Twins Minor League Report (5/6): Miracle, Kernels Bats Arrive

Read below for all of the scores and highlights from the Twins minor league system, starting with some transactions.

TRANSACTIONS

• Rochester lost Doug Bernier as he was promoted to the Twins.
  
• Levi Michael was put on the 7-day disabled list with his ankle sprain.
  
• After the game, the Miracle promoted Madison Boer to Chattanooga
  
• Before the Miracle game, Brandon Peterson and Todd Van Steensel were sent to extended spring training while Jose Velez and Alexis Tapia came across the parking lot to play for the Miracle. (As they had done earlier in the year; this is procedural after the Miracle played two more extra innings games prior to Wednesday.)
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 1, Indianapolis 3

Box Score

Minor league teams rarely fly. Those long bus rides are famous, or infamous, in the minors. However, the International League is spread all over the eastern half of the country. The Red Wings had an early-morning flight to Indianapolis.

Pat Dean made the start and the left-hander went the first 5.2 innings. He gave up three runs on nine hits and three walks. He struck out just one. Mark Hamburger made his return to the bullpen and got five outs. He gave up no runs despite giving up two hits and a walk. Ryan O’Rourke got the final two outs.

The Red Wings didn’t produce much offense on this day. They had six hits, but were able to cross home plate just once. That happened on a solo home run off the bat of Josmil Pinto.

The Red Wings saw a couple of old friends in this game. Right-hander Deolis Guerra got the win. He gave up three hits and struck out one in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. Third baseman Deibinson Romero went 2-4 with two doubles.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 3, Jackson 4

Box Score

The Lookouts got close but weren’t able to catch Jackson on this night, falling by one. Alex Wimmers made the start. He gave up two runs on three hits over six innings. He walked four and struck out seven. Tim Shibuya came on and gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in his two innings. Cole Johnson struck out two in his perfect inning.

Max Kepler went 2-4 in the game. In the bottom of the ninth, he drove a ball that was caught at the wall in center field. Travis Harrison had a walk and his eighth double. Adam Brett Walker added an RBI double. Byron Buxton’s eight-game hitting streak came to an end after an 0-4 night. He did have an RBI. Miguel Sano went 0-3 and walked once. He also committed his sixth error.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 9, Bradenton 0

Box Score

The Miracle scored three runs in the first inning. In the third, they put up a five-spot. They received very good pitching and got a needed win, in regulation.

The top four hitters in the Miracle lineup each had two hits. Zach Granite, Engelb Vielma and Alex Swim went 2-5. Brian Haar was 2-4. Niko Goodrum provided power with his two-run home in the first inning. It was his fourth of the season. Tanner Vavra added his second double.

Chih-Wei Hu made the start. The right-hander from Taiwan threw five shutout innings. He gave up five hits, walked one and struck out two. He needed just 79 pitches and 51 of them were strikes. Lefty Jose Velez came on and struck out four (and walked none) in three perfect innings. Right-hander Alexis Tapia gave up a hit in a scoreless inning.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 8, Wisconsin 2

Box Score

Through five innings, the score of this game was 2-2. John Curtiss worked the first six, got a lead, and then the two most dominant relievers in the Midwest League came on to, well, dominate the final three innings and close out the team’s 16^th win.

Curtiss was charged with two runs on six hits in those six innings. He struck out eight without issuing a walk. Trevor Hildenberger came on and struck out three in two perfect innings. Cam Booser got the final three batters out, two of them on strikeouts. Hildenberger’s season ERA now sits at 0.60 while Booser’s is at 0.69.

The Kernels scored three runs in the sixth and another three runs in the seventh to take control of this game. Max Murphy led the way. He went 3-5 with his third triple and three RBI. Trey Vavra went 3-5. He also had another outfield assist. Tanner English added a double. Rainis Silva, who was recently promoted when Brian Navarreto went on the DL, went 1-3 with a walk. He doubled in his first MWL at bat. The 19-year-old is the youngest player on the Kernels roster, about five months younger than Nick Gordon.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Jose Velez, Ft. Myers Miracle

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Max Murphy, Cedar Rapids Kernels

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Indianapolis (10:05 am CST) – LHP Taylor Rogers

Jackson @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) – RHP Tyler Duffey

Jupiter @ Ft. Myers (6:05 CST) – RHP Ethan Mildren

Clinton @ Cedar Rapids (6:30 CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves

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