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RED WINGS REPORT
Rochester 1, Toledo 0
Box Score
Who is this Tommy Milone guy? The Tommy Milone that I’m familiar with doesn’t strike out 12 batters in eight innings. But the Tommy Milone that pitched for Rochester on Wednesday did. This new Milone also didn’t walk any and scattered only three hits. He’s now thrown 14.1 innings of shutout baseball in AAA. Is he biding his time until he comes back to Minnesota or should the Twins be calling some National League teams to see if they’re interested. I’m leaning towards the latter.
A theme you’ll read about today is the lack of run production on Wednesday in the Twins minor leagues. Fortunately, Milone was good enough there didn’t need to be a lot of runs, though the Red Wings did pound out nine hits.
Eric Fryer continues to rake and his two hits today upped his average to .409. Nate Hanson also had a two-hit game.
Jose Martinez drove in the game’s lone run in the seventh inning. Wilkin Ramirez tripled and scored on an error by Toledo’s third baseman. Ramirez’s three-bagger was the team’s only extra base hit.
At 18-14, the Red Wings remain one game behind the PawSox.
CHATTANOOGA CHATTER
Chattanooga 3, Birmingham 0
How good is Jose Berrios? Seriously?
Berrios pitched about a month ago - a home game - and had his worst start of the year to date. He didn’t make it out of the fifth inning. He allowed eight hits and three walks. His WHIP - a season worst - over 2.00. You know who the opponent was? Birmingham.
How did Birmingham do on Wednesday?
Berrios threw 113 pitches, 77 for strikes. He struck out eight, walked two, hit a batter and allowed two hits. Oh, and he pitched a complete game shutout. All told, his hits allowed were of the infield variety and a “soft liner”. Three balls - including the soft liner - left the infield. THREE! Two of his outs were fly balls to the left fielder. The rest in the infield or in the batter’s box. It’s not a “perfect game” or even a no-hitter, but what more can you ask for?!
For those watching on MiLB.tv, you may have noticed that Berrios’s fastball was in the 88-90 range, but the assumption is that it was a function of the gun. He maintained his velocity the entire game and was, plainly and simply, awesome. If there was concern, there is no way he goes the distance.
Talking about the offense, they scored all three runs in the second inning. After Miguel Sano struck out, Travis Harrison walked and Adam Walker and Max Kepler both doubled, each hit scoring a run. Heiker Menesis later singled to score Kepler.
On the prospect watch - be honest, that’s why you’re here - Byron Buxton went 0-3 (.246) with a strikeout. He drew a walk and stole his ninth base of the season. Miguel Sano went 1-3 (.211) with a line-drive double. He drew a walk and also struck out.
The 20-13 Lookouts have a 2.5 game lead over Tennessee in the Southern League North Division.
MIRACLE MATTERS
Ft. Myers 2, Dunedin 1
The Miracle got a walk-off victory today to win their second game in a row and their seventh in the last eight. They improve to 16-17.
Chih-Wei Hu started the game and, despite getting a no-decision, was masterful. This performance - six innings, six strikeouts, six runners allowed (four hits and two walks) - dropped his season ERA to 1.03. Hu has been so dominant this season that his 1.00 WHIP on Wednesday actually increased his yearly total to 0.79. High-A has been no challenge (yet) for the 21-year-old from Taiwan.
Ethan Mildren, a typical starter, picked up his first win of the season by pitching two innings of shutout ball in relief. Luke Westphal, another member of the Opening Day rotation, bridged the gap between the two with an inning in which he allowed Dunedin’s only run.
The offense produced two runs but did very little. Chad Christensen provided two hits and scored the team’s first run on an RBI groundout by Niko Goodrum. Mitch Garver drove in Christensen to win the game in the ninth.
Alex Swim, who had a hit in every game from April 22nd until today, saw his hit streak end at 16 games.
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 5, Peoria 4 (10 innings)
By the time you've read the other three recaps, you’re probably expecting another top-shelf pitching performance from the starting pitcher. But you’re not going to get it. Unlike the other recaps, though, you’re going to get some offense.
John Curtiss got roughed up for five runs (four earned) in five innings. He struck out four, walked three and allowed five hits, including three home runs. Yikes. (There were people on hand to confirm it was Curtiss that was pitching, not Phil Hughes.)
Curtiss was relieved by Zach Tillery, who pitched four innings of one-hit ball. He struck out six, walked two and breathed life into a team that was trailing 4-2 when he entered the game.
Trey Vavra was 3-4 with two RBI and is now batting .327. Tanner English, Nick Gordon, T.J. White, Tyler Kuresa and Blake Schmit all had two-hit games.
The Kernels got on the board in the third inning when Vavra singled home Gordon, who had stolen second base after singling to start the inning.
In the fourth inning, English scored on a sacrifice fly by Vavra. English also took second on a stolen base, his 10th of the season.
The Kernels plated two more runners in the fifth, when a Tyler Kuresa two-out double scored both Max Murphy and White.
Cedar Rapids was finally able to tie the game in the 8th inning. An English double preceded a Gordon single.
Tyler Kuresa led off the 10th inning and was lifted for Zack Larson. Two bunts moved Larson over to 3rd base and due to an error on the first bunt, there was only one out. Nick Gordon stepped up to the plate and played hero (sorta): he hit the ball to the first baseman, who tried to throw Larson out at home. The throw was wild and the Kernels walked off.
The Kernels, now 21-12, trail Quad Cities by five games in the MWL Eastern Division.
TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Berrios, RHP, Chattanooga or Tommy Milone, LHP, Rochester? Leave your vote in the comments below.
Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Trey Vavra, 1B, Cedar Rapids
THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Rochester vs Lehigh Valley (6:05 CST) – RHP Alex Meyer (It is definitely Meyer's spot in the rotation that is up, but the probable starter is still eerily TBD. Maybe nothing... or maybe something...)
Chattanooga at Birmingham (7:05 CST) – RHP Greg Peavey
Ft. Myers vs Dunedin (6:05 CST) – RHP Ryan Eades (It is Ethan Mildren’s spot in the rotation, but he pitched in relief on Wednesday.)
Peoria vs Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves
Feel free to leave your questions and/or comments below.
Also 10 cool points to the first person that gets the hip-hop reference.
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