Front Page: Twins Minor League Report (8/17): Larnach Homers, Rochester Entering Must Win Territory

[Cody Christie]

Rochester is three games out of first place with 15 games left in the season. One problem with their position is there are two other teams between them and the first-place club. The Red Wings play both teams in front of them over the next two weeks, so they have an opportunity to be in charge of their destiny. They will also get some pitching help with top prospects Brusdar Graterol and Jorge Alcala set to be added to the club on Monday.

 

Was Rochester able to help themselves on Sunday? Read on to find out.AWARDS

The Twins announced their weekly Hitter and Pitcher of the Week

• Hitter of the Week: Gilberto Celestino, Cedar Rapids

In five games this week, Celestino went 7-for-18 with two home runs and two doubles along with driving in four runs and scoring four runs. Celestino was acquired from Houston last season as part of the Ryan Pressly trade.

• Pitcher of the Week: Dakota Chalmers, Fort Myers

Chalmers made one start this week and pitched six innings without allowing an earned run. He struck out nine and walked one. Last August, Chalmers was acquired from Oakland as part of the Fernando Rodney trade.

 

TRANSACTIONS

LHP Devin Smeltzer optioned by Minnesota to Rochester.

OF Alejandro De Aza placed on the IL with Rochester (right-hand contusion).

RHP Brian Rapp from IL with Cedar Rapids.

LHP Erik Cha placed on the IL with Cedar Rapids (left forearm strain).

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 12, Louisville 1

Box Score

Rochester found themselves down 1-0 after the first inning, but that’s where the scoring would stop for Louisville and Rochester’s bats more than woke up. Wilin Rosario and Brandon Barnes both hit grand slams to provide more than enough offensive punch.

 

Randy Dobnak was pitching for the first time in 10 days and there might have been a little bit of first inning rust. He settled in from there and retired the final 13 men he faces. In five innings, he coaxed nine groundouts and all the hits and walks he allowed came in the first frame. He was removed after 73 pitches with 48 being strikes.

 

Cody Stashak, Ryan O’Rourke and Jake Reed combined to throw four scoreless frames. O’Rourke and Reed both struck out two without allow a base runner. Scranton/Wilkes Barre leads Buffalo and Syracuse by two games and Rochester by three games. Rochester plays all their final 15 games against Buffalo and Syracuse.

 

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 4, Mississippi 3

Box Score

Trevor Larnach connected for his fifth home run of the season to help the Pensacola separate themselves from Mississippi. The team’s biggest inning came in the fourth and all the damage came after there were two outs in the frame. Ryan Costello walked and came around to score on a Jimmy Kerrigan double. Mark Contreras followed with a triple and then came home on an RBI-single for Caleb Hamilton. Larnach’s homer the next inning turned out to be the game-winning run.

 

Jhoan Duran allowed three runs on nine hits with five strikeouts. It was his first appearance in August where he allowed three runs or fewer. Jovani Moran played a huge role out of the bullpen. He struck out five in three perfect innings for his third hold. It was the first time he had pitched three innings all season.

 

Anthony Vizcaya ran into some ninth inning trouble, but he was still able to escape with his fourth save. With one out, he allowed a single and a walk to put the tying run in scoring position. After a mound visit, he struck out the next batter for the second out and got a shar flyout to end the game

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 1, Jupiter 5

Box Score

Andrew Bechtold cranked out a career-high four hits, but the Miracle couldn’t come up with a big hit to push across more than one run. Fort Myers matched Jupiter with nine hits, but the Miracle only had two at-bats with a runner in scoring position. Still, the team left eight men on base. Jacob Pearson joined Bechtold in the multi-hit department after going 2-for-4.

 

On the mound, Lachlan Wells started and went four innings by allowing two earned runs (four total runs) on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Yennier Cano, Johan Quezada and Zach Neff combined to pitch three shutout frames in the mid-innings. Moises Gomez ran into some control problems in the ninth as he walked three batters and allowed a run to score. He still was able to strikeout the side.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 5

Box Score

The Kernels scored four runs in the final three innings to close within one. In the seventh inning, Wander Javier doubled to put two runners into scoring position. DaShawn Keirsey followed with a double, his first extra-base hit of the season. In the eighth, Spencer Steer doubled with one out and came around on Gilberto Celestino single. Gabe Snyder followed with a double and Celestino would eventually score on a bases loaded walk. Albee Weiss struck out with the bases full.

 

Andrew Cabezas was saddled with his seventh loss after allowing four runs on six hits. In 4 2/3 innings, he struck out four and walked three. Nate Hadley allowed a solo home run in his 1 1/3 innings. Brian Rapp and Jose Martinez kept the score close with each pitching a shutout inning.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 2, Princeton 4

Box Score

Elizabethton tried to mount a comeback; however, they were unsuccessful. After trailing 2-0 early, Matt Wallner collected a one-out RBI-single in the third. Max Smith tied the game with his sixth home run of the year. He finished 2-for-4 for his fourth multi-hit in his last ten contests.

 

Ben Gross got the start and allowed three earned runs in five innings. He struck out two, but he allowed a season-high nine hits. Yancarlos Baez and Steven Cruz finished off the game with three scoreless innings. Cruz didn’t allow a hit in two innings and struck out two.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

TD Pitcher of the Day- Jovani Moran, Pensacola (3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB)

TD Hitter of the Day- Wilin Rosario, Rochester (3-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, K)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) – 0-4, 2 K

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – Did not play

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Rochester) – Did not pitch

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) – 1-4, HR, RBI, R, K

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, 2B, R, BB, K

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) – Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) – No scheduled game

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – Injured list

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 5 K, BB

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota) – Did not pitch

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – Did not play

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) – Did not play

#14 - Luis Arraez (Twins) – 0-4, BB

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) – 1-4, RBI, K

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – Did not play

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Out for year with Tommy John surgery

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Rochester) – Did not pitch

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) – No scheduled game

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) – 1-4, BB, K

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs. Buffalo (6:05 CST) – RHP Griffin Jax (5-4, 3.02 ERA)

Pensacola @ Mississippi (5:05 CST) – TBD

Pensacola @ Mississippi (Game 2) – TBD

Fort Myers – Scheduled Off-Day

Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:35 CST) – RHP Josh Winder (6-2, 2.81 ERA)

Elizabethton @ Princeton (5:30 CST) – RHP Andrui Marin (2-2, 5.31 ERA)

GCL Twins @ GCL Pirates (9:00 am CST) – TBD

GCL Twins vs. GCL Pirates (Game 2) – Game 2

 

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

 

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[dbminn]

A small correction - Larnach has 5 HR with Pensacola but 11 HR on the season.

[rdehring]

Shaping up to be a very nice season for Bechtold.  With his defense, has to be someone worth keeping an eye on.

 

Same goes for Dobnak, although he is close enough to be in next year's plans...isn't he?

[Dman]

I like Duran and hius K9 numbers but his WHIP worries me.  I know he just moved up to another level and it later in the season where the arn can wear down but his WHIP throughout his career has been a bit to high IMO.  Hoping he can refine those pitches a bit more and look more like a frontline starter.

 

I don't completely understand how Dobnak does it but he keeps performing well no what level the Twins out him at.  Can someone tell me if he has great spin rate or something because for an average pitcher he seems better than average.

 

Really nice to see Celistino heat up.  He has a chance to be special if the hit tool works out.

Congrats to Chalmers for making pitcher of the weeek.  If he can learn to control the ball a bit better his stuff will play.

[MMMordabito]

Hypothetical, but highly possible situation ... 

 

39 of 40 decisions have been made regarding the off-season roster (including how many spots to leave open for FAs) before the Rule 5 draft.

 

Are the Twins protecting Javier or Celestino?

[Danchat]

 

Hypothetical, but highly possible situation ... 

 

39 of 40 decisions have been made regarding the off-season roster (including how many spots to leave open for FAs) before the Rule 5 draft.

 

Are the Twins protecting Javier or Celestino?

Just from my uninformed opinion... I have a hard time seeing a team picking Javier with how poorly he's hit. He won't have any chance against MLB pitchers and would be hard to carry on a 26 man roster.

 

Celestino is borderline, but my gut is they could sneak him through unprotected. Not sure if he has enough upside to be worth a rule 5 pick at this juncture.

[Trov]

 

Just from my uninformed opinion... I have a hard time seeing a team picking Javier with how poorly he's hit. He won't have any chance against MLB pitchers and would be hard to carry on a 26 man roster.

 

Celestino is borderline, but my gut is they could sneak him through unprotected. Not sure if he has enough upside to be worth a rule 5 pick at this juncture.

No way is Javier put on 40 after this season.  A rebuilding team may try to take him knowing he will struggle a ton, but for a contending team no way do they waste a spot on MLB roster, and I do not think Twins would be willing to use 40 man spot either.  The only way this changes is if he plays some winter ball and tears it up.