Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/13): Lookouts Regain Series Lead, Kernels Advance To Finals

[Steve Lein]

Two more big games in the Twins minor leagues. The Chattanooga Lookouts went to Montgomery for Game 3 of their Southern League playoff series.

 

The Cedar Rapids Kernels held a 1-0 series lead against Peoria and returned to Cedar Rapids for Game 2. Would a Game 3 be needed?

 

Continue below to read more in today's Minor League Report.The Minnesota Twins continued to have the number of American League Cy Young contender Chris Sale, who was chased after just three innings, nine hits, and six earned runs. Torii Hunter slugged his nineteenth home run of the year in the first inning to get it started, and they never looked back behind the start of Kyle Gibson. He went 7.2 innings of shutout ball, and struck out seven. The win kept the Twins just one game back of the Texas Rangers for the final AL Wild Card, who also won Sunday afternoon.

 

In the minors on Sunday, both the Cedar Rapids Kernels and Chattanooga Lookouts continued their postseason push. One team found themselves down early and needed a comeback if they wanted to prevent a sudden death game three, and the other had to hold off a late comeback if they were going to take a series lead on the road.

 

To find out how all it all went down on Sunday night, keep reading!

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

 

Chattanooga 7, Montgomery 3

Box Score

 

 

The Chattanooga offense got things started quickly, and it was courtesy of the Southern League home run champ, Adam Brett Walker. His two-run blast in the second inning put them up 2-0, as Lookouts starter Greg Peavey cruised in the early innings.

 

Singles from Shannon Wilkerson, Stephen Wickens, and Max Kepler loaded the bases with one out in the third inning, and an error and fielder’s choice would add to more runs to make it 4-0 early.

 

Peavey scattered five hits and three walks in six innings, striking out five while holding the Biscuits off the scoreboard. The Lookouts would add an insurance run for him in the top of the seventh on a Jorge Polanco sac fly. Peavey was relieved by Alex Wimmers with a five run lead in the seventh, and that’s when things got dicey.

 

He recorded the innings first out, but consecutive walks were followed by a three run home run to make it 5-3. A double and single would follow to put the tying run in scoring position before the bullpen could get warmed up.

 

Lefty Corey Williams was summoned for a same-sided hitter matchup, but he walked the batter to load the bases. Jake Reed was quickly brought in to face the right-handers coming up, and escaped the threat with consecutive strikeouts.

 

The Lookouts mounted a two-out rally in the eighth, as an error put runners on second and third for Wilkerson, who brought them in with a single to right field to make it 7-3.

 

Reed remained in the game for the eighth inning and kept Montgomery off the board, despite two walks.

 

D.J. Johnson was called upon for the ninth, and finished the game with a one-two-three inning.

 

The Lookouts got multiple hits from Wickens (2-5, R) in the leadoff spot, and Wilkerson (3-3, 2 R’s, 2 RBI) in the nine hole. Kepler was 1-4 with walk, and Walker’s home run was their only extra base hit of the day.

 

The win puts Chattanooga out front 2-1 in the series, and they’ll look to end the five game series tomorrow night on the road.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Peoria 4, Cedar Rapids 5

Box Score

 

 

In game two of their best of three Midwest League Western Division title series, Cedar Rapids sent left-hander Randy Rosario to the mound.

 

He was spotted a 1-0 lead in the second inning when doubles from Chris Paul and Austin Diemer got the Kernels on the board first, but a rough top of the third for Rosario put Peoria out front. Consecutive singles started the inning, and a fielder’s choice ground ball and walk put runners on the corners. A strikeout for the second out gave Rosario two outs and a chance to escape unscathed, but a T.J. White error allowed the first two Chiefs runs to score and prolonged the inning. A balk on Rosario would score the third run of the inning and move another runner into scoring position, who came in on a single to the next batter to make it 4-1 Peoria early. Rosario picked up another strikeout to end the threat, and went on to finish six innings total. He retired the side one-two-three in each of the fifth and sixth. All of the four runs against Rosario were unearned. He allowed seven hits and walked one, while striking out five on the day.

 

The Kernels would come back to pull within one run by scoring single runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings.

 

In the fourth, Max Murphy led off with a single, and was followed by a double from Brian Navaretto to put runners on second and third. Diemer sent a single into left field to score Murphy, but Navaretto was gunned down at home for the innings first out. A double play ball would end the inning.

 

The fifth started with a double from Edgar Corcino, and his run made the score 4-3 when LaMonte Wade doubled to right field.

 

Michael Theofanopoulos came in from the bullpen for the seventh inning and struck out two hitters in a scoreless inning. He allowed one hit.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Nick Gordon wreaked some havoc on the bases, and the result put the Kernels out front. He led off the inning with a single and was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Corcino to put the tying run in scoring position. Gordon didn’t think he was quite close enough, as he took off for third and stole it to put himself ninety-feet away. It was a pretty smart and important base, as a wild-pitch to the next batter allowed him to score the tying run and moved White to second. He would score on Paul’s single a batter later put the Kernels out front 5-4.

 

Yorman Landa was then summoned from the Kernels bullpen in the eighth, and came out throwing fire. He struck out the side in quick fashion, all swinging, and made it four K’s in a row to start the ninth. He then walked a batter to put the tying run on base for Peoria, but followed that up by inducing a game-ending double play for his first postseason save.

 

(Video by Steve Buhr)

As a team the Kernels outhit the Chiefs thirteen to eight, and had far more scoring opportunities than Peoria. They were 4-18 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base, compared to just 1-4 with runners and scoring position and four men left on base for Peoria.

 

Gordon led the Kernels with a 3-5 night, scoring one run and adding a double. Corcino (2-3, 2B, R), Paul (2-4, 2B, R, RBI), and Diemer (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) each had two hits on the night.

 

With the sweep of the three game series, the Kernels will make their first appearance in the Midwest League Championship Series since 1994, when they defeated Rockford three games to one in the five game series.

 

Their defeat of the Chiefs also marks the second series win of the postseason where their opponent finished one or both halves of the MWL season with a better record.

 

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Yorman Landa, Cedar Rapids Kernels (Save, 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Shannon Wilkerson, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-3, 2 R’s, 2 RBI)

 

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Chattanooga @ Montgomery (7:05PM CST) – TBD

Cedar Rapids – Day off before MWL Championship series begins on Wednesday.

 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games!

 

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[DJL44]

Cedar Rapids winning despite not having the best talent in the system. Only Jorge and Gordon are likely to appear on a top 20 list.

[blairpaul715]

Is the finals best of 3 or 5??

[Guest]

 

 

Is the finals best of 3 or 5??

 

MWL finals are best of 5. Games 1 and 2 will be in either Grand Rapids MI or Lansing MI on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday is a travel day. Game 3 is Saturday at 3:35 in Cedar Rapids. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, would also be in CR on Sunday and Monday.

[Steve Lein]

Some more info. on Gordon's day from MiLB.com:

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150913&content_id=149192962&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb

[jokin]

 

Some more info. on Gordon's day from MiLB.com:

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150913&content_id=149192962&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb

 

Thanks for posting.  This quote is prime example for the extra value derived from drafting an obviously talented kid with the born-with-a-glove-in his hand acumen of baseball pedigree:

 

With the Kernels trailing in the seventh, 4-3, Gordon led off with a single to left field, stole third base and scored the tying run on a passed ball. Chris Paul's single to left scored T.J. White with the eventual winning run.

"First base was open, our No. 3 hitter was up," Gordon said of his one-out steal. "I knew the pitcher [reliever Sasha Kuebel] wouldn't have to go to the fastball. I read breaking ball out of his hand and got a good jump."

 

Peoria took a 4-1 lead in the third off Randy Rosario after a two-run error by third baseman T.J. White and a balk.

"As soon as it happened, we shook it off and said, 'OK, guys, let's chip away,'" said Gordon, the 2014 Draft's fifth overall pick. "We knew we would make some things happen."

 

 

 

A 19 year old who has the wherewithal to know what an obscure Class A reliever is going to throw  -- - by Reading The Pitch Out Of His Hand- and knowing the situational, risk-reward value of stealing 3rd, in that critical situation?  And it's telling that Jake Mauer gives him the green light in that critical situation.

 

The second quote (and his performance in crunch time to back up those words- he not only had 3 big hits and the SB, he also had 3 fantastic plays at SS) is reminiscent of  Kirby Puckett.  

 

Someone noted how skinny he looks in the videos from the game.  In truth, he looks like he's playing in the body of a 16 year old, not 19.  That only can portend well for Gordon's continued upside.  

 

I think we're seeing the chrysalis bursting open on a new fan favorite. 

Edited September 14, 2015 by jokin