Twins Minor League Report (9/7): A Big Debut and Smashing from St. Paul

TRANSACTIONS

• RHP Louie Varland contract selected by Minnesota Twins
• RHP Jake Jewell designated for assignment

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 10, Toledo 6
Box Score

The Saints got to watch teammate Louie Varland deal in New York this afternoon before Ronny Henriquez took the mound in Toledo. Henriquez was great allowing just two runs on one hit. He walked one but struck out nine.

St. Paul started off the scoring with a pair of first inning dingers. Michael Helman launched his 12th of the season before Mark Contreras hit his 14th. In the 2nd inning the good guys kept rolling. First, Andrew Bechtold got his first Triple-A double to drive in Cole Sturgeon, then Elliot Soto ripped a triple to bring home Bechtold. Matt Wallner wound up grounding out, but the ball being put in play allowed Soto to scamper home.

Still looking to pile on, Helman grabbed his second hit of the day, a single this time and Soto scored for the second time. After giving back two on a 4th inning Mud Hens homer, the Saints answered a few innings later. Chris Williams grounded out with the baes loaded, but Toledo couldn’t roll a double play and David Banuelos scored.

After the Mud Hens got a run back on an Austin Schulfer wild pitch in the 6th inning, Banuelos doubled to bring in Bechtold and wipe it off in the 7th inning. Toledo drew closer in the bottom half, but Contreras was able to smash his second blast of the game in the 8th inning, a two-run shot scoring Matt Wallner, and double up the Mud Hens 10-5.

Five different St. Paul hitters had multi-hit nights, which isn’t surprising given the 13 total for the team. Contreras was the lone batter to reach three in the game, however.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 0
Box Score

The Wind Surge turned to Kody Funderburk tonight. He was great going six strong allowing only four hits and a walk. The Wichita starter punched out seven batters.

It took no time for Wichita to get runs for their starter. Aaron Sabato started things with his third Double-A two-bagger, this one with the bases loaded, bringing in Edouard Julien, Jair Camargo, and Yunior Severino. Anthony Prato then singled to bring Sabato home and make it 4-0 early.

Quietly going about their business through the middle of this one, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. added an insurance run in the 8th inning to score Anthony Prato. Edouard Julien and Prato both recorded three-hit games, and the Wind Surge tallied a total of 14 runs tonight.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 8, South Bend 4
Box Score

It was David Festa tonight for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. After getting behind early, Festa settled in and wound up working 6 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while also striking out three.

After getting behind 1-0 after the 1st inning, the Kernels responded with a run of their own in the 3rd inning. Pat Winkel crushed his 9th double to drive in Brooks Lee and knot things up. Unfortunately the lead evaporated in the 5th inning when South Bend added two more.

In the 6th inning Cedar Rapids began their comeback. Alerick Soularie drove in Mikey Perez on a ground out and the deficit was only one. After giving it back in the 7th inning, the Kernels erupted for six runs in the eighth inning.

Charles Mack crushed his fifth homer of the season to draw back within one before a bases loaded walk of Dylan Neuse scored Seth Gray. Kyler Fedko then drove a single through the left side and watched both Perez and Wille Joe Garry Jr. cross the plate. Before the inning was done, Brooks Lee got into the action with his fourth double, plating both Neuse and Fedko.

Both Fedko and Perez had two hits apiece, and six different Cedar Rapids batters combined to tally the eight hits.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Postponed

Game postponed due to inclement weather. Fort Myers and St. Lucie will make it up tomorrow as part of a doubleheader.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Hitter of the Day – Mark Contreras (St. Paul) - 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR(15)

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:

#2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 1-2, R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2B
#4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-3
#9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-4, R, RBI, BB
#12 - Louie Varland (Minnesota) - 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
#13 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
#14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 3-4, R
#16 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
#19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, RBI, 2 K

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Toledo (5:35PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson
NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Aaron Rozek
South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams
St. Lucie @ 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 back and playing.