Twins Minor League Report (8/24): Duran Dazzles and Arraez Goes Yard

Transactions

Rochester Red Wings

ADD INF Alex Perez from Chattanooga

DEL C Willians Astudillo recalled by Twins

Chattanooga Lookouts

ADD INF Joe Cronin from Fort Myers

Fort Myers Miracle

LHP Alex Robinson placed on the 7 day DL

LHP Bryan Sammons placed on the 7 day DL

RED WINGS REPORT

Syracuse 3, Rochester 0

Box Score

The Red Wings found themselves down early in this one. Chase De Jong yielded an earned run in the second inning, and that proved to be an insurmountable tally for the away team. De Jong did turn in a very nice start, and wound up throwing 6 1/3 innings ceding three runs, walking one, and striking out four.

Byron Buxton was back in the lineup for the Red Wings in this one. He’s yet to play on back-to-back days, but did go 0-4 in this one. Each plate appearance ended with a ball put in play, and the assumption would be that he’ll be recalled by the Twins within the next week or so.

Jake Reed finished the final five outs of this one, and continues to be a force in relief. He tallied a single strikeout but didn’t allow any hits or walks. His 2.03 ERA is dazzling, and he remains a potential option for the Twins to look at down the stretch.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Jacksonville 3

Box Score

Tonight Jorge Alcala had his number called by the Lookouts. The former Astros prospect turned in five innings, giving up three runs on five hits and four walks, while striking out four. Former Dodgers prospect Dustin Smeltzer picked up a two inning save and struck out four.

The first inning started with a bang for the Lookouts. Leading off for the home team, Luis Arraez blasted his second homer of the season for Chattanooga. Jaylin Davis then doubled home Brent Rooker, who reached first on a walk and then second on a wild pitch. An Andy Wilkins ground out plated Davis for the inning’s third run.

Not to be denied, the Jumbo Shrimp drew even in the third inning on a two run bomb, and a 3-3 tie would stand until the sixth. Arraez helped the cause again, this time with a sac fly, and that fourth run ended up being the difference.

Game two of the five game set takes place tomorrow night.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 3, St. Lucie 2

Box Score

Charlie Barnes was on the bump for this one, and another solid outing brings his ERA below 3.00 on the year. He lasted five innings giving up just one run on five hits while striking out two and walking one. Ryan Mason and Hector Lujan did good work in relief to keep this one in the win column for Fort Myers.

Trailing in the top of the third, the Miracle evened things up with a run on a wild pitch. From there, Taylor Grzelakowski singled in Ernie De La Trinidad in the fourth, and another wild pitch allowed Caleb Hamilton to cross the plate in the eighth. The Mets did plate a run in the bottom half of that inning, but they were not able to get any closer than one run.

These two teams square off again tomorrow night.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Kane County 1

Box Score

Jhoan Duran got to face his old team for the first time in the Twins organization tonight, and he looked absolutely dominant. Working 6 2/3 innings, he gave up just one hit while walking three and fanning ten. The win was his seventh of the season.

Trevor Larnach and Ryan Jeffers combined to go 0-for-7 in the middle of the lineup in this one, but their teammates rallied to pick them up. Michael Helman started the scoring with a solo shot in the first, his second of the year for Cedar Rapids. The Kernels then added two more on a Michael Davis bases-loaded single in the seventh.

Picking up his first save of the season for the Kernels, Johan Quezada ceded the only run on a balk in the eighth. These two clubs will play game two of the series tomorrow night.

ELIZABETHTON TWINS TALK

Elizabethton 7, Bristol 3

Box Score

Austin Schulfer got the nod in this one and his five innings of work saw three unearned runs score on six hits. He’d be around long enough for the win, and it pushed his record to 3-0 on the season.

The game’s first run scored on a wild pitch in the first inning, as DaShawn Keirsey gave the E-Twins a 1-0 lead. Yunior Severino helped to pile on with a two-RBI single in the second, and then Trevor Casanova left the yard for a solo shot (his third) in the third.

Leading 4-1 after the third inning, the E-Twins would need to lock things down after two more Bristol runners scored in the fifth. A one-run game got a bit less sticky however, thanks to a three-run eighth for the good guys. Jean Carlos Arias delivered with a sac fly, then Ricky De La Torre drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Capping off the scoring, Severino picked up his third RBI of the evening on a sac fly.

Game two of the series takes place tomorrow night.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Johan Duran (CR): 6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Luis Arraez (CHAT): 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(2)

TOP 20 PROSPECT PERFORMANCE

1. Royce Lewis (FM): 0-4, BB

2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 2-5, K

4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-3, 2 K

6. Trevor Larnach (CR): 0-4, K

7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 0-3, R, BB, K

8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 1-4, K

12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 0-4

13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 0-3, R, BB, K

16. Yunior Severino (ET): 1-3, 3 RBI

18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 0-3, BB

20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR(2)

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester (6:05pm) – TBD

Chattanooga (6:15pm) – TBD

Fort Myers (5:30pm) – Griffin Jax (3-2, 3.04 ERA)

Cedar Rapids (6:35pm) –Edwar Colina (7-4, 2.48 ERA)

Elizabethton (6:00pm) - TBD

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Friday's games.