Twins Minor League Report (5/2): Diaz Pops, Navarreto Walks-Off

To find out how it all went down on Tuesday night in the minors, keep reading!

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester @ Buffalo (Postponed – Rain)

Tuesday’s series opener against the Buffalo Bisons was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. David Hurlbut will likely take his normal spot while early season standout Nik Turley, freshly promoted to AAA is scheduled for game two.

In award news, Jose Berrios was named the International League player of the week for his two most recent, dominating efforts.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Scheduled day off.

The Lookouts were on their way back home on Tuesday after winning three of five against the Generals of Jackson, TN. They start a five game series at home vs. the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Chattanooga is looking to get back to .500 on the season in the opening game, as they are 3.5 games back of Jackson in the North Division at 12-13.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Daytona 1, Fort Myers 2 (10 innings)

Box score

Fort Myers got on the board in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of Zack Granite, who led off their half with an infield single. He then stole second base, moved to third on a groundout, and raced home on a passed ball to put them up 1-0.

It got pretty boring after that as pitching took over on both sides.

Starter Cody Stashak scattered six hits over six innings, allowing just one run while striking out seven in a quality start effort. His one run came in the sixth as three consecutive singles loaded the bases with one out, before a sacrifice fly tied the game at one.

Tortugas pitcher Jose Lopez matched Stashak through the sixth as the Lookouts couldn’t capitalize on a double-steal attempt of home in the third after Brian Navaretto led off the inning with a double, his fifth of the season.

Michael Theofanopoulos took over for the Miracle in the seventh, and struck out the side in a scoreless inning. He went on to pitch two more scoreless frames, getting Fort Myers to extra innings. He allowed two hits and struck out five.

In the bottom of the tenth, Navaretto stepped into the batter’s box with two outs, and walked his team off instead of playing another inning. His solo shot was his second homer of the season and capped a 2-4 day at the plate for the 2013 sixth rounder from Florida.

Jonny Drozd picked up the win by pitching a scoreless top of the tenth. He struck out one while setting the opposition down in order.

Granite was 3-3 on the night with a walk and his first three stolen bases of the year. Chris Paul added his sixth double in a two-hit game.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Lake County 3, Cedar Rapids 7

Box Score

Lewin Diaz put the Kernels up early when he popped one out to right field for his second home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning. He made it 2-0 in the fourth when he hit his third, marking the first multi-home run game of his young career.

On the mound for Cedar Rapids was Eduardo Del Rosario, coming off a seven inning shut-out effort in his last turn where he struck out ten. He wasn’t as good in this one although he didn’t run into major trouble until the fifth. That was when he loaded the bases and walked one run in before a Diaz throwing error led to another and ended his night at 4+ innings. He allowed five hits, three walks, and struck out four on the night.

Right-hander Hector Lujan came on in relief and allowed an inherited runner to score and give the Captains the lead 3-2, but escaped further damage with a double-play ball and a caught stealing attempt to end the inning.

The home team tied the game back in the bottom of the fifth when Aaron Whitefield slugged his fifth home run of the year. Lujan finished two more scoreless innings to keep the game tied and struck out two along the way.

As if Diaz hadn’t done enough already to make up for his earlier miscue, he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the seventh and cleared them with a double to break the game open and give him five RBIs on a 3-4 night at the plate.

Catcher Caleb Hamilton tripled in the eighth and was driven in by a Brandon Lopez single to add an insurance run before Colton Davis picked up his first hold with a scoreless inning. Tom Hackimer closed the door in the ninth, striking out the side to put an exclamation point on the victory.

Lopez (2-4, R, RBI) and Jermaine Palacios (2-4, R, 2B) added multi-hit efforts for the Kernels offense.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Cody Stashak, Fort Myers Miracle (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 H’s, 7 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Lewin Diaz, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-4, 2 R’s, 2B, HR, 5 RBI)

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Buffalo, Game 1 (3:15PM CST) – LHP David Hurlbut (1-2, 1.04 ERA)

Rochester @ Buffalo, Game 2 – LHP Nik Turley (0-1, 0.44 ERA, 20.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 36 K’s at AA)

Pensacola @ Chattanooga (6:15PM CST) – TBD

Daytona @ Fort Myers (5:35PM CST) – RHP David Fischer (2-0, 0.95 ERA)

Lake County @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beardsley (2-1, 3.94 ERA)

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