Twins Minor League Report (4/18): The Power Of Walker

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Pawtucket 13

Box Score

It was a rough game for the Red Wings on Saturday afternoon in Rhode Island. Baseball America ranked Pawtucket team as the most talented minor league team in baseball. On this day, they were certainly very good.

Mark Hamburger made the start for the Red Wings. He gave up three runs through the first four innings. He began the fifth with two runners on base before he was replaced by Stephen Pryor. The reliever allowed both of his inherited runners to score on a three-run homer. Pryor began the sixth inning by allowing a walk and another home run. After a walk and a single, Pryor gave up a third home run and the game was well out of reach. Lester Oliveros got the team out of the sixth inning. Ryan O’Rourke came on for the seventh. He issued a leadoff walk but got the next two batters out. Two runs scored on back-to-back doubles. The Red Wings got creative in the eighth inning, bringing in first baseman Brock Peterson to pitch. He got a strikeout and a walk before giving up a single and a walk. However, he got a ground ball back to himself to end the inning.

The Red Wings managed just six hits in the game. Eric Fryer had two of them. Jose Martinez had an extra base hit, his second double. Brock Peterson hit his second home run of the season.

Infielder Nate Hanson was activated from the disabled list and got two at-bats in his season debut.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Game 1 – Chattanooga 5, Birmingham 11

Box Score

Not the way that the Lookouts wanted to start their doubleheader. Minor league Rule 5 pick Greg Peavey made his second start of the season. It didn’t go well. He was charged with 11 runs (10 earned) on 13 hits in just 2.2 innings. He was replaced by Adrian Salcedo who was able to restore order. Salcedo went the next 3.1 innings without allowing any more runs. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out two. Dallas Gallant pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Adam Brett Walker had a big game. He went 2-4 and hit his third and fourth home runs of the season. Miguel Sano went 2-2 with two walks. Travis Harrison went 2-4 with two doubles. He now has four doubles on the season.

Game 2 – Chattanooga 1, Birmingham 0

Box Score

The Lookouts took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2. Jorge Polanco and Dalton Hicks singled, and with two outs Travis Harrison singled in Polanco to give the Lookouts a 1-0 lead.

That was all the run support that DJ Baxendale would need. The right-hander gave up just three hits over six shutout innings. He walked three, but he also struck out eight. He left a 1-0 lead to Zack Jones who gave up a leadoff single, but then retired the next three batters, two of them on strikeouts, to record his second save.

Baxendale improved to 2-0 and maintained his 0.00 ERA. He now has 12 strikeouts in 12.1 scoreless innings.

Dalton Hicks went 2-4, half of the Lookouts hits in the game.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 5, St. Lucie 7

Box Score

Ethan Mildren made the start for the Miracle. He was charged with five runs (4 earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings. He left the game having allowed three runs. However, he left the game in the fifth inning with two runners on. Alex Muren came on and served up a three-run homer. He retired the next five batters that he faced. Brian Gilbert gave up a run on two hits and two walks in two innings. He struck out two. Madison Boer struck out three in a scoreless ninth inning.

Max Kepler went 2-4 with a walk and a double. Alex Swim went 2-4 with a walk. Marcus Knecht went 1-2 with three walks. For the second straight game, Jason Kanzler homered.

The Miracle are now 4-6 on the season.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Burlington 4

Box Score

After six games at home, the Kernels made the first of three commuter trips to Burlington. It was a close game throughout, but the Kernels fell 4-3.

Michael Cederoth was charged with four runs on six hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out six. He struggled early, giving up three runs in the first two innings, but he settled down well after that. Randy LeBlanc came on and threw two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked none and struck out one.

The Kernels had six hits in the game, two of them were off the bat of T.J. White. Tanner Vavra hit his second double and the Kernels cut the Bees lead to 3-2 in the third inning when he hit a two-run single. Tanner English drove in the other run with a sacrifice fly.

The Kernels are now 7-3 this year.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – DJ Baxendale, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Adam Brett Walker, Chattanooga Lookouts

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Pawtucket (12:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean

Birmingham @ Chattanooga (1:15 CST) – RHP Alex Wimmers

St. Lucie @ Ft. Myers (3:05 CST) – RHP Ryan Eades

Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (2:00 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Saturday games.