Twins Minor League Report (7/23): Close Games Across the Board

[Allen Post]

Two of the four Twins affiliates faced off against teams named after turtles tonight, and that somehow wasn't the most interesting thing that happened. Check out tonight's Minor League Report to see what was!

TRANSACTIONS

• Minnesota Twins recall OF Brent Rooker from Triple-A St. Paul
• Minnesota Twins transfer RHP Cole Bellair to Low-A Ft. Myers from Twins Complex

 

SAINTS SENTINEL
Omaha 5, St. Paul 3 
Box Score

The Saints only managed four hits on the night but they were in this game late. Still, two late runs were too much to overcome and Omaha gets the win, 5-3.

The Storm Chasers took an early lead in the first when Lucius Fox came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded and beat out an infield single to drive in a run. Royals prospect Nick Pratto added to that Omaha lead with a two-run homer in the third, his first in Triple-A.

In the top of the fifth, though, Keon Broxton got the Saints back into it with a two-run shot of his own, driving in himself and Damek Tomscha to make the score 3-2.

The score stayed at 3-2 until the bottom of the eighth, when Omaha added a couple of insurance runs. They started off the inning with four straight batters reaching and scored two runs (RBI to Sebastian Rivero and Anderson Miller), to bring the Storm Chasers’ lead to 5-2.

The Saints got one of those runs back, but fell short of a third straight ninth-inning comeback, losing this one 5-3.

Charlie Barnes was the Saints’ starting pitcher tonight and he was average at best over 4.2 innings. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks, and struck out three. Andrew Vasquez pitched a scoreless inning and had two strikeouts in the process. Yennier Cano went 1.2 innings but allowed the two late runs, both earned. Robinson Leyer took over for Cano to finish out the eighth, and got two outs without any additional damage. Tomscha had the only multi-hit game for St. Paul.

 

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Arkansas 4, Wichita 3
Box Score

The Surge led most of this game, but blew it in the ninth, allowing Arkansas to walk off as 4-3 victors.

The first inning went by without much drama, but Jermaine Palacios led off the second inning by putting the ball over the fence to break the deadlock.

Wichita built on their lead in the third with two runs through an RBI single from Roy Morales and a Trey Cabbage RBI sac fly.

The Travelers had an answer in the bottom of the inning, though, with two runs of their own. A walk, a single, and a double allowed runs to score on two different productive outs: a forceout from Dom Thompson-Williams and a sac fly off the bat of Josh Morgan.

This game went scoreless for five innings, but it sprang back to life in the bottom of the ninth. Connor Kopach singled with one out, then Stephen Wrenn doubled to the gap to score Kopach and tie the game. Wrenn, representing the winning run, advanced to third on a throwing error from the outfield.

One seeing-eye single later, and Wrenn was streaking home while Josh Morgan, the walk-off hero, took a Gatorade bucket shower at first base.

Austin Schulfer got the start on the mound for Wichita tonight and allowed two earned over 5.2 innings. He allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out three. Alex Phillips pitched in with 1.1 innings of scoreless work and gave the ball to Jordan Gore to get the six-out save. That didn’t go as planned, obviously. Gore got through a scoreless eighth, but gave up the two runs in the ninth; he gets the loss. Roy Morales and Jermaine Palacios had multi-hit games for the Surge.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 1
Box Score

Tyler Watson was excellent in his start for the Kernels, the bullpen followed suit, and the Cedar Rapids bats did just enough to secure a 2-1 victory.

Bats were quiet for both teams through two innings, but the Snappers took the lead in the third in unusual fashion. Connor Scott hit a deep drive to right center that forced Gabriel Maciel to slam into the wall to make the catch. This allowed Ricky Aracena to tag up and score from second to give Beloit the first run of the ballgame.  

The Kernels’ two runs were delivered in a more typical way, as Alex Isola ripped a single through the left side to score Kyle Schmidt and Edouard Julien and give the Cedar Rapids a 2-1 lead going into the fourth.

Thanks to continued dominance from Watson and good deliveries from relievers Tyler Palm and Derek Molina, those two runs would be all Cedar Rapids needed to secure the win. Thomas Jones doubled and advanced to third for the Snappers in the ninth, but Beloit couldn’t bring him in and the game ended 2-1 Kernels. 

Watson went a total of five innings and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out four. Palm took the sixth and seventh, struck out three, and didn’t allow a hit. Molina closed out the evening by stranding the runner at third; he had two scoreless and allowed two hits. Alex Isola had the only multi-hit game for the Kernels.

 

MUSSEL MATTERS
Daytona 7, Fort Myers 5 (F/11)
Box Score

Fort Myers starter Landon Leach made his Single-A debut tonight and kept the Mussels in it, allowing for a late comeback that took this one to extras. However, the additional frames went Daytona’s way, and the Mussels lost 7-5 in 11 innings.

The Tortugas got a run in the top of the first when an Elly De La Cruz groundout scored Austin Hendrick. In the second, Daniel Vellojin roped a double to center that scored another. The Mussels got those two runs back in the bottom of the second though, with a Jesus Feliz RBI single and a Misael Urbina RBI sac fly.

Fort Myers kept the offense going in the fourth, when they loaded the bases with one out. They managed a run on a wild pitch but strikeouts from top prospects Keoni Cavaco and Aaron Sabato ended the rally.

The Mussels would pay for their wastefulness as Vellojin and Hendrick struck again in the top of the fifth. This time, Vellojin walked and Hendrick homered to steal the lead back for the Tortugas. The Fighting Willians Astudillos added another run in the seventh through a Wendell Marrero RBI double.

That run gave Daytona a 5-3 lead and that deficit would hold up until the ninth inning. Then the Mussels made their move. Willie Joe Garry Jr. and Urbina walked and singled respectively to put men on first and third with one out. Cavaco answered the bell this time, tripling in both runs to tie the game at five, and bringing himself (as the winning run) within 90 feet of home. Unfortunately, Sabato struck out again (he had four K's on the night) and Jeferson Morales was a victim of the K as well, sending this game to extras.

After a quiet tenth inning for both sides, the Tortugas snapped in the 11th. The leadoff hitter struck out, but Garrett Wolforth and Brandon Leyton rattled off back-to-back triples to take a commanding two-run lead to the bottom of the 11th. The Mussels went down in order at that point, sealing the 7-5 loss.

Leach went four full innings and allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out four. Casey Legumina took the fifth and allowed two runs in just one inning of work. Bradley Hanner pitched three full innings and struck out four, but did allow the seventh inning run. Carlos Suniaga took the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, and allowed the two decisive runs. He gets the loss. Jesus Feliz had the only multi-hit game for Fort Myers.

 

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 9, FCL Twins 1
Box Score

The Complex League Twins lost another one to the FCL Red Sox today and it wasn’t close. The Red Sox used a three-run third inning and a four-run fifth to break the game open, then added one each in the eighth and ninth.

On offense, the FCL Twins had seven hits but were 1-11 with men in scoring position, and thus only scored one run. That run came in the third, when Argenis Jimenez hit a solo homer to right. They got men to first and third with no outs in the seventh, but a successful pickoff attempt and back-to-back strikeouts from Endy Rodriguez Kala’i Rosario ended the threat. Luis Baez and Yonardy Soto each had two hits.

On the mound, Rafael Feliz got the start and went 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and striking out three. He surrendered the rubber to Sean Gilmartin, who fared much worse. Gilmartin allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Ramon Pineda had the only scoreless outing of the game for the Twins, as he kept the Red Sox off the board in his 2 2/3 innings. John Wilson finished the game with 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs.

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day - Tyler Watson (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Hitter of the Day - Jermaine Palacios (Wichita) – 3-4, R, RBI, HR(11), K

 

 PROSPECT SUMMARY

Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Prospects performed:

 #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 0-4, K
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-6, 2 RBI, 4 K 
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 0-4, BB, 4 K
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-4, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-3, R, RBI, BB 
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-4, 2 K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, 3 K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch

 

SATURDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS

Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Andrew Albers (4-3, 4.70 ERA)
Wichita @ Arkansas (6:10PM CST) – LHP Kody Funderburk (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (4-0, 2.65 ERA)
Daytona @ Fort Myers- (6:00PM CST) – RHP Orlando Rodriguez (1-0, 1.29 ERA)

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[roger]

Is Sean Gilmartin the same pitcher who passed thru Target Field four or maybe five years ago?

Sabato struck out four times?  Four?  Ughh!

[ashbury]

2 hours ago, roger said:

Sabato struck out four times?  Four?  Ughh!

Hadn't checked up on Sabato for a while. He's batting .187, but his on-base percent is almost double that, .356. I guess they must be coaching him to not swing at crap and he's doing that just about better than anybody* - so when he does swing, is it right through good pitches???  The contact tool is probably the one closest to indispensable, and it seems like one that can be taught if there's any aptitude at all.

*Edouard Julien is no slouch in this department, and he's batting .290 on top of that.

[puckstopper1]

Ugly night all around for the Top Prospects at the plate low-lighted by all the strikeouts.

Hopefully they turn that around today!

[Thegrin]

Why does it seem like the Complex Twins always lose? 

[darwin22]

Allen:  Thanks for update from last night.  A few thoughts:

1. If Barnes wants another chance to start for the Twins, he has to pitch much better than he did last night.

2.  I know the September roster size is limited this season, but was wondering your thoughts on Drew Maggi and/or Keon Broxton getting promoted. 

3.  Aaron Sabato:  Mentioned earlier, but unless Sabato has a dramatic turnaround in the 2nd half, he's destined to start 2022 back at Low A Ft. Myers.  Not what I was expecting from our 2020 1st round (27th overall) pick.

4.  Nice to see a strong night from Jermaine Palacios albeit in a bad loss to Arkansas.  Palacios went 3-4 and hit his 11th HR. Has a strong OBP (.360) with good production (30 RBI) and speed (9 SBs).  Hope he's in the conversation for a meaningful role next season.

5.  Nice to see Tyler Watson (CR Kernels) put in another strong start last night.  Watson has lowered his season ERA to 1.87, but more impressively he has a 0.50 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP since he moved into a starting role in late June.  In his last 4 starts, one of which I witnessed (July 11th in CR) Watson has allowed only 1 ER in 18 IP.  Although a late round (34th) pick by Nats in 2015 out of high school, Watson is only 24 and could be a viable LH bullpen option as early as 2023.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

9 hours ago, roger said:

Is Sean Gilmartin the same pitcher who passed thru Target Field four or maybe five years ago?

Yes.

 

(I knew i'd heard the name before)

 

Mets selected him in the 2014 rule v draft.

Since then, he has been with the Cardinals, Orioles, Rays, and Ducks, per his wikipedia page.

[Dman]

Was happy to see Leach pitch fairly well.  Hopefully those arm issues are behind him and he can make a difference.