Front Page: Twins Minor League Report (8/19): Red Wings Get No-Hit, Kernels Get Big Win

[Seth Stohs]

It was a night full of intrigue in the Twins minor leagues on Monday night. First, there were several interesting transactions. Pensacola played a doubleheader, and in one of the games they got a strong pitching performance and in the other, they got some big hits from top prospects. The GCL Twins were actually able to play and won two good games as they received one of the top prospects from the Dominican Summer League.Find out everything that happened happened in the Twins system on Monday, starting with some awards and the transactions of the day.

 

AWARDS

• RHP Chris Vallimont was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week.
• RHP Luis Rijo was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week
• RHP Andriu Marin was named the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Week.

 

 

TRANSACTIONS

• DH Nelson Cruz was activated from the injured list by the Twins, and they optioned RHP Zack Littell to Rochester.
• Rochester officially announced that RHPs Brusdar Graterol and Jorge Alcala are now on their roster.
• To make room for the two new pitchers, RHP Adam Bray was sent down to Pensacola. Also DJ Baxendale was placed on the IL.
• RHP Cole Sands was promoted to Pensacola and started Game 2 of their doubleheader.
• C Cole Donaldson and OF Bryson Gandy were placed on the GCL IL.
• CF Luis Baez was promoted from the Dominican Summer League to the GCL.
• The Twins also returned to the United Shores Professional Baseball League to sign 3B/C Eric Jones who had played at Davidson University.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 0, Buffalo 3

Box Score

 

In this game recap, we start with the Red Wings offense…

 

On to the pitching… Griffin Jax was really good for the Red Wings. The righty gave up just one run on four hits over six innings. He walked one, hit two and struck out seven. Sam Clay came on and was charged with two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings. Fernando Romero got the final five outs. He walked one and struck out one . Clay and Romero each hit a batter.

 

Back to the Red Wings offense. The story was Buffalo starter who worked all nine innings and did not give up a hit. In fact, only a Mike Miller walk and hitting Zander Wiel with a pitch kept him from a perfect game.

 

 

BLUE WAHOOS BITES

Game 1 - Pensacola 0, Mississippi 1

Box Score

 

Bryan Sammons has quietly put together another really solid season, and he showed that again on Monday night. He tossed a complete game for the Blue Wahoos. The left-hander gave up just one hit. Unfortunately, that one hit came off the bat of Braves prospect Riley Unroe and it left the yard. It was the lone run of the game. Sammons worked six innings and walked two and struck out five.

 

Pensacola managed just two hits in the game, one by Willians Astudillo (who DHd) and one by Alex Kirilloff.

 

Over the past five weeks, Sammons has dropped his ERA from 5.26 down to 4.20. Just once in his past seven starts has he given up more than two earned runs.

 

Game 2 - Pensacola 4, Mississippi 2

Box Score

 

Trevor Larnach had a tough Game 1, striking out in each of his three at-bats. But this was Game 2, a new game, and in his first at-bat, he crushed his sixth Pensacola homer. He went 1-for-2 with a walk, and he was hit by a pitch. Larnach hit six home runs in 320 at-bats in Ft. Myers. His sixth homer with the Blue Wahoos came in just his 109th at-bat.

 

 

Alex Kirilloff went 2-for-4 with his 16th double, and Ryan Jeffers went 2-for-3 with a walk and his third double.

 

Cole Sands made his first Double-A start. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits over four innings. He walked just one and struck out six batters. Gabriel Moya tossed three shutout innings. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out three batters.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers

Box Score

 

No Game Scheduled.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 2

Box Score

 

The Kernels headed south to Davenport to take on the River Bandits again. Josh Winder got the start and pitched well. He gave up two runs on five hits over six innings. He struck out nine and did not issue a walk. He passed the 100 strikeout mark on the season, becoming the second Kernels pitcher to reach that number this year. The other pitcher on that list is Austin Schulfer who came out of the bullpen in relief. He gave up one hit, walked and and struck out three batters over two scoreless innings. Dylan Thomas worked a perfect ninth which included a strikeout.

 

The Kernels gave Winder some good run support. OF Tyler Webb led the way by going 4-for-5 with two RBI. Trevor Casanova went 3-for-5 with his eighth and ninth doubles. Spencer Steer went 2-for-4 with a walk and his eighth double. LaMonte Wade, continuing his rehab, went 1-for-4 and walked once. Gilberto Celestino walked twice.

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

E-Twins 2, Princeton 8

Box Score

 

As shown above, E-Twins starter Andriu Marin was named the Appy League Pitcher of the Week on Monday. How did he do as a follow up to his fantastic start? Well, the youngster gave up eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits over just 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Osiris German came in and worked the final 3 1/3 innings. He gave up just one hit, hit a batter and struck out three.

 

Parker Phillips led the offense. He went 2-for-3 with a walk. Ricky De La Torre hit his first E-Twins double of the season.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

Game 1 - GCL Twins 1, GCL Pirates 0

Box Score

 

Right-hander Miguel Rodriguez threw three shutout innings. He gave up two hits, walked two, hit one and struck out three. On the year, he now has a 0.90 ERA over 30 innings and has 34 strikeouts. Junior Navas struck out five batters over the next three innings. He gave up just one hit and hit a batter. Evan Gillespie picked up the save with a scoreless seventh inning.

 

The Twins managed just three hits. Jeferson Morales hit his third triple and later scored the game’s lone run on an error. Alec Craig had a walk and a single.

 

Game 2 - Twins 7, GCL Pirates 2

Box Score

 

German-born Niklas Rimmel improved to 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA. He tossed five shutout innings and gave up just three hits. He struck out seven and walked just one. Petru Balan gave up a run on two hits in the sixth inning. Bradley Hanner gave up a run on two hits in the seventh inning, but he struck out three.

 

Luis Milla went 3-for-3 with his second double. Jake Hirabayashi went 2-for-3 with his second home run. Sergio Toribia went 2-for-3 as well. Also, playing his just his second GCL game since being promoted from the DSL, Luis Baez picked up his first stateside hit and stole a base.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Josh Winder, Cedar Rapids Kernels

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Tyler Webb, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) - Game 1 (Did Not Play), Game 2 (0-4, K)

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - Game 1 (1-3), Game 2 (2-4, 2B(16), R, RBI, K)

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - Game 1 (0-3, 3 K), Game 2 (1-2, BB, HR(6), HBP, R, 2 RBI)

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5, R, 3 K

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Ft. Myers) - No Game Scheduled

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL Twins) - Did Not Play (quad)

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Ft. Myers) - Injured List (hamstring)

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Minnesota) - 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Injured List (lower leg contusion)

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - Game 1 (Did Not Play), Game 2 (2-3, BB, 2B(3), R)

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - 3-5, 2B(8), R

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) - 0-3, BB

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) - Injured List

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Ft. Myers) - Injured (Tommy John)

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL Twins) - 0-4, BB

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - Game 1 (0-3, K), Game 2 (0-4)

 

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05 CST) - LHP Devin Smeltzer (1-3, 3.45 ERA)

Pensacola @ Mississippi (6:35 CST) - RHP Edwar Colina (4-0, 2.25 ERA)

Ft. Myers @ Charlotte (5:30 CST) - TBD

Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6;35 CST) - LHP Kody Funderburk (0-2, 4.37 ERA)

Elizabethton @ Princeton (5:30 CST) - TBD

GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (11:00 CST) - TBD

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Monday games or any other minor league topics you would like.

 

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[Aerodeliria]

I think I'd give the pitching nod to Sammons despite getting the L. Only one hit the entire game is a yeoman's performance, but there were a few good candidates to choose from on the pitching side.

[rdehring]

After a couple so-so starts after his move to AAA, great seeing Jax have a good start, very good.  Continue to believe that he has a future with the Twins.  He seems to be pitching like he believes he has one also.  Go Air Force!

 

And what a big day for the GCL Twins.  With their season nearing its end, they are 2.5 games behind the Orioles in their division, however, have a 1.5 game lead in the wild card race.  If the season ended today, they would begin the playoffs against those colorful birds.

 

I see that Moya has not allowed a run in four of his last five appearances.  Two runs in 12.1 innings is a pretty good stretch.  Could he be the Twins answer to add a lefty to their pen come September?  

 

 

 

 

[jud6312]

Quietly a nice little year being put together by Cole Sands.

[Dman]

I am glad they moved Sands to AA.  His K rate and WHIP were really good in High A so no reason to stay there.  He had a tough first inning but he belongs in AA and should be a part of the next wave of young pitching heading toward the big club.

 

Was very surprised the Rochester team was no hit.   They have been a good hitting team all year.  To keep that entire lineup is an accomplishment.

 

Good to see Kiriloff and Larnach keeping things going.  Maybe it won't be a completely lost year for Kiriloff as his number are rounding into his more normal numbers.  Seems like his multi hit games are back.

[Vanimal46]

Quietly a nice little year being put together by Cole Sands.

I think he's going to have a Balazovic-esc rise in the rankings next year...

[Seth Stohs]

 

I see that Moya has not allowed a run in four of his last five appearances.  Two runs in 12.1 innings is a pretty good stretch.  Could he be the Twins answer to add a lefty to their pen come September?  

 

I certainly would hope that Lewis Thorpe will get the first opportunity for that. Moya is pretty far down that list.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I am glad they moved Sands to AA.  His K rate and WHIP were really good in High A so no reason to stay there.  He had a tough first inning but he belongs in AA and should be a part of the next wave of young pitching heading toward the big club.

 

Was very surprised the Rochester team was no hit.   They have been a good hitting team all year.  To keep that entire lineup is an accomplishment.

 

Good to see Kiriloff and Larnach keeping things going.  Maybe it won't be a completely lost year for Kiriloff as his number are rounding into his more normal numbers.  Seems like his multi hit games are back.

 

Sands has pitched well, but I'm guessing that was more of a case where they needed a Game 2 starter for the doubleheader. Maybe not though. 

[big dog]

The name Spencer Steer has appeared really frequently in these writeups.  Is there someone at the higher levels of the minors that would be a good comp?

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

 see that Moya has not allowed a run in four of his last five appearances.  Two runs in 12.1 innings is a pretty good stretch.  Could he be the Twins answer to add a lefty to their pen come September?  

GIven that Moya is still pitching at AA, after a demotion from AAA less than a month ago, I suspect not. 7.63 ERA at Rochester suggests he may not have adjusted to the MLB ball too well!