Article: Twins Minor League Report (5/2): Wheeler Deals in Complete Game Loss

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Top pitching prospect Jose Berrios made his second start for the Twins on Monday night and recorded a pretty significant milestone. Will he hold on to his job for another start? Trevor Plouffe is expected to be activated before Tuesday’s game.

 

Sunday marked the first time since April 17 since there hadn’t been a transaction. Monday’s games came and went without any moves either (at least until the Plouffe move). There was plenty of activity on the fields though. Let’s take a look at the minor league action.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 0, Syracuse 1

Box Score

 

Jason Wheeler twirled a gem. Tossing a complete game, featuring seven strikeouts with no walks and only six hits allowed, Wheeler allowed one only run to cross the plate - a Trea Turner single followed by a stolen base and then another single. But it was more than the Red Wings could muster and Rochester falls to 11-14.

 

It wasn’t that the offense was bad - though it wasn’t good - the Red Wings had opportunities to score. In the seventh inning, Max Kepler singled to start the inning and promptly stole second… but the next three batters struck out. In the eighth inning, Juan Centeno and Byron Buxton both singled with one out, but Wilfredo Tovar ended the threat by grounding into a double play. And finally, in the ninth inning, James Beresford singled to start the inning and tagged up to advance to second on a fly ball. But after an intentional walk to Kennys Vargas, Adam Walker struck out and Buck Britton grounded out to end the last threat and the game.

 

Buxton singled twice and, most importantly, didn’t strike out at all. Kennys Vargas reached base three times (two singles and a walk).

 

Rochester will get back at it Tuesday evening.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 9, Montgomery 6

Box Score

 

All nine starters reached the plate in the first inning and three of them crossed it. The Lookouts pushed four more runs across in the seventh. The two big innings were exactly what Chattanooga needed to hold off the Biscuits.

 

The Lookouts had a chance to blow it open in the first inning thanks to three walks, two errors and a wild pitch, but failed to do so. Daniel Palka singled in Zach Granite. Travis Harrison’s ground out scored Levi Michael. Palka later scored on a Mitch Garver sacrifice.

 

Montgomery put up crooked numbers twice in the middle innings to take a 6-4 lead. But then Chattanooga had a big seventh inning. Leo Reginatto doubled to drive in Travis Harrison, who had been hit by a pitch. Joe Maloney doubled to drive in Garver and Reginatto. And finally, Maloney scored on the third double of the inning, this one by T.J. White.

 

Granite, Harrison and Reginatto all had two-hit nights. Garver drew three walks. Levi Michael tripled.

 

Ryan Eades gave up four runs in five innings. He allowed six hits and three walks. Three of the fours runs he surrendered were earned. Eades struck out four.

 

Jake Reed picked up the win despite allowing the Biscuits to take the lead. (#KillTheWin.) Mason Melotakis and Trevor Hildenberger relieved, with the latter picking up his first AA save, while each struck out one in scoreless frames.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 8, Palm Beach 3

Box Score

 

Fort Myers improves to 14-11 after beating Palm Beach in “grand” fashion on Monday night. Edgar Corcino was the hero after hitting a two-out grand slam in the fourth to blow the game open expanding the Miracle lead to 6-2.

 

Fort Myers got on the board early due to some wild pitching and poor fielding. Corcino singled and Nick Gordon reached on an error. Trey Vavra was hit to load the bases and Chris Paul, the next batter, was hit to drive Corcino in. Alex Swim grounded out, but Gordon scored anyway, to give the Miracle a 2-0 lead.

 

Stephen Gonsalves allowed his one and only run in the third inning. He wasn’t his normal dominant self, but he did only allow four hits in six innings. He battled command issues (three walks) and only struck out three, but improved to 3-1 and dropped his ERA to 1.45. Chattanooga, please?

 

Corcino blew it up in the fourth with the aforementioned grand slam.

 

Todd Van Steensel allowed two runs (one earned) in the eighth, but the Miracle quickly got it back with an Alex Real home run and another run scoring on an error. Raul Fernandez ended it with a perfect ninth, which included two swinging strikeouts.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 1, Lansing 4

Box Score

 

The Kernels got on the board and took a 1-0 in the third due to, again, poor fielding and wild pitching, but once the Lugnuts figured it out, the offense couldn’t string any more run-producing hits together.

 

And that’s exactly what it was. The Kernels were 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position. So despite getting three hits, including a double, from Rafael Valera and a single and double from Zander Wiel, the Kernels pushed across exactly zero earned runs and fell to 13-11.

 

Cody Stashak had a very good start. In 5.2 innings, Stashak punched out eight, issued only one walk and allowing six hits. The two earned runs, which raised his ERA to 1.66, were more than he could afford to allow and he lost his first decision of the season. Zach Tillery allowed two more runs in his 2.1innings of work. Tillery struck out three.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Jason Wheeler, Rochester

Hitter of the Day – Edgar Corcino, Fort Myers

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Syracuse (5:35PM CST) – LHP Logan Darnell (2-2, 3.04 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – RHP Kohl Stewart (1-0, 1.93 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (9:35AM CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc (2-2, 1.50 ERA)

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Monday’s games.

 

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[jsteve96]

Gonsalves actually raised his ERA from 1.44 to 1.45 actually, like it matters though.. Love seeing him dominate

[clutterheart]

Gordon two more throwing errors...

[FormerMinnasotan]

Demote Eades to Ft Meyers and promote Gonsalves to Chattanooga problem solved.

[bizaff]

Any idea if Buxton's hits were on fastballs or breaking balls?  Anyone know if/where you can find video?

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

Gonsalves actually raised his ERA from 1.44 to 1.45 actually, like it matters though.. Love seeing him dominate

 

 

That's true. I was thinking he came into the game with a 1.50 ERA.

 

But I'd still be wrong, cause his ERA yesterday was 1.50. It's still pretty crazy, though. Give up a run in six innings and see your ERA increase. He's gotta move up soon, it's time!

[Vanimal46]

Speaking of time, isn't it getting close to that time where Palka gets the call to AAA too? Seems like that team could use a spark offensively too... 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

Any idea if Buxton's hits were on fastballs or breaking balls?  Anyone know if/where you can find video?

 

His first hit (third inning) came off of a fastball. He fouled off a few slow curveballs. No swings-and-misses. His second hit (eighth inning) was off of Trevor Gott and was a breaking ball that he hit weakly to the shortstop for an infield hit. The previous pitch, however, was a fastball that he turned on and missed hitting a home run by probably twenty feet.

 

 

[Geneb]

In the Rochester story it says bersford singled and went to second on a sac fly. I don't think you get a sac fly unless someone scores.

[Seth Stohs]

 

In the Rochester story it says bersford singled and went to second on a sac fly. I don't think you get a sac fly unless someone scores.

 

You are correct. You can't get a sacrifice fly when a player advances to 2nd or 3rd. I looked at he box score and I don't know. there wasn't a sac bunt or a sac bunt called. Maybe Jeremy saw something different?

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

In the Rochester story it says bersford singled and went to second on a sac fly. I don't think you get a sac fly unless someone scores.

 

Funny... as I was writing the recap I wrote "sacrifice" and immediately thought, "but that's not a sacrifice". I was going to double-check but obviously didn't. It's fixed now. You can't make mistakes around Twins fans!

[Seth Stohs]

 

Funny... as I was writing the recap I wrote "sacrifice" and immediately thought, "but that's not a sacrifice". I was going to double-check but obviously didn't. It's fixed now. You can't make mistakes around Twins fans!

 

Between you and Jerry Layne... Twins fans notice every mistake!

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

Between you and Jerry Layne... Twins fans notice every mistake!

 

Are you saying that John Ryan Murphy's username is "Geneb"?

[nicksaviking]

 

Speaking of time, isn't it getting close to that time where Palka gets the call to AAA too? Seems like that team could use a spark offensively too... 

 

Only 26 games in AA, but very encouraging. He has actually decreased his K% in the move up a level. If he can continue on this path, the Twins might have stolen a useful player.

 

Maybe a promotion is in order simply to see if whatever infected him can rub off on Walker. Man, I see he's now striking out 40% of his ABs this year.

[Vanimal46]

 

Only 26 games in AA, but very encouraging. He has actually decreased his K% in the move up a level. If he can continue on this path, the Twins might have stolen a useful player.

 

Maybe a promotion is in order simply to see if whatever infected him can rub off on Walker. Man, I see he's now striking out 40% of his ABs this year.

Good call. I didn't realize this was his first taste of AA ball.. Since he's 24 I assumed he was repeating the level. 

[Pitz]

I'm a little confused about why James Beresford has been batting third for the Red Wings. Nothing against him as a player, I root for him to get a chance on a big league roster, but this just doesn't make much sense to me. 

Probably not a big deal, but a bit of a head-scratcher. Any insights?

[Rosterman]

So Wheeler may be increasing his stock in the organization after being removed from the 40-man last year.