Article: Twins Minor League Report (8/31): Comeback Kernels, Thorpe Deals

[Steve Lein]

It’s not often that a team down seven runs comes back to win a game, but that’s just what happened in Cedar Rapids on Thursday night. Who played the hero? In addition to that epic comeback, one left-handed starting pitching prospect fanned a career high number of batters in his start, a hitter was a single shy of a cycle, and

several others had big offensive games. One affiliate even clinched their second division title of the year.To find out how all of your favorite prospects fared on Thursday night, keep reading!

 

TRANSACTIONS

 

With rosters ready to expand in the majors for September, there was a flurry of transactions on Thursday throughout the system.

 

In AAA, the Red Wings received 1B Jonathan Rodriguez and IF Ryan Walker from the Lookouts, in addition to pitcher Michael Kohn from Fort Myers.

 

In Chattanooga, the Lookouts received 2B Nelson Molina from Fort Myers.

 

To replace their players on the move, Fort Myers received 3B Joe Cronin and RHP Eduardo Del Rosario from Cedar Rapids.

 

In the Midwest League, Amaurys Minier was activated from the disabled list and the same for RHP Calvin Faucher with Elizabethton.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 5, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 1

Box Score

 

The Red Wings offense outhit the RailRiders 11-4 on Thursday, providing plenty of run support for starter David Hurlbut to pick up his tenth win of the year. Hurlbut tossed 6.1 innings, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks, while striking out five. His run allowed came in the first inning to put Scranton/WB up 1-0 early, as a walk to a rehabbing Matt Holliday was followed by an RBI double (runner was thrown out at third base for the third out). After allowing a leadoff single in the second, Hurlbut retired the next thirteen in a row into the sixth inning.

 

Rochester took the lead in the fourth inning as Matt Hague led off with a single and scored on a Daniel Palka triple to tie it at one. Then it was an RBI single from Byungho Park and RBI double from Anthony Recker that put them up by two. The offense added two more insurance runs in the sixth inning thanks to an RBI double from Leonardo Reginatto and sac fly from Recker for the final score of 5-1. Hague (2-5, R), Palka (2-3, R, 3B, RBI, 2 BBs), Park (2-5, R, RBI), and Recker (2-3, 2B, RBI, BB) all had multiple hits.

 

In relief of Hurlbut, Drew Rucinski and Michael Tonkin combined to retire all eight hitters they faced to end the game. Rucinski went 1.2 innings and struck out two, while Tonkin went one-two-three in the ninth to wrap up the victory.

 

With the win, the Red Wings hold a two game lead on the wild card over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, with four games left to play.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Montgomery 2, Chattanooga 11

Box Score

 

It took a little while for the Lookout’s lineup to turn it on, but when they did they turned it up to eleven (literally). Leading 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, they piled on five runs to break the game open. The biggest hit was a three-run bomb from Nick Gordon, his ninth of the season to make it 6-2, before T.J. White added a two-run home run of his own for an 8-2 lead. In the eighth, a bases-loaded walk to Brian Navaretto and two-RBI single from Edgar Corcino made the final tally of eleven runs for the home team.

 

White had three hits, falling just a single short of the cycle in a big day when he also scored three runs. Gordon (2-5, R, HR, 3 RBI), Corcino (2-4, 3 RBI), and Alex Perez (2-3, 3 R’s, BB) each had two hits, while Navaretto was 1-1 with a run scored and two walks on the day. As a team they were 4-11 with runners in scoring position, and left just five men on base after collecting eleven hits and five walks.

 

Making the start for Chattanooga was Zack Littell, and he improved to 5-0 with the Lookouts and an incredible 19-1 overall on the season by going the first six innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and three walks while striking out four. He lowered his ERA to below 3.00 with the Twins organization in the process.

 

In relief, Anthony McIver went two scoreless frames, allowing two hits and striking out two. Nick Anderson finished the game with a one-two-three inning, striking out two.

 

With the win, the Lookouts are the Southern League North Division Champions in the second half of the season after also winning the first half.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 2, Jupiter 3 (11 innings)

Box Score

 

Starter Lewis Thorpe put together an excellent start for the Miracle, but they were unable to pull out a victory on Thursday night as the offense managed just two runs. Thorpe pitched seven innings just three days after pitching an inning in Monday’s game in preparation for the playoffs. He struck out a career high eleven batters, including the side in the fourth inning and all three outs in the fifth. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk in his best outing of the season. He left the game down 2-1, but got the no-decision when the Miracle tied the game at two in the top of the ninth to send it to extra innings.

 

Down 1-0 in the top of the sixth, the Miracle finally got on the scoreboard when Tanner English led off the inning with a double and later scored on a single from Brandon Lopez. Thorpe gave the Hammerheads the lead right back in the bottom half, as his errant pickoff throw put a runner in scoring position and scored on a single for the 2-1 lead.

 

In the top of the ninth, the Miracle were handed a big chance to take the lead for good, but managed to score just one run to tie it. Lopez led off the frame with a walk, and consecutive errors by the pitcher on sacrifice bunt attempts loaded the bases with nobody out. Zander Wiel’s sac fly tied it at two and was followed by an infield single to again load the bases, but a force out at home and fly out from the next two batters snuffed out the go-ahead threat.

 

Williams Ramirez came on for Thorpe in the eighth, and got them through the ninth with two perfect innings, striking out two. Andrew Vasquez came on in the tenth and had a one-two-three inning, but the eleventh started off with a bunt single that included a throwing error from Wiel to put the winning run on second base. Vasquez walked the next batter to put the force out into play then got the next two hitters out, but wasn’t able to get the third as a single brought in the walk-off run for Jupiter.

 

Collecting multiple hits for the Miracle were Lopez (2-5, R, RBI, BB) and Jaylin Davis (2-5), but they had just six hits as a team, were 2-9 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Burlington 8, Cedar Rapids 9 (10 innings)

Box Score

 

Cedar Rapids fell behind 8-1 in the early going as starter Tyler Wells was knocked around in just two-plus innings, but stormed back into the game with a big offensive outburst of their own that would end up pushing the game to extra innings.

 

Wells allowed runs in each of the three innings he came out for, but wasn’t able to record an out in the third and was charged with all eight Burlington runs. In 2+ innings pitched, Wells allowed those runs on ten hits and one walk, and racked up 76 pitches in the process.

 

Logan Lombana came on in relief in the third and shut down the Bees for three innings. He allowed three hits and struck out two before the Kernels offense popped in the bottom of the fifth.

 

Travis Blankenhorn led off the inning with a double to set the stage, and Caleb Hamilton drove him in with an RBI single for the first run of the inning. Shane Carrier then clubbed his seventh home run with Cedar Rapids to make it 8-4 before three consecutive singles scored another and left even more ducks on the pond. Aaron Whitefield drove in one with a double to make it 8-6, before Blankenhorn bookended the inning with a two-RBI single to tie the game at eight.

 

After Lombana was done, relievers Ryan Mason and Colton Davis combined for four shutout innings to bring the game into extra frames. They each pitched two innings, allowed one hit, and struck out three. The only difference in their lines was Mason also walked one. Patrick McGuff came on in the tenth and made it interesting, but got out of the inning without allowing a run to set up his offense for the win.

 

Jordan Gore started the bottom half with a single and moved into scoring position on a passed ball with Whitefield in the batter’s box. He took advantage, walking it off for Cedar Rapids with his second double of the game.

 

Each hitter in the Kernels lineup had at least one hit, with five collecting two or more. Whitefield and Blankenhorn each had two doubles and drove in two.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 0, Kingsport 8

Box Score

 

Elizabethton’s offense managed just four hits on the game against the Mets, going 0-3 with runners in scoring position and leaving just three men on base in the shutout loss. Wander Javier led the offense by going 1-4 with a double. Akil Baddoo, Jose Miranda, and Andrew Bechtold collected the other three hits, all singles.

 

Starter Moises Gomez matched the zeroes of Kingsport’s pitcher for the first three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three, but the bullpen combo of Blair Lakso and Rickey Ramirez had a rough day. They both allowed four earned runs, with Lakso’s coming in 2.2 innings and Ramirez’s in 1.1. They each allowed four hits total. Lakso struck out two and Ramirez one in those innings. Jared Finkel pitched a Snapper-mow-em-down eighth inning, striking out the side to finish the game for E-town.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Rays 2, GCL Twins 8

Box Score

 

The Twins struck first in the third inning, taking the lead 3-0 after a two-RBI double from Jared Akins and an RBI single from Jean Carlos Arias to start the game’s scoring. They tacked on three more runs in the fifth after loading bases with nobody out for Benjamin Rodriguez. He brought in one with a single, then Taylor Grzelakowski and Victor Tademo each added sac flies for the 6-1 lead.

 

In the seventh inning the Twins capped their scoring as Grzelakowski slugged his first professional home run, a two-run shot to make the final score of 8-2. The top five hitters in the lineup (Akins, Ricky De La Torre, Arias, Rodriguez, Grzelakowski) all collected two hits and scored at least one run on the game. Ricky De La Torre had a double as part of his two hits.

 

On the mound for the Twins in this one was Jordan Balazovic, and he went the first 4.2 innings. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out four. Joe Rosenstein got the next two outs, but allowed one run on a hit and a walk. Derek Molina pitched two scoreless innings from there, allowing two hits and striking out three. Austin Bizzle finished out the game with 1.2 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out two.

 

The Twins improved to 34-22 on the season with the victory, and are just one game back of the best record in the Gulf Coast League. They have clinched the South Division title.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day – Lewis Thorpe, Fort Myers Miracle (7.0 IP, ER, 5 H’s, BB, 11 K’s)

Hitter(s) of the Day – T.J. White, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-5, 3 R’s, 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI)

 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers (14-4, 3.37 ERA)

Montgomery @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – RHP Dereck Rodriguez

Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30PM CST) – LHP Anthony Marzi (0-0, -.-- ERA)

Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (2-0, 3.00 ERA)

GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox, Game 1 (10:00AM CST) – TBD

GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins, Game 2 – TBD

 

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

 

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[108Stitches]

Brutal night for Tyler Wells. Very unlike him. Lucky for him the offense had his back. Great wins for the Kernels, Wings and Lookouts!

[Han Joelo]

Great to see that start from Thorpe.  Maybe they should stick to that schedule...

 

Good for Gordon.  Seem like its been a while between extra base hits.  Slumps happen; learning to break out of them doesn't always happen.  Jermaine Palacios could stand to heat back up.

[rdehring]

Is Thorpe a definite add to the 40-man roster in November?

[drivlikejehu]

 

Is Thorpe a definite add to the 40-man roster in November?

 

Yes

[Mike Sixel]

 

Is Thorpe a definite add to the 40-man roster in November?

 

no doubter. He should have been on the world team at the ASB. He's a big time legit prospect.

[drjim]

Is Thorpe a definite add to the 40-man roster in November?

Think of a word even stronger than definite.

[carlito_b]

I think thorpe is our best prospect(at least highest ceiling ) .. From the left side he's touching mid 90s with a plus out pitch. If we have an ace in our system I'd argue it'd be him if not for the injury think about where he'd be at his Age.. Must add imo

[clutterheart]

Jean Carlos Arias has had a nice August.  315/.382/.533

 

Palacios has had a super stinker of an August.  .200/.242/.244  Yikes!  Either he is fighting some nagging injury or he has been unable to make an adjustment.  

 

[Steve Lein]

 

Is Thorpe a definite add to the 40-man roster in November?

 

I would say yes. Only reason he's not a top 10 prospect right now is because he missed two seasons.

 

He was brilliant before then, and I should know. I went to see him back then, and interviewed him: http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/color-me-and-joe-mauer-impressed-r2962

 

Love that he's back and pitching well!

[drjim]

I think thorpe is our best prospect(at least highest ceiling ) .. From the left side he's touching mid 90s with a plus out pitch. If we have an ace in our system I'd argue it'd be him if not for the injury think about where he'd be at his Age.. Must add imo

Agree that he is the best pitching prospect in the sysytem.

[rdehring]

I agree that Thorpe may be the best pitching prospect in the system. There is the large # of players needing to be added this fall, including Gonsalves, Littell, Reed, Diaz, Stewart, Moya, Bard, Burdi and Derek Rodriguez. That's nine, not including Thorpe.

 

My concern is that because he was at Hi-A, they try to sneak him thru. I expect that would be a HUGE mistake. But I won't sleep easy until I see him on the roster.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I agree that Thorpe may be the best pitching prospect in the system. There is the large # of players needing to be added this fall, including Gonsalves, Littell, Reed, Diaz, Stewart, Moya, Bard, Burdi and Derek Rodriguez. That's nine, not including Thorpe.

My concern is that because he was at Hi-A, they try to sneak him thru. I expect that would be a HUGE mistake. But I won't sleep easy until I see him on the roster.

 

plenty of guys coming off. Every year people fret over the 40 man decisions, every year the Twins lose no one of major, or even minor, consequence.

[drivlikejehu]

 

I agree that Thorpe may be the best pitching prospect in the system. There is the large # of players needing to be added this fall, including Gonsalves, Littell, Reed, Diaz, Stewart, Moya, Bard, Burdi and Derek Rodriguez. That's nine, not including Thorpe.

My concern is that because he was at Hi-A, they try to sneak him thru. I expect that would be a HUGE mistake. But I won't sleep easy until I see him on the roster.

 

There is a literal 0% chance they do not add him, you are concerned for no reason. Even if the Twins had a legit 40-man roster crunch, they would find a way, but as it happens the 40-man limit won't be an issue.

[Guest]

Just picking nits, but the Kernels actually came back from 8-0, rather than 8-1.

 

Really like seeing TJ White have a big night like that. He's got the defensive chops to handle 3B at the MLB level and if he hits, he'll be a big leaguer somewhere for a long time.

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Is Thorpe a definite add to the 40-man roster in November?

 

No... I think there are some questions. But I also know that his one-inning stint earlier this week was to help line him up for the playoffs, so they like him... but we shall see.

[Guest]

Was going to post this earlier and forgot. 

 

Here's video of Whitefield's walkoff double in the 10th inning for the Kernels Thursday night

 

As a bonus, you'll see visiting Torii Hunter's smile as he enjoys the finish and the celebration that ensued.

 

https://youtu.be/PQjt0PoEv7A

[Guest]

 

No... I think there are some questions. But I also know that his one-inning stint earlier this week was to help line him up for the playoffs, so they like him... but we shall see.

 

Agree. Definitely some questions.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Agree. Definitely some questions.

 

if there are questions, they aren't stuff or outcomes....not even close.

[Steve Lein]

The numbers don't line up in talking about the Rule 5 draft when considering who they will leave off and need to add to protect.

 

I think the Twins are going to lose someone, or even a couple.

 

It depends if you care that those names are Jake Reed, Nick Burdi, and/or Derek Rodriguez (I add Thorpe before him).

[drjim]

I agree that Thorpe may be the best pitching prospect in the system. There is the large # of players needing to be added this fall, including Gonsalves, Littell, Reed, Diaz, Stewart, Moya, Bard, Burdi and Derek Rodriguez. That's nine, not including Thorpe.

 

My concern is that because he was at Hi-A, they try to sneak him thru. I expect that would be a HUGE mistake. But I won't sleep easy until I see him on the roster.

The only one on this list I'd put ahead of Thorpe is Gonsalves, and that is only because he's closer. 2-4 of those guys won't be added.

[FormerMinnasotan]

The Twins would be crazy not to add Thorpe on the 40 man roster for next year. I know there is a ton of players needing to be added but other than Stephen Gonsalves there is no must have prospect in that list other than Thorpe. For coming off of a 2 year lay-off Thorpe looks better than I expected, plus with the possibility of having a legit 4 pitch arsenal at his disposal no starter (not even a healthy Fernando Romero) has the ceiling Thorpe has. To be honest I'd rather risk Kohl Stewart being lost to the Rule V rather than Lewis Thorpe.

[h2oface]

 

...... There is the large # of players needing to be added this fall, including Gonsalves, Littell, Reed, Diaz, Stewart, Moya, Bard, Burdi and Derek Rodriguez. That's nine, not including Thorpe.

 

A savvy front office makes some trades before prospects burn out the hope flame. Decision should be made sooner than later, and improve the only team that matters, the Twins, and move on without regret.

[bird]

 

Just picking nits, but the Kernels actually came back from 8-0, rather than 8-1.

 

Really like seeing TJ White have a big night like that. He's got the defensive chops to handle 3B at the MLB level and if he hits, he'll be a big leaguer somewhere for a long time.

 

 

Interesting. We think about a half-dozen other prospects under consideration for 3B, and TJWhite doesn't show up on the radar for most of us, so that's nice to hear. Blankenhorn, Miranda, Cabbage, Bechtold, maybe guys like Javier, or even Goodrum.

[laloesch]

I think Zack Littel earns honorable mention as well next to Thorpe.  Guy has been AWESOME this year over three different affiliates at 18-1.   All the folks whining about selling Garcia should really take a look at this guys stats and this could end up being a HUGE steal for Falvey and Levine.