Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/12): Dobnak and a Doubleheader

[Steve Lein]

There was plenty of action in the system on Tuesday as the Red Wings made up an earlier postponement with a doubleheader, along with all other affiliates being in action. The games included a couple of shutouts in favor of the good guys but one, we’ll call it an “occurrence,” stood out to me as I went through the game log for a starting pitcher in one of those, one who happened to allow ten hits in a near complete game effort. I’d guess not a single game in the majors has had this happen this year, and who knows how many other seasons before that. I challenge someone to find out for me, and in turn, inform the rest of our readers because I think it’s going to be that rare.You’re going to have to keep reading to find out exactly what I’m referring to, but be sure to add to the discussion in the comments when you find out!

 

TRANSACTIONS

 

There were a couple of transactions in the system on Tuesday:

 

-The Rochester Red Wings received Joe Mauer on a rehab assignment, and he played in both games of their doubleheader.

-In AA, the Chattanooga Lookouts placed Zander Wiel on the 7-day disabled list, retroactive to June 10^th, with SI joint dysfunction (likely means lower back pain).

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Game 1: Rochester 2, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 5

Box Score

 

In game one of the Red Wings doubleheader on Tuesday, right-hander Aaron Slegers took the mound and delivered a (shortened) complete game effort, but was also saddled with the loss.

 

Slegers surrendered five runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks in six innings. The damage came on a three-run home run in the bottom of the first (after an error making those runs the unearned ones), and solo shots in each of the third and fourth innings. He struck out four on the day.

 

On offense Rochester wasn’t able to string together enough hits of their own to keep up, as newcomers Cameron Rupp and Taylor Motter hit their first home runs in the organization in back-to-back fashion in the fourth to account for their only runs. Nick Gordon finished 2-for-3 on the game and as a team they had only two at-bats with runners in scoring position and left only four men on base.

 

Joe Mauer batted first in the lineup as the DH in this one to kick off his rehab assignment and finished 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

 

Game 2: Rochester 0, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2

Box Score

 

In the makeup of their May 12^th postponement, Rochester trotted out the bullpen to handle game two.

 

Gabriel Moya got the starting nod and went the first three innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out four, lowering his ERA on the season at Triple A to 1.85. It was then Tyler Duffey’s turn, and he went the next two innings, allowing two hits and striking out one to put his ERA at 1.29. John Curtiss was up next, and while he started the day with an ERA also below two at 1.61, he would not finish it that way.

 

After a double and single to start the sixth, a triple brought in two and put the RailRiders out front. Curtiss buckled down and got a fly out and two K’s to end the inning and it would be up to the Red Wings lineup in the top of the seventh.

 

Unfortunately, Kennys Vargas led off the inning with a strikeout, then Willians Astudillo sent a fly ball into left field that he tried to stretch into a double but was thrown at second base. Down to their last out, a walk to Wynston Sawyer brought the tying run into the batter’s box, but a groundout ended the game.

 

The lineup again failed to get anything going in this one as well, as they had just six baserunners all game. LaMonte Wade was 1-for-2 with a walk while Astudillo finished 2-for-3 in the book. Joe Mauer again was the DH out of the leadoff spot and again went 0-for-3.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 1, Montgomery 2

Box Score

 

In a bullpen game, the Lookouts got an overall solid pitching effort out of four of their relievers, but offense was hard to come by as they managed just three hits on the game, all singles.

 

Mitchell Kranson, Alex Perez, and Tanner English each had one of those hits, with Perez picking up the only RBI to drive in James Ramsey, who had drawn a walk in the fourth inning. As a team Chattanooga was 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left only four men on base.

 

Todd Van Steensel started the game for the Lookouts and went the first 2 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits (a solo home run) and a walk while striking out two. Williams Ramirez was charged with the loss as he pitched the next two innings. He walked three and gave up one run along with picking up one K. Paco Rodriguez finished the next 1 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out three. Ryne Harper finished the game’s final two frames, retiring all six men he faced including one K.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 3, Palm Beach 0

Box Score

 

The Miracle took the lead 1-0 in the third inning when Jimmy Kerrigan, Travis Blankenhorn, and Jaylin Davis hit consecutive singles. It might have been more, but a double-steal attempt ended with Blankenhorn being thrown out at home.

 

They stretched their lead to 3-0 in the seventh when a Luis Arreaz double brought in Ben Rortvedt and Brandon Lopez who had each singled to start the inning. Blankenhorn finished 3-for-4 but in addition to being caught at home, was also picked off first base.

 

The Cardinals had all zeroes on the scoreboard to that point thanks to Fort Myers starter Clark Beeker. In total, he went 7 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and a walk, while striking out three. Until the eighth, he had allowed just three hits but three singles in the eighth ended his day with two outs. A runner was thrown out at home by Shane Carrier, on the third of those singles to keep Palm Beach off the board.

 

Andrew Vasquez came on to escape the remaining eighth inning jam with a strikeout, then proceeded to strike out the side in the ninth to pick up his fifth save on the year.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 7, Kane County 0

Box Score

 

Kernels starter Randy Dobnak did his best Houdini impression in this one, scattering ten hits over eight innings to shut out the Cougars. Despite all those hits, Kane County managed only five at-bats with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. Dobnak walked none and struck out two. Of his 99 pitches, 73 went for strikes as he was extremely efficient with his pitch count. His defense also played a big part as he struck out only two on the game, and no errors were committed on 30 batted balls.

 

Cedar Rapids jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Dobnak ever took the mound, as the first three top prospects in the lineup, Akil Baddoo, Royce Lewis, and Alex Kirilloff; went for extra bases. Baddoo led off the game with his sixth home run, Lewis doubled, and Kirilloff traded places with him on a double of his own.

 

They stretched the lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning thanks to an RBI single from Andrew Bechtold, and an RBI groundout from Trey Cabbage, then 6-0 after the eighth following doubles from Robby Rinn and Jacob Pearson (his second double of the game), and an error that allowed Pearson to score. In the ninth they tacked on another run after Baddoo led off the frame with a double and he scored on a single from Rinn.

 

The Kernels got multiple hits from Baddoo, Lewis, Rinn (4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI), Pearson (3-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI), and Bechtold (2-for-4, RBI, HBP). Lewis also stole his 16^th base. There were no walks in the game from either team, but Cedar Rapids got the best of the 26 total hits.

 

That “occurrence” I was talking about in the lead? Well, try this on for size: Not a single batter for the Kane County lineup pushed an at-bat to a three-ball count over Dobnak’s eight innings. Add in Martinez, and not one Cougar hitter reached three balls on the game. I don’t think that type of thing happens ever these days but couldn’t quite confirm it myself.

 

If I go so far as to add in Cedar Rapids hitters, there were just two three-ball counts on the entire game on Tuesday night. I would have expected it to have gone quicker than two hours and thirty-nine minutes with that considered.

 

Anyway, for fun and trying to verify my gut feeling on the rarity of this in today’s game, I did discover that Boston Braves pitcher Red Barrett holds the record for fewest pitches in a complete game as he needed just 58 pitches in a 2-0 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in 1944. That game was also the shortest in MLB history to be played at night, clocking in at one hour and fifteen minutes. Those notes aren’t the resolution to my query, but you’ve now learned the answer to some very obscure sports trivia questions.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak, Cedar Rapids Kernels (W, 8 IP, 0 R, 10 H, 2 K)

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Akil Baddoo, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 K)

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

 

1. Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-5, R, 2B (13), K, SB (16)

2. Fernando Romero (Minnesota) – Did not pitch.

3. Nick Gordon (Rochester) – (2 games) 2-for-6, K

4. Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) – Did not pitch.

5. Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-5, 2B (18), RBI

6. Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – Out for season with injury.

7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 0-for-4, 3 K

8. Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch.

9. Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch.

10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B (7), HR (6), RBI, 2 K

11. Zack Littell (Rochester) – Did not pitch.

12. Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch.

13. Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, 2B

14. LaMonte Wade (Rochester) – (2 games) 1-for-4, BB, HBP

15. Mitch Garver (Minnesota) – 0-for-1, BB

16. Ben Rortvedt (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, R, BB

17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 3-for-4, CS, PO

18. Yunior Severino (Extended Spring Training)

19. Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) – Did not pitch.

20. Felix Jorge (Rochester) – Disabled List, still no official timetable for return.

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (5:35PM CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (4-6, 5.85 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Birmingham (7:05PM CST) – LHP Lewis Thorpe (2-4, 4.95 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30PM CST) – RHP Griffin Jax (0-0, 4.76 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (11:00AM CST) – RHP Brusdar Graterol (2-1, 1.95 ERA)

 

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

 

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[nclahammer]

I love your thought-provoking recaps from the farm.

 

[puckstopper1]

Very glad to see that Lewis' injury appears to be/have been a minor one.  

[rdehring]

If this Rupp guy can hit a little AND play good defense, expect we will see him with the Twins in a couple weeks.  Question will be who gets sent down.  If it were me, it would be Garver.  Maybe some of you stat guys can confirm what my eyes are telling me that his defense isn't very good...especially blocking balls in the dirt.

 

And after getting all excited about Rooker the last month, he has gotten only 2 hits in the last five games.  I guess a slump should have been expected, hopefully it will be a short one.

 

I like the progress Baddoo is making, especially being on track for about 15 home runs.  Although no longer a prospect, what does Rinn have to do to get a little recognition around here?

 

And I loved the 'inquiring minds' aspect of today's report.  

[Steve Lein]

 

I love your thought-provoking recaps from the farm.

 

Thank you for saying so! I like to try to throw in something other than just recapping whenever I can!

[caninatl04]

Thank you, again for your diligent work.  I'm wondering if and when the Top Prospect list will be updated?