Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/3): Playoffs, Play-Ins, and Playing On

[Seth Stohs]

Elizabethton began their playoff run with a home game on Saturday night. The Gulf Coast Twins played their final regular season game which amounted to a playoff game. A win would mean a playoff berth. A loss would mean the end of their season. I mean, how can you not want to keep reading this article?

 

Rochester played their first game of the season that held no playoff hopes. A top pitching prospect returned from the DL to make a final start. The Miracle had to play two games to make up for games lost to rain on Friday. The Cedar Rapids game in Wisconsin on Friday night finished at about 12:30 a.m. They had to make the bus ride back to Cedar Rapids to play Clinton in their final regular season series before they start a playoff run.

 

Transactions:

• The Red Wings playoff hopes came to an end on Friday night. Right after the game, John Ryan Murphy was promoted to Minnesota.
• Taking Murphy’s place on the Red Wings roster was catcher Brian Olson. Olson had started Game 1 for Ft. Myers on Saturday but left the game early to travel to Rochester.

Find out everything that happened in the Twins minor league system on Saturday.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 1, Lehigh Valley 5

Box Score

 

The Red Wings playoff hopes came to an end on Friday night, so Saturday was the first game that didn’t really have season significance. Then again, for minor leaguers - especially guys in AAA - every game is an opportunity to impress.

 

Tyler Duffey made the start and threw a complete game. However, he gave up five runs on seven hits over eight innings. He walked two and struck out seven. Four of the hits were home runs.

 

Tanner English moved to the leadoff role and picked up his first two Red Wings hits. He also stole his first base. Mitch Garver went 2-4. Leonardo Reginnato led the way going 4-4 in the game.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 2, Jackson 1

Box Score

 

Kohl Stewart spent some time on the DL but quickly returned and made the Saturday start. He gave up just one run on three hits over six innings. He walked three and struck out one. He improved to 9-6 with the Lookouts with a 3.03 ERA. Randy LeBlanc picked up his first save, in his first relief appearance, with three no-hit, scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out four.

 

Niko Goodrum and Dalton Hicks each went 2-4. Edgar Corcino hit his seventh double.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Game 1 - Ft. Myers 7, Bradenton 3

Box Score

 

Dereck Rodriguez looked to continue a strong string of starts. The right-hander gave up two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out three without issuing a walk. He was replaced by Confesor Lara who worked the next two innings. He gave up one run on three hits and a walk. Michael Theofanopoulos struck out four batters over two perfect innings.

 

Nick Gordon had a very good game. He went 3-3 with a walk and his 23rd double. He stole two bases and now has 20 on the season. Christian Ibarra went 2-3 with a walk and his second triple. Joe Maloney provided the big hit of the game. He hit a three-run homer. It was his fifth home run with the Miracle.

 

Game 2 - Ft. Myers 6, Bradenton 11

Box Score

 

Game 2 just got off to a bad start. Lefty Sam Clay started and recorded just one out. He gave up six runs on two hits and four walks. Logan Lombana made his first Miracle appearance. He gave up one run on five hits and two walks in 2.2 innings. He struck out one. Cam Booser gave up two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. He walked one and struck out three. Luke Westphal gave up two runs on two hits in 2.1 innings. He walked two and struck out three.

 

Brian Navarreto went 3-3 in the game. Alex Perez went 1-3 with a walk. AJ Murray hit his third Miracle homer. Daniel Kihle went 1-2 with a walk, his first triple and three RBIs.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 5, Wisconsin 8

Box Score

 

Over his past eight starts (five of which have been for Cedar Rapids), Brady Anderson has given up a combined four earned runs. On this night, Anderson was charged with six runs on 12 hits in 5.1 innings. He walked one and struck out two. Williams Ramirez went the next 2.1 innings. He gave up two runs on two hits. He walked three and struck out four. Tom Hackimer got the final four outs, two of them on strikeouts.

 

Zander Wiel led the Kernels offense. He went 3-5 with his 17th home run and two RBIs. JJ Fernandez hit a big three-run homer. It was his tenth homer of the season and second in as many games. Jaylin Davis hit his 12th and 13th doubles. Manuel Guzman walked three times.

 

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 4, Johnson City 7

Box Score

 

The E-Twins hosted Game 1 of their best-of-three series against neighboring Johnson City.

 

Lewin Diaz got the team started on a positive note when his solo home run gave them a 1-0 lead. Diaz added a double later. Caleb Hamilton twice had an RBI single in the game as well. Luis Martinez was also 2-4. Shane Carrier hit a double.

Miguel DeJesus was tasked with the Game 1 start. He gave up three runs on four hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out four. Hector Lujan came on and was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk in 2.2 innings. He struck out one. Johan Quezada gave up two unearned runs on two hits in one inning. Quin Grogan came on to get the final out.

 

Former Gopher and the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Matt Fiedler hits third for Johnson City. He was the 10th-round pick of the Cardinals this past June and has spent the summer in the Appalachian League. After a very slow start, he ended the regular season hitting .325/.386/.487 (.874) with 20 doubles and four home runs.

 

Game 2 will be in Johnson City, as will Game 3, if necessary.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 3, GCL Red Sox 4

Box Score

 

The two teams were rained out in their game that was supposed to be played on Friday so their regular-season finale came on Saturday morning. Win and In! The winner of the game would advance to the playoffs. The losing team’s season was over.

 

Unfortunately the GCL Twins season is over. They fell behind 4-0. They scored three in the eighth inning, but the comeback fell just short.

 

Tyler Fox made the start for the Twins. The right-hander from Nebraska-Omaha went the first 5.1 innings. He gave up three runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one. He was replaced by Zach Strecker who went the next 1.2 innings and gave up a run on four hits. Onas Farfan threw two scoreless innings to end the game. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out one.

 

Lean Marrero went 3-3 with his sixth double in the game. He stole his fifth base. Akil Baddoo had a two-run triple in the team’s big inning. Jorge Munoz stole two bases, his 12th and 13th of the season.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Kohl Stewart, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Zander Wiel, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Lehigh Valley (5:35 CST) - RHP Omar Bencomo

Chattanooga @ Jackson (2:05 CST) - RHP Ryan Eades

Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (9:35 CST) - RHP Keaton Steele

Clinton @ Cedar Rapids (2:05 CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons

Playoffs Round 1 Game 2: Elizabethton @ Johnson City (5:00 CST) - RHP Tyler Wells

GCL Twins - Season Over

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

 

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[Han Joelo]

Did I miss what is going on with Kiriloff?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Did I miss what is going on with Kiriloff?

 

He left a game last week after making a strong throw to get a runner trying to score. Left the game shaking his shoulder. He returned to the dugout, but they are being cautious.

[bird]

So typical of the Cardinals to start a college player in the Appalachian League and have him feast on younger competition instead of challenging him right away in A Ball.

[bluechipper]

Classic Kohl Stewart: 6 innings, 1 K. He's down to 4.6 K/9 (and 4.3 BB/9) in Chattanooga. But he still gets people out. I'm really confused by him.

 

I think he should start going by Cole Stewart.

[bluechipper]

Kennys Vargas: .152 over his last 10 games, 0 RBI. He's now hitting .229, with a .776 OPS for Rochester. Not too good.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Kennys Vargas: .152 over his last 10 games, 0 RBI. He's now hitting .229, with a .776 OPS for Rochester. Not too good.

 

He didn't hit well in AAA the whole year. He did better in limited MLB time than in AAA. There is a reason that he doesn't get the playing time that a lot of fans want him to. He's not a big prospect. I mean, he's a 'big' prospect, but he's not a big prospect.

[bluechipper]

 

He didn't hit well in AAA the whole year. He did better in limited MLB time than in AAA. There is a reason that he doesn't get the playing time that a lot of fans want him to. He's not a big prospect. I mean, he's a 'big' prospect, but he's not a big prospect.

Yeah, I haven't been a real big believer in Vargas' bat being good enough to be an everyday DH, but the improved discipline and power that he showed in his short stint this year was encouraging at least.

[Mike Sixel]

So typical of the Cardinals to start a college player in the Appalachian League and have him feast on younger competition instead of challenging him right away in A Ball.

tenth round pick.......

[FormerMinnasotan]

Classic Kohl Stewart: 6 innings, 1 K. He's down to 4.6 K/9 (and 4.3 BB/9) in Chattanooga. But he still gets people out. I'm really confused by him.

 

I think he should start going by Cole Stewart.

Defiantly Stewart needs to repeat AA, unlike his draft mate Stephen Gonsalves. The worst thing the Twins did was have Stewart develop a sinker. He has become like Kyle Gibson 2.0, not the Texas fire baller we thought he was going to be when he was drafted.

[Mr. Brooks]

Unless Stewart can drastically improve his k rate, his upside is probably Nick Blackburn.

[bird]

 

tenth round pick.......

 

that explains everything.....

[Old Twins Cap]

 

Unless Stewart can drastically improve his k rate, his upside is probably Nick Blackburn.

 

Unless Stewart can drastically improve his k rate, his upside is probably Nick Blackburn.

 

Blackburn who throws a ball as heavy as a shot-put.  How many HRs has he allowed on an annual basis?