Twins Minor League Report (7/26): Wahoos Win on Rortvedt Walk Off

TRANSACTIONS

LHP Jeremy Bleich assigned to Rochester. The Twins acquired him from Boston for cash considerations. He had a 5.59 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 19 1/3 innings with the Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate.

RHP Jonathan Cheshire assigned to Pensacola. The Twins purchased his contract from the Atlantic League’s Somerset Patriots. He had a 0.55 ERA and 6.33 K:BB ratio in 16 1/3 innings pitched this year.

Cedar Rapids activated RHP Carlos Suniaga from the IL.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 4, Indianapolis 1

Box Score

Adam Bray: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 70.5% strikes (31 of 44 pitches)

HR: Alejandro De Aza (1), Jimmy Kerrigan 2 (6)

Multi-hit games: Kerrigan (2-for-3, 2 HR), Wilin Rosario (2-for-3, BB)

Adam Bray, Sam Clay and Ian Krol managed to combine to hold Indianapolis to just one run, quite an accomplishment, considering the offensive boom in Triple-A this season.

Bray set the tone, giving up just a pair of hits over the first four innings. The only run he allowed was on a solo homer. Clay followed with three perfect frames before Krol struck out five batters over the final two innings.

Alejandro De Aza hit his first homer since joining the system and Kimmy Kerrigan added two home runs of his own. Kerrigan already has as many homers in 20 Triple-A games (6) as he had in 47 games in Pensacola this season.

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 4, Mobile 3

Box Score

Charlie Barnes: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 71.7% strikes (66 of 92 pitches)

HR: Lewin Diaz (6)

Multi-hit games: Ben Rortvedt (4-for-5, 2B), Diaz (3-for-4, 2B, HR, BB), Trevor Larnach (2-for-5)

The Blue Wahoos scored the game-tying run in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to a Lewin Diaz solo homer. This game remained knotted up until Ben Rortvedt walked it off in the 10th.

https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1154943287494623232

Rortvedt had four hits and drove in a pair of runs tonight. Charlie Barnes had a great start, giving up seven hits and no walks over seven innings. He had six strikeouts and surrendered three runs, though only one was earned.

Jorge Alcala followed with two perfect innings in his first appearance as a traditional reliever this season. Jovani Moran managed to navigate around the bonus runner who starts the extra innings at second base, setting up the walk off.

In addition to the home run, Diaz also had a double, a single and a walk. He now has a .950 OPS in his first 32 games at the Double-A level.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Lakeland 6, Fort Myers 0

Box Score

Blayne Enlow: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 68.2% strikes (60 of 88 pitches)

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Jose Miranda (2-for-4)

Miracle starter Blayne Enlow got knocked around a bit in this one, but on the positive side, he did complete seven innings for the third time this season. Moises Gomez finished things off by striking out four batters over two perfect innings.

Jose Miranda had the only two Forty Myers hits on the evening, both singles.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Wisconsin 10, Cedar Rapids 5

Box Score

Andrew Cabezas: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 64.6% stikes (42 of 65 pitches)

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Wander Javier (2-for-4 2B, 3B)

Rough start for Andrew Cabezas tonight. That put the Kernels in a deep hole they couldn’t dig themselves out of. Wander Javier had a big night, hitting a double and his first triple with Cedar Rapids.

The Kernels entered the bottom of the ninth down 10-1, but scored three runs before the first out of the inning was recorded. It was an encouraging sign there’s still some fight left in this team.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Bristol 3, Elizabethton 2

Box Score

Cody Laweryson: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Matt Wallner (3-for-5, 2 2B), Charles Mack (2-for-5), Seth Gray (2-for-5), Parker Phillips (2-for-5)

Elizabethton entered the top of the ninth inning trailing 3-1 but put together a nice two-out rally. Carles Mack, Seth Gray and Parker Phillips all singled, scratching across a run. That brought up Matt Wallner, who already had three hits. Unfortunately, he hit a fly out to centerfield to end the game.

Sawyer Gipson-Long gave up three runs over the first two innings, but the E-Twins pitching staff was outstanding after that. Cody Laweryson came in and covered the next five innings. He struck out eight batters. Dylan Thomas pitched a scoreless ninth.

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Red Sox 10, GCL Twins 4

Box Score

Regi Grace: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Luis Milla (2-for-3), Jake Hirabayashi (2-for-4)

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Cody Laweryson, Elizabethton

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Ben Rortvdet, Pensacola

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

1. Royce Lewis (FM): 0-for-4, E (throw)

2. Alex Kirilloff (PNS): 0-for-5, 2 K

4. Trevor Larnach (PNS): 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 K

5. Wander Javier (CR): 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 R, RBI, 2 K

10. Blayne Enlow (FM): 7.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 68.2% strikes (60 of 88 pitches), E (pickoff)

12. Nick Gordon (ROC): 0-for-4, K

15. Matt Wallner (ELZ): 3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI (assist, threw a runner out at home)

16. Ben Rortvedt (PNS): 4-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI

18. Jorge Alcala (PNS): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 68.4% strikes (13 of 19 pitches)

19. Misael Urbina (DSL): 3-for-4, 2B, 2 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs. Indianapolis, 6:05 pm CT (TBD)

Pensacola at Jacksonville, 5:35 pm CT (Griffin Jax)

Fort Myers vs. Lakeland, 5:00 pm CT (Lachlan Wells)

Cedar Rapids vs. Clinton, 6:35 pm CT (TBD)

Elizabethton at Bristol, 5:30 pm CT (Prelander Berroa)

GCL Twins vs. GCL Red Sox, 9:00 am CT (TBD)

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