Twins Minor League Report (7/16): Larnach Debuts in Double-A

TRANSACTIONS

There was a flurry of moves in the system on Tuesday, including some injuries to some notable names and a flurry of corresponding moves after a big promotion for a top prospect:

• In unfortunate injury news, OF Brent Rooker was placed on the injured list retroactive to July 14^th.
  
• In Double-A the Blue Wahoos placed IF Travis Blankenhorn on the injured list retroactive to July 14^th as well, but in his place recieved OF Trevor Larnach, the Florida State League leader in doubles, batting average, and OPS.
  
• OF Jacob Pearson was promoted to Fort Myers from Cedar Rapids to take the place of Larnach
  
• After laying waste to the Appalachian League with nine home runs in 23 games, OF Albee Weiss was promoted to Cedar Rapids.
  
• 1B Parker Phillips was transferred to Elizabethton from the Gulf Coast League
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Norfolk 6

Box Score

Cody Allen made his third appearance with the Red Wings, serving as the opener in this one and throwing 19 pitches (12 for strikes, 3 swinging). A leadoff double was followed by a one-out version and the Red Wings were down 1-0 early.

Left-hander Sean Poppen then served as the primary and went the next five innings. He allowed a three-run homer in the third that extended the Tides lead to 4-0, but otherwise was solid. He surrendered three hits, walked two, and struck out five. Of his 97 pitches, 64 went for strikes (66%).

In the top of the sixth the Red Wings closed within one thanks to a three-run blast of their own from the scorching hot Zander Wiel, his fifth in his last four games, and now 18^th on the season. Unfortunately for Rochester, that would be all they could muster on the day.

Gabriel Moya finished the final two innings, allowing two insurance runs for Norfolk on three hits and a walk. He struck out one.

Wilin Rosario (2-for-3, 2B, R) and Tomas Telis (2-for-4, 2B) added multiple hits for the Red Wings.

BLUE WAHOOS BITES

Montgomery 4, Pensacola 2

Box Score

Just like on Monday, Pensacola got an opposite-field home run from their first baseman Lewin Diaz, this one a two-run shot, but it again was not enough to propel them to a victory.

https://twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall/status/1151334693943566336

They were unable to take advantage of their opportunities as they finished just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position on the game, leaving nine men on base. Diaz finished 2-for-4 to lead the offense as they collected only four other hits and three walks. Out of the leadoff spot former major leaguer Ivan De Je Jeusus Jr. drew a pair of walks.

In his Southern League debut, outfielder Trevor Larnach made a good first impression, collecting a single in his first at-bat and reaching base on an error in front of Diaz's home run.

https://twitter.com/billvilonaPNJ/status/1151290812287901697

Making the start for the Blue Wahoos was left-hander Bryan Sammons and he went the first two innings, allowing one run on two hits and a walk while striking out three. Edwar Colina then made his Blue Wahoos debut by coming on for the next four innings and found the primary-ish role not to his liking. He allowed two runs on four hits and four walks, striking out two. Jovani Moran allowed one run on a hit and a walk in the seventh, before Adam Bray finished out the game with two scoreless innings.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Tampa 2, Fort Myers 4

Box Score

Both teams struck early with crooked numbers in the first inning but the Miracle came out on top with three for the early lead. Three consecutive singles from Royce Lewis, Ryan Jeffers, and Ryan Costello loaded the bases, before a sac fly from Jose Miranda scored one and was followed by a two-run double from Trey Cabbage.

Starter Cole Sands allowed two runs (one earned) in the opening frame, but was fantastic from then on, tacking on six more scoreless innings to his line. He picked up his third win with the seven-inning effort by scattering seven hits and walking none. He punctuated his outing with a one-two-three seventh inning, including two of his six strikeouts.

In the bottom of the seventh Jacob Pearson, fresh off his promotion, delivered an RBI double to tack on an insurance run for Fort Myers.

Melvi Acosta went the final two innings to pick up his second save, allowing one hit and striking out three.

On offense the number three and four hitters for the Miracle, Jeffers and Costello, each finished 2-for-4 and Gabriel Maciel stole his ninth base.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Scheduled Day Off

Cedar Rapids had the day off on Tuesday as they hit the road to face the Lake County Captains in Eastlake, Ohio. They are coming off a 2-4 homestand and will look to get back on track away from Veterans Memorial Stadium with right-hander Tyler Palm on the mound. The Kernels are 14-10 in the second half of the Midwest League Season, sitting three games back in fourth place of the Western Division.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Johnson City 5, Elizabethton 7

Box Score

The Twins got a quality start from right-hander Tyler Benninghoff who went the first six innings, his longest outing of the year, and allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out six. The three runs charged to him were of the unearned variety thanks to errors in the second and fourth innings.

When his day was done Elizabethton held a 6-3 lead thanks in most part to a five-run bottom of the third. Two one-out singles got the inning started, then three consecutive two-out hits broke it open, with the biggest knock a double from Matt Wallner to score two. A throwing error also allowed two more runs to score as the teams combined for six errors on the game. Max Smith added a solo home run in the fourth and Kidany Salva an RBI single in the seventh to account for all the Twins scoring.

Reliver Frandy Torres was back with Elizabethton after a brief stint in Cedar Rapids and went the next 1 2/3 after Benninghoff. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks, but also struck out four. Dylan Thomas picked up his third save by finishing the final 1 1/3, allowing only one hit.

Smith (4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI), Parker Phillips (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB), Wallner (2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB), and Trevor Jensen (2-for-4, R) all had multiple hits on the day. Shorstop Will Holland stole two bases despite finishing 0-for-4.

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Rays 1, GCL Twins 2

Box Score

Pitching owned the day in the Gulf Coast League matchup as pitchers from both teams combined to allow just three runs on 13 hits and four walks combined, while striking out 20.

Dakota Chalmers was on the mound for the Twins and went the first four innings. He worked around singles in the first and third before a couple of doubles in the fourth allowed the Rays to tie it. He struck out four and walked none in his four innings.

The Twins had taken the first lead in the bottom of the second thanks to a bases- loaded walk, and then the lineup picked him up in the bottom of the fourth when Sergio Toribio led off with a triple and would score on a single from Erick Rivera.

Relievers Williams Ramirez, Niall Windeler, and Anthony Escobar combined to shut out the Rays the rest of the way, allowing no runs on four hits and zero walks over the final five innings. Escobar did the bulk of the work, finishing the final three innings and striking out two.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Cole Sands, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 6 K)

Hitter of the Day – Max Smith, Elizabethton Twins (4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Royce Lewis (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, R, 2 K

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – 1-for-5, K

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Pensacola) - Injured List (shoulder)

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) – 1-for-4, R, K

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - No game

#6 - Jordan Balazovic (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch

#7 - Keoni Cavaco (GCL) - 0-for-4, 3 K

#8 - Brent Rooker (Rochester) – Injured list

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Fort Myers) – Did not pitch

#10 - Blayne Enlow (Fort Myers) - Did not pitch

#11 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) – Did not pitch

#12 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-for-5, 2 K

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, R, K

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) – 0-for-0, BB (incredible at-bat in replacing Schoop)

#15 - Matt Wallner (Elizabethton) – 2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Pensacola) – Did no tplay

#17 - Akil Baddoo (Fort Myers) - Injured List (Tommy John surgery)

#18 - Jorge Alcala (Pensacola) - Did not pitch

#19 - Misael Urbina (DSL) - Did not play

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) – Injured list

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Norfolk (6:05PM CST) - LHP Lewis Thorpe (4-4, 5.22 ERA)

Pensacola - Scheduled day off

Tampa @ Fort Myers (11AM CST) - RHP Jhoan Duran (1-8, 3.44 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Lake County (6:00PM CST) - RHP Tyler Palm (1-5, 4.21 ERA)

Elizabethton @ Greeneville (5:30PM CST) - RHP Ben Gross (2-1, 2.70 ERA)

GCL Braves @ GCL Twins (11:00AM CST) - TBD

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