Twins Minor League Report (4/24): Gonsalves Improves to 3-0

Keep reading find out how all your Minnesota Twins prospects performed in Tuesday’s games!

TRANSACTIONS

Early in the afternoon the option of Alan Busenitz to Rochester and the recall of Tyler Duffey to the Twins bullpen was made official.

RED WINGS REPORT

Gwinnett 5, Rochester 2

Box Score

Red Wings starter Myles Jaye was able to scatter five hits and two walks through the game's first four innings, but the Braves finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth thanks to another walk and two singles to take a 1-0 lead. In total for his five innings, Jaye allowed just the one run on seven hits and three walks while striking out four.

Rochester tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as they were able to take advantage of an error by left fielder and top prospect Ronald Acuna. Gregorio Petit scored that run after leading off the inning with a single.

In the top of the seventh however, the Braves took back control of the game, putting up four runs against reliever Ryne Harper. Harper had pitched a one-two-three sixth inning but walks to Jose Bautista and Acuna leading off the seventh led to surrendering a grand slam a few hitters later, and a 5-1 Gwinnett lead they would not relinquish.

The lineup for the Red Wings would make the final 5-2 in the ninth, but managed just two hits to go along with five walks on the game. They were 1-4 with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base in dropping to 6-9 on the season.

In an otherwise forgettable game, one positive to mention is the pitching of the aforementioned reliever Nick Anderson. He finished the game for the home team with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. After a beyond-stellar MiLB career thus far before reaching AAA this season, Anderson has allowed only one run on six hits and three walks in nine innings while striking out 13. His age prevents him from getting much notice as a prospect (he will turn 28 in July), but Anderson (also #OneOfUs) continues to put up numbers that are hard to ignore.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 2, Jackson 1

Box Score

The Lookouts got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Nick Gordon single that was followed by the seventh double on the season from Zander Wiel. In the second inning Brian Navarreto launched his first home run of the season for the early 2-0 lead.

Stephen Gonsalves got the start for Chattanooga and a walk to lead off the second inning turned the score to 2-1 when he allowed a two-out double. But It would remain that way until Gonsalves exited the game after five strong innings. His pitch count did climb to 91 pitches, as he struck out nine Generals hitters. Of those pitches, 60 went for strikes including 12 of the swing and miss variety. He struck out two hitters in each of the second, third, and fifth innings, and the side in the fourth. His ERA on the year held steady after the outing at 1.77.

Zack Jones pitched a scoreless sixth inning, striking out three around a leadoff single and a walk. Tyler Jay made his return from the disabled list in the seventh and recorded two quick outs before an error on a grounder to second base that was followed by a single put a runner in scoring position. Jay buckled down and got another ground ball to end the threat and keep the Lookouts up 2-1.

Todd Van Steensel was summoned from the bullpen in the eighth, and finished the game for Chattanooga, picking up his first save of the season along the way. In his two innings he walked one and struck out two.

Gordon led the offense with a 2-for-4 night including a run scored and his third triple. He was also caught stealing and picked off third base on the basepaths. Wiel and LaMonte Wade both finished 1-3 with a walk in the victory that put the Lookouts above .500 on the year.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 2, Clearwater 3

Box Score

Fort Myers also took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and were up 2-1 after three in this one, but unlike their AA brothers, they were unable to hold on for the victory.

They scored first after the newly promoted Mark Contreras drew a walk to start the game and came around on the double from Joe Cronin that followed. In the second inning a double from Contreras scored Jared Foster, who had singled earlier to account for Chattanooga’s two runs on the game.

Starting pitcher Anthony Marzi was effective for five innings, allowing only one earned run on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts, but one of those hits was a solo home run in the second and an error in the fourth allowed Clearwater to tie the game at two before Marzi exited the game.

Ryan Mason kept the score that way until the ninth inning, when a one-out solo home run walked it off for the Threshers. Mason had set down all ten hitters he’d faced to that point, including five strikeouts so any second guessing of a manager doesn’t really hold up. 25 of Mason’s 31 pitches went for strikes, including eight swing-and-misses.

On offense the Lookouts got another double from third baseman Nelson Molina, but just two other hits to go along with 12 strikeouts as a team. They were hitless in eight plate appearances with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Burlington 1, Cedar Rapids 3

Box Score

The Bees and Kernels combined for just nine hits on the game, but luckily for the home team they were able to take advantage of their scoring opportunities.

Singles from Ben Rortvedt and Ben Rodriguez got a one-out rally started in the second inning, and a sac fly from Jean Carlos Arias and a Shane Carrier double put them out front 2-0 early.

From there, starter Edwar Colina kept the sting of Burlington at bay with some old-fashioned wildness. In five innings, he threw 79 pitches with just 37 going for strikes (47%). Despite that, he retired the last ten hitters he faced and allowed just two hits and three walks to go along with four strikeouts in picking up his first win of the year.

Jose Martinez pitched the next two innings, allowing the only Bees' run to score on a balk in the sixth inning. He gave up a single and walked two while picking up two Ks. Kevin Marnon picked up his first save of the year by finishing with two scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out two.

The Kernels offense was led by Rodriguez, who finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored. Royce Lewis picked up the final RBI with a single in the eighth inning in a 1-for-4 night and stole his fourth base. Akil Baddoo drew two walks, scored a run, and stole his fourth base. As a team Cedar Rapids went 2-4 with runners in scoring position while the Bees finished 1-9.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Stephen Gonsalves, Chattanooga Lookouts (W, 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K)

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Nick Gordon, Chattanooga Lookouts (2-4, R, 3B)

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

1. Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, RBI, SB (4)

3. Nick Gordon (Chattanooga) – 2-4, R, 3B (3), CS (2)

4. Stephen Gonsalves (Chattanooga) – W (3-0), 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K’s

5. Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, BB, K

7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 0-4, 2 K’s

10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 0-2, R, 2 BB, SB (4)

13. Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 0-4

14. LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 1-3, BB

15. Mitch Garver (Minnesota) – 1-4, K

16. Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, R

17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 1-3, BB, K

19. Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) – Hold (2), 1.0 IP, H

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Gwinnett @ Rochester (10:05AM CST) – LHP Adalberto Mejia (0-0, 5.63 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Jackson (11:05AM CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc (2-1, 1.69 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Clearwater (11:00AM CST) – LHP Tyler Wells (2-0, 1.29 ERA)

Burlington @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (1-0, 1.08 ERA)

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