Twins Minor League Report (5/12): Kernels Krush, Wichita Rakes

Transactions:

• RHP Cole Sands added to Minnesota as 27th man
• OF Kennie Taylor promoted to Double-A Wichita
• OF Kyle Fedko promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids
• OF Luis Baez transferred to Single-A Fort Myers

SAINTS SENTINEL 
Columbus 7, St. Paul 4
Box Score

Jacob Faria made the start for the afternoon tilt today. St. Paul got four innings of work from their starter and Faria allowed three runs, only one earned, on five hits while striking out four and walking one.

Down early after a three-run 2nd inning for the Clippers, St. Paul knotted things in the 5th inning. Caleb Hamilton scored on an Ernie Yake ground out before Elliot Soto singled in both Yake and Jermaine Palacios.

Giving a run back immediately in the bottom half of the 5th inning, the Saints saw the gap widen to four before answering with a run of their own in the 9th inning. Roy Morales drove in Kevin Merrell with a single, but that’s all the rally amounted to.

Palacios was the lone Saints hitter to record two hits on the day, one of which was his fifth double.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 3, NW Arkansas 0
Box Score

Following the fun outing against his brother last time out, Louie Varland was back for a more normal contest. He cruised through the first few innings before running into trouble in the 5th inning. In total, Varland worked six innings allowing seven hits and four runs. He picked up seven strikeouts and walked no one.

Scoreless through the first two frames, the Wind Surge got their first run following a steal of third base by DaShawn Keirsey. With the ball getting away on the throw, he was able to move up ninety feet for the game’s first run. Matt Wallner then continued his hot stretch with a laced double to right scoring both Edouard Julien and Spencer Steer.

Although Austin Martin hasn’t hit for Wichita this season, middle infielder Spencer Steer absolutely has. Crushing a solo blast in the 5th inning, Steer picked up his fifth of the season.

Watching their lead be wiped out by the 6th inning, the Wind Surge got back to adding. In the 7th inning Alex Isola drove in Julien with a single before Andrew Bechtold added a double to plate Isola. Dennis Ortega followed with a double of his own to drive in Wallner and Bechtold, and then Leobaldo Cabrera cleared the bases with his second dinger of the season.

Steven Cruz was great in relief of Varland giving the Wind Surge two scoreless innings allowing just one hit and picking up three strikeouts. Isola, Wallner, Cabrera, and Kerisey all had two hits tonight for Wichita.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 13, Peoria 1
Box Score

It was Aaron Rozek on the bump tonight for the Kernels and he turned in nothing short of a dominant outing. Working five scoreless innings, Rozek allowed just three hits and no runs or walks while picking up nine punchouts.

Backing up their starter, the Cedar Rapids bats put up a crooked number early. Seth Gray roped his fifth double of the season in the top of the 4th inning to plate Jeferson Morales and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Wander Javier then lifted a single to right field scoring Gray on the play.

Adding again in a big way, the 5th inning featured another Kernels outburst and this one was a home run party. Gray clobbered his second of the season before Jair Camargo hit his fifth, and Javier launched his second. Then Encarnacion-Strand decided he’d keep the ball in the park, driving a single to bring home both Will Holland and Anthony Prato.

Cedar Rapids picked up another run in the 8th inning with Holland scoring on a wild pitch. They did give that one back on a solo shot in the bottom half. It didn’t matter much however, as the 9th inning saw a four-run explosion in the form of a Camargo single to score Willie Joe Garry Jr. and Javier’s second homer of the night. Javier lifted a three-run shot and what was a big league became a laugher.

The Kernels recorded 14 hits in this one and got multi-hit efforts from Prato, Encarnacion-Strand, Gray, Camargo, and Javier.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Postponed

Fort Myers’ game against Palm Beach was postponed on Thursday night. It will be made up as a double-header tomorrow afternoon.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Rozek (Cedar Rapids) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Hitter of the Day – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR(3)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. 

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

#1 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 
#2 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - 1-4, K
#3 - Jose Miranda (Minnesotal) - 0-4, 2 K
#4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch
#5 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch
#6 - Matt Canterino (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch
#7 - Jhoan Duran (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch
#8 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - 
#9 - Josh Winder (Minnesota) - 3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
#10 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - Postponed
#11 - Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) - 0-1, K
#12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K
#13 - Cole Sands (Minnesota) - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
#14 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
#15 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) - Postponed
#16 - Ronny Hendriquez (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - IL 
#18 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HR(5), 2 BB, K
#19 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 0-2, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K
#20 - Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - Postponed

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05PM CST) - RHP Jordan Balazovic
Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson
Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35PM CST) - RHP Cade Povich
Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (3:30PM CST) - TBD/TBD

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates back and playing.