Twins Minor League Report (7/27): Banuelos Blasts a Pair

TRANSACTIONS

• C Dillon Tatum reinstated from the IL by Single-A Fort Myers
• C Frank Nigro transferred to FCL Twins
• RHP Luis Rijo transferred to Single-A Cedar Rapids
• RHP Sean Mooney placed on IL with a right neck strain

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 9, Iowa 5
Box Score

On Wednesday afternoon, the Saints turned to veteran Aaron Sanchez. He worked around six hits and while two runs crossed the plate, neither were earned. Sanchez also struck out three batters and walked just one.

The scoring started in the 2nd inning when catcher David Banuelos launched a no-doubter to left-center bringing in Roy Morales as well. Iowa evened things in the top of the third inning, but Mark Contreras plated Tim Beckham on a 3rd inning groundout.

Following up his earlier big fly, Banuelos stepped in during the 4th inning and blasted a second longball, his 6th of the season. This one was of the solo variety.

Michael Helman struggled mightily at shortstop early in this one, but he made up for it at the dish when he doubled to drive in Matt Wallner in the 5th inning. Wallner got on with a walk after just missing what looked like his first Triple-A home run.

In the 6th inning, Spencer Steer lifted a sacrifice fly to score Elliot Soto, and then Jake Cave launched a two-run oppo-taco scoring Banuelos. Generating breathing room, St. Paul was now up 8-2.

After Austin Schulfer allowed a three-run bomb, the Saints picked their pitcher up when Soto doubled to drive in Morales and make it 9-5. Ian Hamilton came on and slammed the door working 1 2/3 hitless innings and punching out three.

Five different Saints hitters had multi-hit games including Cave, Helman, Soto, Banuelos, and Tim Beckham.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
NW Arkansas 5, Wichita 0
Box Score

The Wind Surge went with Casey Legumina tonight on the bump and he turned in just three innings of work. Allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, Legumina also struck out two but gave up three free passes. A solo shot in the 4th inning ultimately did him in.

Northwest Arkansas continued adding in the 6th inning and by the end of the frame, Wichita was down 5-0 while being outhit 11-1.

The Wind Surge put runners on first and second in the bottom of the 9th inning without recording a hit, and then DaShawn Keirsey Jr stepped in. He singled to center loading the bases, but Nash Knight was called out on strikes to end the game.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 7, Wisconsin 4
Box Score

Luis Rijo was returned to the Kernels today after working back from injury, but his start could’ve gone much better. Allowing three runs on four hits, Rijo walked one and didn’t record a strikeout on the day.

Cedar Rapids didn’t wait around to start the scoring today, and Kyler Fedko announced his presence in a big way when he launched a solo shot to lead things off. Seth Gray then made it back-to-back jacks with his 11th of the season. Before the first three outs were recorded, Yunior Severino drove in Aaron Sabato with a single to r

After seeing their lead erased by the bottom of the 2nd inning, Cedar Rapids then went back to work. Charles Mack ripped a double in the 5th inning allowing Dylan Neuse to scamper home. In the 6th inning Jake Rucker stepped up with a double to plate Severino before a Jeferson Morales sacrifice fly brought Wander Javier in. Neuse then contributed at the dish with a groundout to drive in Rucker.

Wisconsin tried to go on a run and close the gap, but all they’d get was a run in the 7th inning. Both clubs recorded eight hits, but no one on the Kernels saw two on the day. Matthew Swain got the win working 2 2/3 innings allowing just two hits. Derek Molina recorded his 4th save.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Game 1: Tampa 3, Fort Myers 2 (F/7)
Box Score

Pierson Ohl took the ball for game one of the twin bill. He turned in five solid innings of work allowing three runs on six hits while walking just one and fanning six. It wasn’t enough for the win, but Ohl kept the Mighty Mussels competitive this afternoon.

Two runs against Fort Myers came in the 1st inning while the third was tallied in the 2nd. Fort Myers responded on a Misael Urbina double in the 3rd inning, and their last run was plated on a Luis Baez 5th inning single.

Both squads recorded six hits in game one, and Tampa actually committed two errors, but the Tarpons got the necessary third run to grab the victory. Urbina was the lone Mighty Mussels hitter to grab multiple hits in the first game today.

Game 2: Fort Myers , Tampa (F/7)
Tampa 7, Fort Myers 1
Box Score

Jordan Carr drew the start in game two. He went four scoreless allowing just one hit and punching out four. Carr gave up a walk, but that was the extent of the Tarpons opportunities in the nightcap.

After a tough game one, Keoni Cavaco singled in the 3rd inning to plate Urbina and Fort Myers grabbed the lead. Unfortunately Anthony Escobar went belly up to the tune of six earned runs without recording an out. Despite Juan Mendez working the final two innings, all of the damage had already been done,

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
No Game

DOMINICAN DAILIES
DSL Cardinals 5, DSL Twins 3 (Suspended/5)
Box Score

Today’s tilt was suspended in the 5th inning with the bases loaded due to lightning. Bryan Acuna continues to trend upwards however and added two more hits in the early innings for the Twins. 17-year-old Ricardo Pena crushed his 2nd home run of his career. 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Sanchez (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER,  BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day – David Banuelos (St. Paul) - 3-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR(6)

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:

#6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 0-3, RBI, BB, K
#8 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 0-3, 2 K 
#12 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-4, R, BB, 2 K
#16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 0-4, 2 K

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Iowa @ St. Paul (7:07PM CST) - TBD
NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long
Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40PM CST) - RHP Aaron Rozek
Tampa @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya 

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