Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/19): Rochester's Big Inning Backs Greenwood

[Steve Lein]

Happy Father’s Day across Twins territory, including Rochester, NY; Chattanooga, TN; Fort Myers, FL; and Cedar Rapids, IA! If you were out at a ballpark today, I hope you stayed hydrated! There were three games in the minor leagues on Sunday afternoon, with those teams looking to bring home a victory just like their parent club did against the Yankees.

 

One team got most of their offense in just one inning, while the other two teams scored first and tried to hold on. Did any of them do enough to send their fans home happy?

 

Let’s check out all the action from Sunday, and find out!RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 8, Toledo 5

Box Score

 

Rochester used a big inning to take down the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday, scoring seven of their eight runs in the sixth inning when they sent eleven men to the plate. Adam Walker led off the inning by reaching base on an error, moved to third on a John Ryan Murphy double, and scored their first run of the inning when James Beresford drove him in with a single. Logan Schafer followed with an RBI single and then both Toledo’s starting pitcher and manager were ejected.

 

Jorge Polanco (1B), Eddie Rosario (sac fly), Tommy Field (2B), and Wilfredo Tovar (2B) all contributed RBI hits afterward, and the Red Wings took the lead 7-1.

 

Nick Greenwood made the start for Rochester, his first AAA start of the year, and worked the first five innings. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk, and struck out two. In his five innings, Greenwood threw just fifty-eight pitches.

 

Dan Runzler was the first man up from the bullpen for the bottom of the sixth, and the Mud Hens got three of those runs back off of him. He struck out the first man he faced, but a single and three walks scored one before Sean Burnett came on, with Runzler responsible for all men on base. Burnett got a ground ball and force at home for the second out, but a single to the next batter scored two more to make it 7-4.

 

Burnett stayed in the game and pitched a one-two-three seventh inning before giving way to Alex Wimmers in the eighth. The Mud Hens John Hicks led off the inning with a double, and two ground ball outs would allow him to score, closing the gap to 7-5.

 

The Red Wings got one back in the top of ninth, as Polanco brought in Beresford with a sac fly, but Wimmers finished off the victory with a scoreless bottom frame for his sixth save.

 

Rochester improves their record to 42-28 on the year, and in the month of June has gone 13-5.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 3, Montgomery 5

Box Score

 

The Lookouts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a Daniel Palka sac fly to score Zach Granite from third, who had singled to lead off the game. Still in the first, they threatened to score another run, but Engelb Vielma was thrown out at home on a ground ball off the bat of Travis Harrison.

 

Chattanooga’s starter Kohl Stewart gave that run back in the bottom of the first after recording two quick outs. A single and wild pitch followed by a bloop single tied the game at one. The Biscuits made it 2-1 in the second as a walk was followed by an RBI double, and two doubles in the third made it 3-1.

 

The Biscuits would never look back. All told, Stewart finished four and one third innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out two and raised his ERA to 4.82 in four starts at AA.

 

Mitch Garver closed the gap to 5-3 in the sixth inning, as his fifth home run of the year was a two-run shot to left field, but they would be shut out the rest of the way.

 

Granite and Leonardo Reginatto each had two hits on the day. In addition to his RBI, Palka also stole his fifth base of the year.

 

The bullpen duo of Corey Williams and Raul Fernandez finished the game without allowing a run. Williams walk two and gave up one hit in 1.2 innings, striking out one. Fernandez allowed a hit and a walk in his two innings.

 

The Lookouts finish the first half of their season with a 36-34 record and second place in the North Division, ten games out of first place behind the Jackson Generals. They will have to win the division in the second half (or finish second to Jackson again) to find their way into the postseason.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

 

The Miracle, along with the rest of the Florida State League, enjoyed Sunday afternoon off after their All-Star Game in Fort Myers yesterday. They are back in action on Monday night at home against the Charlotte Stone Crabs to kick off the second half of the FSL season.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Quad Cities 4

Box Score

 

The Kernels had the first lead in the game, as a walk from Daniel Kihle was followed by consecutive singles from Luis Arraez and Sean Miller in the top of the third inning.

 

They also lost that lead in the bottom half of the frame, as starter Sam Clay was unable to finish the inning. He allowed a leadoff single, walk, and an RBI single while recording only one out before manager Jake Mauer went to the bullpen. Sam Gibbons came on and gave up a run on a wild pitch to his first batter, but escaped the inning with no further damage. Gibbons went on to pitch a scoreless fourth inning, but ran into trouble himself in the fifth. A single and three doubles added to the River Bandits lead, making it 4-1.

 

An error, balk, and fly out put Sean Miller on third in the sixth, and a double off the bat of Zander Wiel brought him in to close it to 4-2.

 

Anthony McIver pitched the final two innings for Cedar Rapids, retiring every batter he faced, including two strikeouts, to give the Kernels offense a chance.

 

In the ninth, Chris Ibarra drew a walk and was moved to third on a J.J. Fernandez single to put the tying runs on base. Kihle brought in Ibarra with a ground ball out, but Fernandez was stranded on second to end the game.

 

Arreaz was the only hitter with multiple hits, including a double. As a team the Kernels were just 1-11 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

 

They finish the first half of the Midwest League season with a 36-22 record, finishing third in the Western Division, 2.5 games out of a clinching a playoff spot.

 

Cedar Rapids will play host to the Midwest League All-Star Game on Tuesday night at 7:05PM CST. The Kernels will be represented in the game by position players Luis Arreaz and LaMonte Wade (both voted starters), and pitcher Sam Clay.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Nick Greenwood, Rochester Red Wings (W, 5.0IP, 1 ER, 4 H’s, 1 BB, 2 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Tommy Field, Rochester Red Wings (3-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI)

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) – LHP Andrew Albers (5-1, 3.46 ERA)

Chattanooga – Scheduled day off (Southern League All-Star Break)

Charlotte @ Fort Myers (6:05PM CST) – TBD

Cedar Rapids – Scheduled day off (Midwest League All-Star Break).

 

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

 

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[blindeke]

I can't help it. Whenever I see Nick Greenwood's name I think of Lee Greenwood, and then I get the song "Proud to be an American" stuck in my head. 

 

It's terrible!

[bluechipper]

LaMonte Wade is 3 for his last 35, an .086 average over his last 10 games. This bad streak has brought his BA all the way down to .280 on the season. I guess the bright side is an 8/5 BB/K ratio.

[Mike Sixel]

 

LaMonte Wade is 3 for his last 35, an .086 average over his last 10 games. This bad streak has brought his BA all the way down to .280 on the season. I guess the bright side is an 8/5 BB/K ratio.

 

Bummer.

[Mr. Brooks]

Bummer.

I disagree.

It's a good thing for prospects to deal with slumps.

It forces them to think about adjustments so they don't just cruise to the mlb on sheer talent alone.

Now we (and he) get to see how he responds.