Twins Minor League Report (4/7): Gordon with a Walk Off, Del Rosario Dominates

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester, Syracuse (POSTPONED)

Rainstorms and even some snow has hit Syracuse, wreaking havoc on the Red Wings' season-opening plans. The first two games of their series in Syracuse have been cancelled, but Saturday's forecast shows only a 20 percent chance of precipitation (though the high is just 47 degrees).

Assuming they (finally) get their opener in, Jose Berrios will face off against Joe Ross (3.43 ERA over 19 starts with the Nationals last season) in as good a minor league pitching matchup as you could hope to find.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Mobile 3 (10 innings)

Box Score

Nick Gordon gave the Lookouts their first win of the season in dramatic fashion, hitting a game-tying sac fly in the bottom of the seventh before driving in Tanner English on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning. Gordon finished 3-for-4 at the plate and started a pair of 6-4-3 double plays in the field.

English, who reached safely three times on the night, led off the 10th with a double before Gordon, the very next batter, ended it. Dan Rohlfing hit a home run and Travis Harrison just missed one of his own, smacking a double off the wall.

Minor league veteran Matt Tracy started for the Lookouts and went 5 2/3 innings while giving up three runs (just one earned) on seven hits. He struck out four and walked one. Nick Burdi came on in relief, and after his first pitch got by Rohlfing for a run-scoring passed ball he settled in to throw 1 1/3 perfect innings with one strikeout.

Raul Fernandez handled both the eighth and ninth innings before John Curtiss came in for the 10th, picking up the win in the process.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 8, Jupiter 11

Box Score

Sam Clay had a night to forget, but the Miracle offense broke out after being shut out in their opener. Last season's Midwest League batting champ Luis Arraez had three hits out of the leadoff spot, Zander Wiel drove in three runs and catcher Brian Navarreto hit a solo home run.

Fort Myers trailed 4-1 entering the seventh inning, but Clay surrendered six runs in 2/3 of an inning. There will surely be better days ahead for the former fourth-round pick, who made all of his 24 appearances last season as a starter. His teammates did their best to pick him up, but fell just short.

Down 11-1 in the eighth inning, Doug Mientkiewicz's boys showed no signs of giving in, as they rallied back for four runs, followed by another three runs in the top of the ninth.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, Beloit 0 (7 innings)

Box Score

In Game 1 of their doubleheader with the Snappers, Eduardo Del Rosario turned in a dominating performance for the Kernels. The wiry 21-year-old right-hander threw six shutout innings while striking out seven and walking one. Del Rosario surrendered just two hits, one of which was on a bunt.

Cedar Rapids scored three of their runs in the top of the second inning. Lewin Diaz led off with a double and scored on Jaylin Davis' two-bagger, which was followed by another RBI double by Mitchel Kranson. Davis later added a sacrifice fly in the third inning.

Colton Davis pitched the seventh, sealing the shutout for the Kernels.

Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 3 (7 innings)

Box Score

The Kernals couldn't quite finish off the doubleheader sweep, as Beloit won it on a walk-off double. Lewin Diaz went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in both runs for Cedar Rapids.

Tyler Wells followed up Del Rosario's masterful performance with some swing-and-miss stuff of his own, but he also struggled with his command. Over four innings, Wells had six strikeouts, but he also walked four and hit a batter. That wildness is uncharacteristic of the big right-hander, as he issued just 17 walks over 47 1/3 innings last season.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Eduardo Del Rosario, Cedar Rapids Kernals (6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 7 K)

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Nick Gordon, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-for-4, 2 RBI, walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th)

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Syracuse - (12:05 CST) RHP Jose Berrios

Mobile @ Chattanooga - (6:15 CST) - RHP Fernando Romero

Jupiter @ Fort Myers (5:05 CST) - TBD

Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (5:05 CST) - RHP Sean Poppen

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Friday's games.