Twins Minor League Report (6/1): Cabbage Blast Propels Kernels

To find out how all your favorite Minnesota Twins prospects fared in Tuesday’s action, keep reading!

TRANSACTIONS

•    In triple-A the Saints were assigned 2B Sherman Johnson from Wichita, and in a corresponding move OF Mark Contreras was sent back to the Wind Surge.
•    The Wichita Wind Surge also were assigned IF Yeltsin Encarnacion from Cedar Rapids.

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul @ Louisville, PPD

The Saints series opening matchup with the Louisville Bats was postponed due to rain on Tuesday.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Arkansas 1, Wichita 2
Box Score

Chris Vallimont got the start for the Wind Surge on Tuesday and he would go the first four innings. While he limited the damage on the scoreboard, he ran up a high pitch count with 75 pitches in those four innings, with just 39 going for strikes (52%). Vallimont allowed only one run by scattering five hits and three walks. He struck out three.

The Wind Surge got the first run of the game in the second inning on a Caleb Hamilton double that scored Andrew Bechtold, who had led off the frame with a double of his own. They scratched their second run across in the third after a one-out walk, single to move the runner to third, and a grounder off the bat of Mark Contreras where he beat out the double-play throw to first to allow the run to score.

Contreras was a standout in the game for other reasons, as he also stole his first three bases of the 2021 season. Jose Miranda hit his sixth double of the season, and newcomer B.J. Boyd also had two hits, a walk, and scored a run. 

In relief of Vallimont the Wind Surge got five innings of scoreless relief from the trio of Hector Lujan (W, 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 K), Alex Phillips (H, 1.1 IP, BB, 2 K, and a trip over himself on the mound he hopes not many people were watching ?), and Brandon Koch (1.0 IP, K) who picked up his first save.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 7, Fort Wayne 4
Box Score

The Kernels offense struck first in this one courtesy of catcher Jair Camargo. He launched his fourth home run of the season in the second inning, a two-run shot for the early lead. 

Fort Wayne got those runs back in the bottom of the third against Cedar Rapids starter Tyler Beck, who had worked around some baserunners in his first two innings. The TinCaps finally broke through after a hit batter to lead off the inning was followed by an RBI double and later a run-scoring single. Beck would finish just three innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out two. He threw 62 pitches, with 35 going for strikes. 

He was relieved by righthander Ryan Shreve who went the next 2 1/3 innings, delivering a “Snapper Mow-em Down” inning in the fourth with three K’s. A leadoff walk in the fifth was followed by a throwing error on a steal attempt that allowed the runner to advance to third. Shreve buckled in and struck out the next two hitters, but a double would bring in the run for a 3-2 TinCaps lead before he finished the inning. Shreve would strike out another batter to start the sixth, but another walk would end his day. In all Shreve allowed one run on one hit, two walks, and struck out six.

The Kernels lineup came up with some scoring threats in the middle innings, but it took until the sixth before they got back on the scoreboard. A pair of walks put ducks on the pond, and a two-out two-run single from Max Smith put Cedar Rapids back out front 4-3.

With one out in the bottom half of the sixth, Jordan Gore was summoned from the bullpen and would go the next 2 1/3. Though he walked four batters, he was able to work out of some jams and limited Fort Wayne to just one run. He struck out three.

In the top of the ninth with the score tied at four the Kernels, and specifically Trey Cabbage, took advantage of a hit-by-pitch and walk when Cabbage clubbed his fourth home run of the season to put them out front 7-4. It was a big blast in a big spot with two outs:

Righthander Jonathan Cheshire would close it out for Cedar Rapids, getting a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the ninth. In 1 1/3 Cheshire struck out two and picked up his first win of the year.

The box score for this one reads a little weird, with the teams combining for eleven runs on just eleven hits. Walks played a large part as Kernels hitters drew ten free passes and the TinCaps drew eight. Cabbage (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K) and Max Smith (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K) had multiple hits for Cedar Rapids.

MUSSEL MATTERS
St. Lucie 0, Fort Myers 1
Box Score

In Fort Myers fans were treated to a good old fashioned pitching duel, with both staff’s limiting their opponents to just two hits through six innings.

Righthander Regi Grace made the start for the Mighty Mussels and would go the first 4 1/3. He allowed just one hit but surrendered four free passes, including two in the fifth, that would lead to the end of his day. He struck out three and threw 66 pitches on the night, with 42 going for strikes. He was relieved by Matthew Swain who went the next 2 2/3, keeping the Mets scoreless by allowing just one hit, one walk, and striking out six of the 11 hitters he faced.

Fort Myers would finally breakthrough in the bottom of the seventh, but it took an odd play to do so. With the bases loaded and one out, Willie Joe Garry Jr. hit a grounder to second that got the run in, but thinking better of trying to turn two on the speedster, the shortstop caught Yunior Severino rounding third a bit too far instead. His throw to third got Severino trapped in a rundown that ended the inning. It was enough for the Mighty Mussels.

Juan Pichardo was summoned from the bullpen for the eighth inning and would finish the game for Fort Myers, picking up his first save on the year in the process. He walked one and struck out three in his two innings.

Though the final score was 1-0 in the Mussels favor, it could have easily gone the other way. They had three errors on the game and gave the Mets plenty of baserunners in comparison, but the pitchers found a way. St. Lucie was 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base for the game, compared to Fort Myers going only 0-for-3 and leaving four men on.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Matthew Swain, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (2.2 IP, H, BB, 6 K)
Hitter of the Day – Trey Cabbage, Cedar Rapids Kernels (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Alex Kirilloff (Minnesota) – 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
#2 - Royce Lewis (Rehab) - Out for Season (torn ACL)
#3 - Trevor Larnach (Minnesota) – 1-for-2, K
#4 - Ryan Jeffers (St. Paul) – No game, PPD
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – No game, PPD
#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Injured List (back)
#7 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3, BB, K
#8 - Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 1-for-3, BB, K
#9 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Did not pitch
#10 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#11 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – No game, PPD
#12 - Brent Rooker (St. Paul) – No game, PPD
#13 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (wrist sprain)
#14 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-4
#15 - Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#16 - Edwar Colina (Rehab) - 60-Day IL (elbow)
#17 - Ben Rortvedt (Minnesota) – 0-for-2, 2 K
#18 - Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A
#19 - Jose Miranda (Wichita) – 1-for-4, 2B
#20 - Bailey Ober (St. Paul) – No game, PPD

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

St. Paul @ Louisville (6:00PM CST) – LHP Charlie Barnes (2-0, 3.05 ERA)
Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (1-2, 5.31 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Fort Wayne (6:05PM CST) – LHP Kody Funderburk (0-0, 0.98 ERA)
St. Lucie @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-2, 9.64 ERA)

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