Twins Minor League Report (5/21): Lee Dominates

There were several transactions, so continue reading to check out everything from the Twins farm system on Thursday

TRANSACTIONS

It’s been a couple of busy days of late in terms of transactions in the Twins minor league system. I would expect there could be more moves coming in the not-too-distant future. Here is what was announced on Thursday:

• RHP Tyler Duffey was promoted to Rochester and will join their rotation. A corresponding move will need to happen Friday before the Red Wings games.
  
• LHP David Hurlbut was promoted from Ft. Myers to Chattanooga. Hurlbut recently returned to action after missing nearly a year with shoulder discomfort. Since his return, he threw 12 innings without allowing an earned run. He was named to the Florida State League All-Star game last year.
  
• Dalton Hicks hasn’t played in about 10 days, but he was officially put on the disabled list (trapezius strain) and catcher Jairo Rodriguez was added to the Lookouts roster.
  
• LHP Mat Batts was promoted to the Ft. Myers Miracle from Cedar Rapids. The southpaw was terrific in his time with the Kernels late last season and to this point this year.
  
• RHP Luke Bard was removed from the disabled list and will be added to the Cedar Rapids starting rotation. He did not pitch in 2014 and missed most of the 2013 season as well. He had another surgery last May 15^th and is excited to get back on the mound.
  
• LHP Jose Velez was promoted from extended spring training to the Kernels. He has pitched a handful of innings with Ft. Myers when they have needed arms. He was signed after playing the last two seasons in independent baseball.
  
• RHP Yorman Landa was returned to the disabled list and returned to Ft. Myers to be evaluated. He had returned after missing almost exactly one year following shoulder surgery. Reportedly, he suffered shoulder pain and will be checked out in Ft. Myers.
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester @ Norfolk

Box Score

This game was rained out. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, starting at 5:00.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga @ Mobile

Box Score

The game started late because of rain. It was suspended in the top of the third inning due to rain. In that top of the third, the Lookouts took a 2-0 lead when Byron Buxton doubled in Carlos Paulino, and two batters later Miguel Sano singled in Buxton. Alex Wimmers had thrown two shutout innings.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 1, Brevard County 0

Box Score

The story in this game was pitching, and that starts with the starter, Brett Lee. The left-hander completed eight shutout innings. He gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out six. Three of those strikeouts came in the eighth inning when he was still hitting 93 mph. In his most recent start, last Friday, he threw seven shutout innings before given up two runs in that eighth inning. In the start before that, he gave up one run in threw 7.1 innings. In other words, he has been pitching great.

The Miracle stayed scoreless in the game for seven innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Tanner Vavra led off with a double down the right field line. The ball was booted and Vavra got to third base. The next batter, Zach Granite, singled through a drawn-in infield to score Vavra and give the Miracle the 1-0 lead going to the ninth inning. Granite was the lone Miracle hitter with a multi-hit game. He was 2-4. Alex Swim returned to the lineup and had a double.

Minnesota native Brandon Peterson came in for the ninth inning. Three batters and three strikeouts later, the game was over. It was Peterson’s first save of the season.

A terrific pitching performance by Brett Lee, and Brandon Peterson slammed the door shut to end it. Not a bad impression to make on Twins GM Terry Ryan who is in Ft. Myers to watch the Miracle.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 3, Peoria 2

Box Score

For the fifth straight game (and sixth out of seven starts), right-hander Felix Jorge completed six innings. It was also his fifth straight quality start. Jorge gave up two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out two.

The Kernels jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Peoria starter Matt Pearce walked three of the first four Kernels batters to load the bases. Zack Larson flew out to right field to drive in one run. T.J. White came through with a two-out, two-run triple. The Kernels had just two more hits in the game.

Trevor Hildenberger came on for the seventh and eighth innings. He did not allow a run, or a hit, or walk a batter, and struck out three to drop his ERA to 0.40 on the season. He has not given up a run in 19 innings.

Cameron Booser came on for the ninth inning. He got a fly out and strike out before walking a batter. In came a pinch runner and on the first pitch, catcher Brett Doe threw him out attempting to steal second to end the game.

Nick Gordon got a night off.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Brett Lee, Ft. Myers Miracle

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Zach Granite, Ft. Myers Miracle

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Norfolk (DH @ 5:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean, LHP Taylor Rogers

Chattanooga @ Mobile (7:05 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut

Brevard County @ Ft. Myers (6:05 CST) – LHP Luke Westphal

Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:30 CST) – RHP Jared Wilson

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Thursday games.