Twins Minor League Report (6/11): Late Drama for Kernels

[Allen Post]

A late-inning homer outburst gave Cedar Rapids a win that highlighted an otherwise disappointing night on the Twins farm. Let's get right to it in tonight's Minor League Report:

TRANSACTIONS

• Minnesota Twins IF Luis Arraez to Triple-A St. Paul on rehab assignment
• Minnesota Twins place SS Keoni Cavaco on 7-day Injured List (concussion)

 

SAINTS SENTINEL

Omaha 6, St. Paul 4

Box Score

 

The St. Paul Saints hung tough with the best team in the Triple-A East tonight, but walk away losers to 6-4 scoreline.

Omaha got off to a hot start, posting two runs in the top of the first off a Kyle Isbel RBI groundout and a solo homer from Ryan O’Hearn. The Storm Chasers added one in the second on a Angelo Castellano single that scored Alcides Escobar.

St. Paul got a couple back in the bottom of the second, though, making use of three straight hits to start the inning. The runs scored on a Jimmy Kerrigan double and a Roberto Peña groundout.

After a rocky start, Rob Whalen settled down as the game moved into the middle innings and retired nine men in a row at one point before allowing an infield single and giving way to Juan Minaya with two outs in the fifth. 

Unfortunately, Minaya promptly allowed an RBI double to Kyle Isbel, making the score 4-2 and adding an earned run to Whalen’s line for the night. Ryan McBroom added another run for Omaha in the sixth with a towering solo homer to left field off Minaya.

The Saints got one back on a solo no-doubter to left center from Brent Rooker and added another in the seventh to make the score 5-4 that, according to the Saints social media team, really lit up Statcast:

Unfortunately, Omaha answered with a run of their own, on a RBI double from Meibrys Viloria, to stretch the lead to 6-4. That 6-4 lead held for the Storm Chasers and, as if to rub it in, former Twin Anthony Swarzak got the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

 

Arraez Returns to Field: Luis Arraez returned to the diamond tonight in his first game of a rehab stint with St. Paul. Arraez played his scheduled seven innings without incident and got a single and an RBI groundout in four at-bats. Arraez is scheduled to play the full nine-inning game tomorrow and Byron Buxton will return to the Saints lineup as well.

 

WIND SURGE WISDOM

Tulsa 5, Wichita 1

Box Score

Chris Vallimont pitched well in his start for Wichita tonight, but didn’t get support from his offense or bullpen and the Surge dropped this one, 5-1

The Wind Surge and Drillers traded runs in the second to open the scoring; Yeltsin Encarnacion drove in Wichita’s run on a ground ball single up the middle and Tulsa grabbed theirs on a Vallimont wild pitch, allowing Ryan Noda to score from third.

The teams then traded zeroes in the third and fourth and it looked like the fifth would be scoreless too, but a two-out rally led to a Jeren Kendall RBI single and the Drillers chased Vallimont out of the game.

Tulsa touched up the Wichita bullpen with two more in the sixth and one in the seventh. Their sixth inning runs came on a wild pitch and a ground ball that led to a close play at the plate, and a Yeltsin Encarnacion throwing error led to the run in the seventh.

That 5-1 lead held up for Wichita as the Surge were scoreless from the third inning on and fall to the Drillers.

 

Drillers Honor Negro Leagues with Special Jerseys: The Surge’s opponent are taking the field in unique “T-Town Clowns” uniforms this weekend to honor Tulsa’s historic negro league side. Check it out here:

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 7, Beloit 5

Box Score

The Kernels were held in check early, but exploded late with the long ball to take this one in dramatic fashion, 7-5.

Cedar Rapids scored the first run of the game in the top of the third when Michael Helman scampered home on a first-and-third steal play executed with Gabriel Maciel swiping second. Things went sideways for Cedar Rapids in the bottom of the inning, though, as Andrew Cabezas lost the zone and walked three to load the bases. A fielding error and a Kameron Misner single later, the Snappers took a 3-1 lead to the fourth.

The Snappers added a run each in the fourth and fifth on solo shots from Troy Johnston and Connor Scott, respectively.

Save for their early run, Cedar Rapids had no answer for Beloit starter Zach McCambley, as he shut the Kernels down over six full innings. McCambley allowed only three hits and the one run in his start, and added 10 strikeouts. 

The Kernels bats immediately broke out once McCambley left, though. They touched new pitcher Andrew Nardi for two quick singles and a big Alex Isola three-run homer to get the Kernels back in the game. Then, in the eighth, Spencer Steer continued the onslaught on Nardi with a homer of his own to tie the game at 5-5.

The big fly served the Kernels well again in the ninth. Trey Cabbage came to bat with one out and blasted a go-ahead shot to right field. 

Then, Jair Camargo joined in on the fun with a solo bomb of his own. The back-to-back homers gave Cedar Rapids a 7-5 lead. Owen Griffith struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth, and the Kernels closed out a dramatic win.

 

MUSSELS MATTERS

Jupiter 4, Fort Myers 1

Box Score

Starter Miguel Rodriguez was solid again tonight for Fort Myers, but was outdueled by his Jupiter counterpart, George Soriano. Rodriguez allowed three runs over 4.2 innings, but only one was earned and the Mussels hurler got eight Hammerheads to strike out. That’s a great outing, but Soriano outdid him with 10 strikeouts and only two hits allowed in five full innings of one-run work.

Jupiter got their first run off Rodriguez in the second, with help from a Jeferson Morales throwing error on a stolen base attempt. The score remained at 1-0 through four innings.

In the top of the fifth, after not registering a hit through four frames, the Mussels finally got some good swings off against Soriano. Justin Washington singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a Misael Urbina double. Soriano recovered, though and got through the fifth with only the one run in. Jupiter answered in the bottom of the inning by loading the bases and chasing Rodriguez before scoring three on a fielding error from third baseman Yunior Severino. 

The score remained at 4-1 until the ninth, with good deliveries from Josan Mendez and Jefry Yan keeping the Mussels in check. Fort Myers got two base runners in the ninth, but couldn’t string together the big hits necessary to rally back and extend the game.

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Owen Griffith (Cedar Rapids) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Hitter of the Day – Alex Isola (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR(4)

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 1-for-4, K

#2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for Season (torn ACL)

#3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 0-for-4, 2 K

#4 - Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota) – 0-for-4, K

#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Did not pitch

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – Injured List (concussion)

#8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 4 K

#9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (Tommy John surgery)

#11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – 1-for-3, 2B, K

#12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K, HR(9)

#13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain)

#14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5, 2B, RBI, 3 K

#15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch

#16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) – 60-Day IL (elbow)

#17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – Did not play

#18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A

#19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) –  Did not play

#20 - Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 5 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 7 K, BB, 52 strikes on 73 pitches

 

SATURDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS

Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Andrew Albers (1-2, 7.11 ERA)

Wichita @ Tulsa (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (1-3, 5.55 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (0-0, 4.57 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Jupiter (5:30PM CST) – LHP Brent Headrick (2-2, 3.74 ERA)

 

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[mikelink45]

Sabato 0-4 with 4ks was an ugly line. minaya doesn't look like he's going to help

[Dman]

4 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Sabato 0-4 with 4ks was an ugly line. minaya doesn't look like he's going to help

Yeah just when you think there might be hope for Sabato he proves he can't make contact again and again and again.  There has to be an issue with his eye or the swing as he looks horrible at the plate right now.  Just a horrible 1st round pick IMO.  I guess that is what happens when teams don't get good looks at guys all season.  He looks identical to Rooker. He does not know how to hit breaking balls and his swing isn't geared to handle them at all. It is fastball or bust.  Hopefully he can adjust or figure things out and he has time yet but he looks like a bust right now.  He has a 35% K rate in A ball that says not gonna make it to me.  We will see if he can prove me wrong but unless he can change I doubt he will.

[h2oface]

Buxton may as well be playing in the show. His homers and play is being wasted in AAA.