Twins Minor League Report (4/21): Kernels Remain Hot Despite Cold

RED WINGS REPORT

Game 1 – Rochester 0, Syracuse 1

Box Score

There is no way around it. Alex Meyer really struggled in his first two starts, primarily with his control. His third start was supposed to be on Monday night, but rain postponed it until Tuesday afternoon as part of a doubleheader.

Meyer struggled early. Over the first two innings, just 12 of his 25 pitches were strikes, and yet he did not allow a run. In fact, he did not allow a single run over his six innings. He gave up just two hits. He walked three and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Of his 96 pitches, 55 of them were strikes (57.3%).

However, the Red Wings bats were unable to do much against Syracuse starter A.J. Cole, who threw six shutout innings. Former Twins draft pick Evan Meek tossed a scoreless seventh. The Red Wings managed just six hits in the game (double what Syracuse had). Reynaldo Rodriguez went 2-3 with his second double of the season.

A.J. Achter came on in the bottom of the 7^th and threw just one pitch. It was a strike, and third baseman Jason Martinson ended the first game with a solo home run.

Game 2 – Rochester 2, Syracuse 0

Box Score

Meyer’s former college teammate at Kentucky, Taylor Rogers, was summoned to make the Game 2 start. The lefty was very good again. He too worked six scoreless innings for the Red Wings. He gave up just four hits, walked one, hit one and struck out six. 62 of his 90 pitches were strikes (68.9%). Michael Tonkin came on for the ninth to protect a two-run lead. He walked one batter but got through the inning unscathed to record his fourth save of the year.

As they did in the first game, the Red Wings had six hits. Aaron Hicks was 1-2 with a walk. Doug Bernier added a double. The two RBI came in the third innings on RBI singles from Argenis Diaz and Eddie Rosario.

The split keeps the Red Wings at .500 on the season, at 6-6.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 1, Mississippi 4

Box Score

Tyler Duffey started this game with three shutout innings. That gave him a career-high 16.2 scoreless innings. However, he gave up a single run each of the next four innings. In totally, he was charged with four runs on eight hits and two walks in seven innings. He struck out two. Nick Burdi came on for the eighth inning. He got the first two batters out. He then gave up two hits and a walk before ending the inning with a strikeout.

Unfortunately, the Lookouts were not able to do anything on offense. They had just two hits, doubles by Miguel Sano and Carlos Paulino. Dalton Hicks and Byron Buxton each walked twice.

The Lookouts are now have a 6-5 record.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 0, Palm Beach 4

Box Score

Kohl Stewart made his third start of the year. Through six innings, he had allowed just two runs. However, he was charged with two more runs in the 7^th inning. His full line reads, four runs on six hits and two walks in 6.1 innings. He struck out two. Brian Gilbert came on to get the final two outs of the seventh frame and then pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

The Miracle had seven hits and six walks in the game. Logan Wade went 3-4. Marcus Knecht was 1-3 with a walk. Aderlin Mejia walked twice.

The Miracle drop to 5-8 on the season.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 10, Wisconsin 1

Box Score

Despite playing in sub-40 degree temperatures, the Kernels bats were hot in this game. With no score in the top of the third, Trey Vavra came to the plate with two on and belted his third home run of the year. The three-run blast was his third home run of the season. The Kernels added a single run in the sixth inning when a Brian Navarreto sacrifice fly scored T.J. White, who had doubled. In the seventh inning Zach Granite doubled and later scored on a Zack Larson single. Larson scored on a Trey Vavra triple, and Vavra scored on a TJ White single.

When Nick Gordon singled in a run in the 8^th inning, it gave the Kernels an 8-1 lead and also meant that all nine Kernels starters had at least one hit in the game. A Max Murphy RBI groundout followed by an RBI single off the bat of Vavra, and the Kernels had a 10-1 lead.

Vavra led the offense, going 3-5 with a triple, a home run and five RBI. Larson went 3-4 with a walk. T.J .White was 2-5 with his third double. Zach Granite hit his fourth double and stole his fourth base.

Of course, pitching is still a very important part of the team, and on this night the Kernels got another strong start from lefty Mat Batts. In 6.2 innings, he gave up one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out six. He left the game with two outs in the seventh and no runs allowed. Right-hander Miles Nordgren came on and hit a batter and gave up an RBI single before getting the final out of the inning. He pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings to finish it out. And as the game finished, the temperatures were in the low-30s, and there was a wintry mix of snow, rain and sleet blowing horizontally.

With the win, the Kernels improve to 9-4 on the season.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Taylor Rogers, Rochester Red Wings

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Trey Vavra, Cedar Rapids Kernels

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Syracuse (12:05 CST) – LHP Jason Wheeler

Chattanooga @Mississippi (11:00 am CST) – RHP JO Berrios

Ft. Myers @ Palm Beach (5:35 CST) – RHP Aaron Slegers

Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:35 CST) – RHP Zach Tillery

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