

Ryan Walker and Alex Swim both went 3-6 in the game. Walker hit his first double of the year. Swim’s stolen base was his fifth. Tanner Vavra went 2-4 with a walk and his third stolen base. Engelb Vielma was 2-4 with a walk and his 13^th stolen base. Bryan Haar went 2-5 and was hit by the pitch in the 12^th. Chad Christensen had two hits. Mitch Garver hit his sixth double.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 7, West Michigan 8

Box Score

 

Cameron Booser has been tremendous for the Kernels all year, but on this night, he just didn’t have it. The game had gone back and forth, but the Kernels held a 7-6 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Booser’s name was all over the Twins Minor League Leader Board for relievers. Going into the game, he had a 0.74 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, five saves and a strikeout rate of 13.3 per nine.

 

Things looked good at the start. He struck out the first batter he faced. However, he then walked the next four batters to tie the game. He then uncorked a wild pitch and the Kernels suffered a tough loss to fall to 35-21 on the season.

 

Zach Tillery started for Cedar Rapids. After two scoreless innings, he gave up three runs in the third inning. He struggled with his control. In those three innings, he gave up three runs on three hits and four walks. Miles Nordgren came on and gave up three runs over the next two innings. He gave up four hits and walked two. Randy LeBlanc struck out five over the next three innings. He gave up just one hit and walked one.

 

Offensively, the Kernels got contributions from several players. Nick Gordon extended his hitting streak to six games. In that time, he has had ten hits in 24 at- bats (.417). He also walked once. Alex Real went 3-4 with a walk and drove in three runs. He is now hitting .438 in his first week with the Kernels. Max Murphy was also 3-4. Edgar Corcino went 2-6. Brett Doe went 1-3 with a walk and drove in three runs. Pat Kelly walked twice.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – David Hurlbut, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Michael Gonzales, Chattanooga Lookouts

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Scranton/Wilkes Barre @ Rochester (12:35 CST) – TBD

Chattanooga @ Jackson (6:05 CST) – RHP Alex Wimmers

Ft. Myers – No Game Scheduled (Stephen Gonsalves will make his FSL Debut on Monday)

Cedar Rapids @ West Michigan (12:00 CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons

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

 

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[glunn]

Thanks, Seth.  As always, you made this interesting from the beginning until the end.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Agreed, great stuff...although I am but skeptical that the Miracle have played 53 extra inning games this year...

[DocBauer]

Swim continues to intrigue me. Plays OF and 1B, has tremendous hit tool, obviously, and can even steal a base or two? Man, if he can only catch...

[drivlikejehu]

 

  On 6/7/2015 at 1:14 PM, DocBauer said:

Swim continues to intrigue me. Plays OF and 1B, has tremendous hit tool, obviously, and can even steal a base or two? Man, if he can only catch...

 

He's a slap hitter with an OPS of .700 in A ball at age 24... organizational player, not a prospect.

[jokin]

 

  On 6/7/2015 at 10:47 AM, AM. said:

Agreed, great stuff...although I am but skeptical that the Miracle have played 53 extra inning games this year...

 

15?

[blindeke]

Sano still hurt?

[Seth Stohs]

 

  On 6/7/2015 at 3:53 PM, blindeke said:

Sano still hurt?

 

Played last night.

[DocBauer]

  On 6/7/2015 at 1:39 PM, drivlikejehu said:

He's a slap hitter with an OPS of .700 in A ball at age 24... organizational player, not a prospect.

Understood. Some power may still come. But I think just about anyone would love to have an honest to goodness catcher who could hit .290-.300 at the bottom of their order. Or at worst, come off their bench. The ability to hit better than most, especially at a position not known for hitting, is still a nice ability.

[drivlikejehu]

 

  On 6/8/2015 at 1:53 PM, DocBauer said:

Understood. Some power may still come. But I think just about anyone would love to have an honest to goodness catcher who could hit .290-.300 at the bottom of their order. Or at worst, come off their bench. The ability to hit better than most, especially at a position not known for hitting, is still a nice ability.

 

The average wouldn't carry over to the big league level. Pitchers and defenses aren't nearly as good in the minors... to hit for a high MLB average requires hard contact and/or superior running ability.

[TRex]

Any radar readings for Williams from BobSacamento? Nice to see him back on the mound again!

 

I know there isn't really much precedent for the development of relievers in the minor leagues, but the Twins have put themselves in a position to find out!