Twins Minor League Report (8/19): Shutouts and Mad Max

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 6, Buffalo 0

Box Score

The Red Wings pushed over a pair of runs in three different innings to improve their season record to 66-60.

Danny Santana had a 2-RBI single in the first. It likely would have gone for extra bases, but Kennys Vargas was ahead of him. James Beresford had a sacrifice fly and run scoring single. Vargas drove in a run in addition to walking twice. Buxton had an RBI double and finished his AAA season(?) (career?) with a .400 batting average and hits in all 13 games he played.

Pat Dean pitched a gem. Using 114 pitches, Dean went all nine innings allowing only six hits while striking out six. While he hasn’t dominated lefties or had very high groundball or strikeout rates, Dean doesn’t issue many walks and has a sub-3 ERA. Being left-handed certainly suggests that Dean will be around for a while. Somewhere.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 11, Pensacola 0

Box Score

The Lookouts jumped out a 10-0 lead in the 3rd inning in hopes of enacting the rarely-used 10-run run in the Southern League. Instead, though, they played the rest of game and added one more run to pad their easy win.

After returning to the lineup on Tuesday night, Jorge Polanco quickly rounded back into form, hitting a double and a home run and stealing his 16th base. He drove in two and scored three times. Stuart Tuner one-upped him, getting three hits including a double and drove in three runs. Of course, Mad Max Kepler one-upped them both and everyone else with a four-hit game that included his ninth home run and two RBIs. He’s now batting .342 on the year and if not for Byron Buxton, would be the guy that everyone wishes the Twins would be promoting.

Brett Lee pitched seven innings of two-hit shutout ball. He walked four and struck out four before turning the game over to the bullpen duo of Corey Williams and Alex Muren. Each struck out a batter in his scoreless inning.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 6, Charlotte 4

Box Score

After building a 6-0 lead, the Miracle had to wait out a one hour and fifteen minute rain delay before getting back into it.

Jason Kanzler (3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Mitch Garver (2-5, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI) and Logan Wade (3-4, 3B, R) were the offensive stars, combining for eight of the team’s 11 hits and five of their six extra-base hits. Marcus Knecht had two RBIs and a stolen base.

Luke Westphal struck out five in seven innings to get the win. Jake Reed allowed two unearned runs to score in the sixth. Zack Jones was charged with two runs in the eighth. He struck out three and walked two. Trevor Hildenburger picked up his second save, getting the last five Stone Crabs out.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, Kane County 2

Box Score

The offense strung just enough together to beat the Cougars. The Kernels had six hits, all singles, but drew five walks. The top five hitters in the order accounted for all three RBIs and all four runs scored (and four of the six hits). Rafael Valera scored two runs on a hit and three walks. Nick Gordon scored once. Edgar Corcino scored and drove in a run. T.J. White and Alex Real each knocked in a run.

Felix Jorge picked up the win. He allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks in seven innings. Uncharacteristically, he only struck out two, matching his season low. Jared Wilson and Nick Anderson, who earned his second save, each pitched scoreless frames.

The Kernels are 69-52 on the season.

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Elizabethton - off day

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 2, GCL Orioles 6

Box Score

Roberto Gonzalez played well in Wednesday’s loss. Gonzalez, who recently returned from a DL stint, had two hits, stole two bases and drove in a run. His season batting average is up to .278. Rowan Ebersohn was the only other hitter with a multi-hit effort.

Jose Martinez started and took the loss on three runs in five innings. Moises Gomez pitched the only scoreless inning before giving way to Callan Pearce, who allowed a run. Miguel Gonzalez came in late and gave up two runs, though his ERA is still a miniscule 1.14.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Pat Dean, Rochester

Twins Daily Minor League Hitters of the Day – Max Kepler, Chattanooga

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester - OFF

Chattanooga at Pensacola (6:35 CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers

Ft. Myers at Bradenton (5:30 CST) – RHP Omar Bencomo

Cedar Rapids vs Kane County (6:35 CST) – RHP Ethan Mildren

Elizabethton at Pulaski (6:00 CST) - TBD

GCL Twins at GCL Orioles (11:00 CST) - TBD

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!