Twins Minor League Report (8/18): Affiliates Blast Off

TRANSACTIONS

• Minnesota Twins recall LHP Lewis Thorpe from Triple-A St. Paul
• Minnesota Twins designate RHP Nick Vincent for assignment

SAINTS SENTINEL
Iowa 11, St. Paul 7 
Box Score

The Saints fell behind early, but used the big fly to get back in the game and take the lead, only to blow it in the ninth. They battled to force extras, but sputtered in the additional frames to lose 11-7.

The I-Cubs got the scoring going early with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off the bat of Jared Young, but couldn’t manage to add any additional runs from the chance. The Saints responded immediately with a Trevor Larnach solo blast that tied the game at a run apiece.

In the third, however, Iowa put one across on a single from Young and then two more came in on a Trent Giambrone homer. And in the fourth, Chandler Shepherd grooved a hanging breaking ball to the ninth hitter in the Cardinals lineup, and Edwin Figuera hit it about 400 feet over the left field wall to add one more.

The Saints had a response though, in the form of a two-run Gilberto Celestino home run onto the Killebrew Root Beer awning in left-center.

Moments later, Jimmy Kerrigan put a ball a bit further left:

Then, in the next inning, Tomas Telis tied the game and gave the left field spectators yet another souvenir.

In the seventh, the Saints finally got their noses in front. In an inning with three stolen bases (including a steal of third from Telis!), Mark Contreras drove in Telis with a double. He was thrown out at the plate two batters later trying to grab another run, but St. Paul took their first lead nonetheless.

Unfortunately, that lead wasn't enough, as Jovani Moran uncharacteristically allowed two runs in the ninth to blow the save and give the Cubs the lead back.

Still, the never-say-die Saints weren't out of it yet. Mark Contreras hit his third double of the night and moved up to third on a flyout. At that point, Cubs pitcher Dillon Maples walked Ben Rortvedt unnecessarily and threw a ball a foot behind Kerrigan, allowing Contreras to tie the game on a wild pitch and send the game to extras.

However, Iowa answered with four runs in the top of the tenth. At that point, the never-say-die Saints were, in fact, out of it. They lose 11-7.

Chandler Shepherd ended up getting through five innings, but allowed five earned runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out three. Ryan Mason (6th) and Chris Nunn (7th and 8th) combined for three scoreless innings to set the game up for Moran. Moran only got two outs and allowed two runs on two hits, two walks and a homer. He needed Robinson Leyer to come in to get the last out in the top of the ninth. He managed that, but fell apart in the 10th, as he allowed four runs and gets saddled with the loss. Telis, Contreras, and Kerrigan had multi-hit games (all three of Contreras's hits were doubles).

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 7, Springfield 1
Box Score

Springfield squandered big opportunities for runs early and late, while Wichita capitalized on theirs all night long. The Surge win this one in a rout.

Springfield led off the game with a triple and loaded the bases in the third, and both times, Tyler Beck was able to weasel out of the inning without allowing a run. Beck’s threat management paid off immediately as Leobaldo Cabrera blasted a two-run shot to give his team (and his starter) a two run cushion. 

Then, in the fifth inning, after (another) Austin Martin hit by pitch, a ground ball from B.J. Boyd led to two errors from the Springfield defense which allowed Martin to score and Boyd to take third on a Little League triple. Boyd scored in the next at-bat on Jermaine Palacios’s double.

After a few close brushes early in the game, Beck settled down nicely into the middle innings. He only allowed two baserunners in innings four through six and handed the ball over the bullpen after the sixth without ever allowing a run. He worked around five hits and two walks, and struck out six. 

The Surge fully broke the game open in the eighth, when they scored three runs. Cabrera, D.J. Burt and Chris Williams each grabbed an RBI and the Wichita lead ballooned to 7-0. 

Springfield finally pushed one across in the eighth, but then, for good measure, they squandered another bases loaded opportunity in the ninth. Surge win 7-1.

After Beck’s excellent work, Bryan Sammons struck out two in a baserunner-less seventh inning. Jason Garcia was tasked with finishing the game, but allowed a run in the eighth, and loaded the bases in the ninth frame, requiring Jordan Gore to get the final out. Cabrera, Burt, Palacios, and Aaron Whitefield all had multi-hit games. 

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 10, Wisconsin 1
Box Score

The Cedar Rapids offense was explosive in this game and Louie Varland was excellent again, leading to a big Kernels win.

Michael Helman started the Kernels onslaught with his solo homer in the second inning. However, Joey Wiemer answered for Wisconsin with a solo shot of his own to lead off the fourth. Wiemer, with his homer, was the first Timber Rattler to reach base.

In the bottom of the inning the Kernels had another homer, only this time it wasn’t a solo shot. In fact, Jeferson Morales’s deep bomb to center came with the bases juiced and Cedar Rapids took a 5-1 lead, just like that. 

Manager Brian Dinkelman said, "(Morales) competes well at the plate, has a good feel for the zone, good bat-to-ball skills, puts the ball in play. So far he's driven the balls hard, has a couple of home runs, Big grand slam for us tonight. He puts together good at-bats and seems to find the barrel." 

Matt Wallner helped the Kernels add on in the fifth with a two-run double down the right field line. Wallner scored on a Seth Gray sac fly minutes later to stretch the lead to 8-1. The Kernels kept pouring it on in the seventh, as another Gray double drove in Wallner and Edouard Julien.

After Wisconsin’s catcher, Kekai Rios, took the mound to do his best Willians Astudillo impression, the Timber Rattlers went down quietly in the ninth and this game came to its official conclusion. 

While the offense was making noise all night, Louie Varland was silencing the Wisconsin bats. He became the first Kernels starter to record an out in the seventh inning. He got through seven full innings (the longest start of his career) and allowed one earned run on six hits. He also struck out six. Varland was also remarkably efficient, needing only 75 pitches (54 strikes) to get through seven innings.

Dinkelman said, "Louie attacks the zone. Tonight, they were very aggressive and he switched his plan to a lot of off-speed pitches and induced a lot of weak contact, and got outs early. He threw the ball well again for us and gave us seven strong innings."

Of his efficiency, Varland noted, "I had all three of my pitches working. I went off-speed heavy and got a lot of soft contact for outs. I'm happy with it." 

He acknowledged, "I need to find that changeup and use it more consistently and throw it in the zone more. That right now is my next step moving forward, finding that consistent third pitch." 

Tyler Palm covered the final two innings of the game, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out four. Julien, Morales, and Wander Javier had multi-hit games in tonight’s drubbing.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 1, Dunedin 0 (Game suspended due to weather)
Box Score

Tonight’s Mighty Mussels was suspended after three innings due to inclement weather and wet field conditions 

Jesus Feliz’s solo homer in the second inning was the only run scored before the postponement. On the mound, Aaron Rozek was effective for Fort Myers, as he struck out four in three scoreless innings.

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Twins 9, FCL Orioles Orange 5 (F/7)
Box Score

The Complex League Twins have turned around their form of late, as today’s win over the Orioles’ Orange squad makes it four victories in their last five. The Twins scored in all but two innings of this seven-inning contest and the offense was keyed by contributions from the bottom of the order. Seventh hitter Malfrin Sosa had a two-run shot in the second and an RBI double in the fifth, eighth hitter Rubel Cespedes hit a LONG home run, and ninth hitter Nelson Roberto had a two-run homer of his own (and also made a nice, running catch in center). Leadoff man Luis Gomez also had a two-hit outing, but didn’t score or drive in any runs. Kala'i Rosario added a big, booming double. 

On the mound, Samuel Perez was perfect through five innings. He ran into a bit of trouble with back-to-back singles in the sixth and was removed.

Ricardo Velez replaced Perez and only managed to get one out while allowing two inherited runs and three runs of his own. Fortunately, the offense was humming, and John Wilson got the Twins out of the sixth and covered the seventh and final inning to close out a 9-5 win.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Louie Varland, Cedar Rapids (7.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 6 K, 75 pitches)
Hitter of the Day - Jeferson Morales, Cedar Rapids (2-for-4, R, 4 RBI, Grand Slam)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-for-3, R, BB, HBP
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-6, K
#7 - Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 0-for-1 (game suspended)
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (shoulder)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, HR
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - Did not play
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 1-for-1 (game suspended)
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-5, R, 2B, BB

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Iowa @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) - RHP Beau Burrows (2-1, 4.34 ERA)
Wichita @ Springfield (7:05PM CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.19 ERA)
Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - LHP Tyler Watson (2-3, 3.33 ERA)
Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30PM CST) - RHP Casey Legumina (2-1, 4.63 ERA)

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games!