Twins Minor League Report (6/2): Wells, Thorpe Provide Great Starts

Keep reading to find out more on the events in the Twins minor league system on Sunday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions.

AWARDS

The Twins announced that Cedar Rapids infielder Jose Miranda was the organization’s Player of the Week. Lookouts righty Omar Bencomo was named the organization’s Pitcher of the Week.

TRANSACTIONS

• Almost surprisingly, there were no Twins minor league transactions on Sunday.
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester, Norfolk

Box Score

The game was delayed and soon after it was called. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader in Rochester in July.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 13, Mobile 5

Box Score

Maybe Lewis Thorpe has figured things out in the Southern League. After posting his best start of the season last time out, he posted a new best start of the year on Sunday. The lefty from Australia threw six shutout innings. He gave up just three hits, walked two and struck out six.

Sam Clay came on and was charged with five runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two. Zack Jones got the final four outs. He gave up a hit and walked one.

The Lookouts offense was helped by some shaky pitching. They scored their 13 runs on just seven hits, but they also took 12 walks. A nine-run fifth inning started with an error. LaMonte Wade then hit his seventh home run. After an out, Mobile pitchers went on to walk six straight batters. When Wade came back to the plate, he added another run-scoring single.

Wade led the way. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, his seventh homer and four RBIs. He also stole his fifth base. Zander Wiel went 2-for-5 with his 17th double. Chris Paul walked twice while Alex Perez and James Ramsey each walked twice.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, St. Lucie 1

Box Score

Right-hander Tyler Wells has had a strong start to his 2018 season for Ft. Myers. Wells put together the best start of his season on Sunday afternoon. In eight innings, Wells gave up just one run on two hits. The only blemish was a solo home run in the seventh inning. He walked one and struck out seven. He improved to 4-3 with a 2.86 ERA.

Well noted following the outing, “I would say that commanding the inside part of the plate with my fastball was the key. Really made my offspeed better, and more effective!”

As impressive, Wells completed eight innings for the first time this season and just the second time since being drafted in the 15th round of the 2016 draft out of college. Not only was it the first time he’d completed eight, it was the first time this season that he had made pitches in the seventh or eighth innings. Wells was at 90 pitches through seven innings and manager Ramon Borrego had him go out for the eighth. He finished with 101 pitches. Was he surprised he got the eighth inning?

“I wouldn’t say surprised is the right word. I’ve had issues this season and many seasons before with pitch counts getting high very fast. So I would say I was pleased to get there and the fact I could finish it off strong!”

Wells threw a one-two-three eighth inning and struck out the final two batters. Lefty Andrew Vasquez picked up his fourth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. He walked one and reduced his ERA to 0.64.

With one out in the fifth inning, Taylor Grzelakowski walked. Jimmy Kerrigan was next to the plate and he hit a double to score Grzelakowski to give the Miracle a 1-0 lead. Following the game-tying home run in the seventh inning, the Miracle quickly responded with two runs in the top of the eighth inning. Caleb Hamilton and Luis Arraez walked. Then Brandon Lopez hit a double that scored Hamilton. Arraez scored on a passed ball with two outs to give the Miracle their third run.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 9, Burlington 10

Box Score

The offense showed up in Burlington on Sunday afternoon, but unfortunately, the home team bats scored one more run.

Alex Kirilloff got things going. He went 2-for-5 and hit his 10th home run of the season in the first inning. Jean Carlos Arias went 3-for-4 with his fourth double and also stole his fourth base. Andrew Bechtold went 2-for-4. Ben Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a walk and a hit, a three-run homer. It was his third homer of the year.

Edwar Colina gave up five runs on five hits. Unfortunately he recorded just five outs. He also walked two and struck out two. Jose Martinez came on and did a nice job. He gave up one run on two hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three. Calvin Faucher gave up two runs on one hit and one walk. He struck out two in 1 2/3 innings. Carlos Suniaga got the final out of the eighth inning, but he got just one out in the ninth before taking the loss. Each of the four Kernels pitchers gave up one home run.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: LaMonte Wade, Chattanooga Lookouts (2-3, BB, HR(7), 4 RBI, SB(5))

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Lewis Thorpe, Chattanooga Lookouts (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K) or Tyler Wells, Fort Myers Miracle (8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)...

Vote here:

https://twitter.com/twinsdaily/status/1003440262931189760

PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

#1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, 2B(11), RBI, K

#2 - Fernando Romero (Minnesota) - Did Not Pitch

#3 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - Rained Out.

#4 - Stephen Gonsalves (Rochester) - Rained Out.

#5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) - 2-5, HR(10), R, RBI, K

#6 - Wander Javier - out of for the season

#7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 0-3, BB, 2 K, RBI, SF

#8 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch

#9 - Brusdar Graterol (Cedar Rapids) - Disabled List (hand contusion)

#10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 0-5, R, K

#11 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did Not Pitch (MLB Debut on Tuesday)

#12 - Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 89 pitches, 59 strikes)

#13 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Did not play.

#14 - LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) - 2-3, BB, HR(7), 4 RBI, SB(5)

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Play

#17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 0-3, BB, 2 K

#18 - Yunior Severino (Extended Spring Training) -

#19 - Tyler Jay (Chattanooga) - Did Not Pitch

#20 - Felix Jorge (Chattanooga) - Disabled List, still no official timetable for return.

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester - No Game Scheduled

Mobile @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart (3-3, 6.60 ERA)

Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) - TBD

Cedar Rapids - No Game Scheduled

Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.