Twins Minor League Report (4/22): Romero Strikes Out 10, Buxton Rehabs

ROSTER MOVES

RHP Phil Hughes returned from MLB rehab and activated by Minnesota.

OF Byron Buxton transferred to Fort Myers on MLB rehab assignment.

LHP Casey Crosby was reinstated from the disabled list for Rochester.

LHP Tyler Jay was reinstated from the disabled list for Chattanooga.

LHP Andrew Vasquez transferred to Fort Myers from Chattanooga.

OF Jaylin Davis placed on the 7-day DL at Fort Myers.

RHP Randy Dobnak activated from the 7-day DL at Cedar Rapids.

RHP Blayne Enlow placed on the 7-day DL, retroactive to April 21 with a lower back strain.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 0, Columbus 1

Box Score

Fernando Romero might have been missing some of his best stuff on Sunday afternoon but that didn’t stop him from putting together a solid effort on the mound. He pitched into the seventh frame (6 2/3 innings) and allowed one run on two hits. Romero struck out 10 and walked two. The lone run scored against Romero came after he allowed a lead-off double in the fourth. A one-out single would bring home the runner.

Columbus has a strong line-up and Romero didn’t have his slider working to its full potential.

https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/988126466058719232

Overall, a pretty strong performance for the team’s top pitching prospect. In relief of Romero, Matt Magill and Ryne Harper combined for over two innings of shutout ball. In fact, the two pitchers were asked to record seven outs in the game and they combined for seven strikeouts.

Offensively, Rochester collected twice as many hits as Columbus but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base. The team racked up 12 strikeouts with five batters striking out more than once. Brock Stassi had the team’s only extra-base hit, a double. Leonardo Reginatto reached base twice with a single and a walk. With no big hits, Rochester falls to 5-7 on the season.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga --, Jackson --

Box Score

Weather got in the way today’s contest between the Lookouts and the Generals. The game will be made-up as part of a doubleheader on Monday, April 23. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:00 pm CST. Both games are scheduled to be seven innings.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 4

Box Score

After seven innings, Fort Myers looked to be in the driver’s seat. However, two late inning runs would move the Miracle from victory lane to defeat. Clark Beeker started and pitched five innings without allowing an earned run. He scattered three hits and saw one unearned run cross the plate. Beeker struck out two and walked two. Calvin Faucher took over for Beeker and allowed one run in two innings. He struck out three and walked one. After both of these players left the mound, the team still had the lead.

Fort Myers got on the scoreboard with a solo home run by Taylor Grzelakowski in the fifth. He wasn’t done with one long ball. In the seventh inning, Jimmy Kerrigan led off the inning with a single. Grzelakowski smashed his second home run of the day. Joe Cronin went 3-for-4 and Nelson Molina added two hits. Byron Buxton made his first rehab start as the number two hitter and designated hitter. He went 0-for-4.

Andrew Vasquez came in for the top of the eighth. He allowed a single and then compounded the damage by having a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Following a walk, a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk, the bases were loaded. Grzelakowski allowed a passed ball and the tying run scored. In the ninth, Vasquez allowed a single, a wild pitch, and walk-off single. It was a rough couple of frames for Mr. Vasquez.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 7, Kane County 0

Box Score

Three Kernels pitchers combined to shutout Kane County. Randy Dobnak picked up his first win of the season after tossing 5.2 scoreless frames. He scattered six hits while striking out four and walking two. Carlos Suniaga pitched 2 1/3 innings and only allowed two hits. He hasn’t allowed a run in three appearances with Cedar Rapids. Kevin Marnon struck out two in the final frame.

A big fourth inning was all the Kernels needed to come out on top in this one. Andrew Bechtold reached base on a throwing error and moved to second. With one out, David Banuelos singled to drive in Bechtold. Mark Contreras followed with a double before back-to-back singles from Ben Rodriguez and Jordan Gore. Akil Baddoo walked to load the bases and Jose Miranda capped the four-run inning with a sacrifice fly. Miranda finished with a home run and four RBI.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Taylor Grzelakowski, Fort Myers (2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Fernando Romero, Rochester (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 10 K)

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

#2 – Fernando Romero (Rochester) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 10 K

#5 – Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, BB, K

#10 – Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, 2 BB, K

#17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 0-4, K

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs Gwinnett (4:05 CST) - LHP Dietrich Enns (0-2, 10.29 ERA)

Rochester vs. Gwinnett (Make-Up of 4/15)- RHP D.J. Baxendale (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Jackson (4:00 CST) – RHP Zack Littell (0-1, 3.86 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Jackson (Make-Up of 4/22)- LHP Stephen Gonsalves (2-0, 1.76 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Clearwater (6:00 CST)- RHP Sean Poppen (0-1, 4.00 ERA)

Cedar Rapids vs. Burlington (6:35 CST)- LHP Bryan Sammons (0-1, 0.96 ERA)

Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.