Twins Minor League Report (8/12): Royce Rolls Into Cedar Rapids

Find out everything and more that happened happened in the Twins system on Saturday.

Let’s start with the transactions of the day:

• You might have heard. Royce Lewis, the first overall pick this June, was promoted to Cedar Rapids from the GCL.
  
• Aaron Whitefield was also removed from the disabled list for the Kernels. To make room for his return, Hank Morrison was released.
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Norfolk 2

Box Score

Rochester got yet another strong start from Aaron Slegers, and used some power to take this win.

Slegers won his ninth straight decision (10 starts). He gave up just two runs on eight hits over 7.1 innings. He struck out six. Mason Melotakis recorded his first Red Wings save by getting the final five outs, two on strikeouts.

Byungho Park put the Red Wings on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with a two-run homer, his 10th of the season. In the sixth, Mitch Garver added his 17th home run to give the team a lead they’d hold on to. Garver added his 27th double later and walked once. Kennys Vargas was 2-4. Zack Granite added a single and a walk.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 1, Birmingham 0

Box Score

The Lookouts faced White Sox pitching prospect Michael Kopech for the fourth time on Saturday night. In his three previous starts, he had struck out nine, ten and twelve batters. In this game, the flame-throwing righty struck out ten again. Fortunately, Dereck Rodriguez was up to the challenge.

On a night when his dad was honored by the Texas Rangers, who retired his number, Dereck Rodriguez was fantastic. He outpitched Kopech, just without the same number of strikeouts. Rodriguez threw seven shutout innings. He gave up just two hits, walked none and struck out five. He improved to 5-2 on the season with the Lookouts.

Rodriguez said that he just had things working tonight. “I was getting ahead of hitters and throwing my pitches for strikes.”

That it was opposite a talent like Michael Kopech didn’t faze Rodriguez. “It could have been Nolan Ryan on the mound. Rodriguez continued with a chuckle, “It didn't matter to me... I don't have to face him.”

Todd Van Steensel worked out of trouble in the eighth inning. He gave up a hit, walked one and hit a batter, but somehow did not give up a run. Nick Anderson picked up his sixth save with a scoreless ninth frame.

The Lookouts scored their run in the seventh inning. Ryan Walker hit his 12th double. Nick Gordon singled, and Walker scored on an error on the play. Jonathan Rodriguez added his 26th double.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 9, Dunedin 6

Box Score

Brent Rooker stayed hot and gave the Miracle a big lead in the first inning again on Saturday night. He hit a three-run homer, his sixth with the Miracle. And when he’s hit them of late, he’s picked some big moments.

https://twitter.com/SethTweets/status/896499294609559552

Eduardo Del Rosario was given run support, but he wasn’t able to fully take advantage. He gave up four runs on five hits and four walks in four innings. He struck out three before being removed. Williams Ramirez struck out four over two scoreless innings. Alex Robinson gave up a run in his inning. Michael Theofanopoulos gave up nothing over the final two innings to finish it off.

Jaylin Davis went 2-4 with two RBI. Sean Miller had a single and a walk and scored twice.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 9, Quad Cities 1

Box Score

Royce Lewis was the big story in the Twins minor league system on Saturday, and he came as advertised, so let’s start with the rest.

Shane Carrier continues to absolutely rake. He went 2-4 and hit his fourth home run, a two-run shot to put the Kernels on the board. Jimmy Kerrigan went 2-3 including his third home run and two RBI. Jordan Gore went 1-2 with two walks.

https://twitter.com/TCAnelle/status/896525758620868608

And how good has Carrier been of late?

https://twitter.com/jeje66/status/896537522133749760

Lefty Anthony Marzi started and gave up just one run on four hits over six innings. He walked three and hit two, but limited damage. Max Cordy bent but didn’t break.He gave up a hit and walked five, but somehow didn’t give up a run over his two innings. He struck out three. Hector Lujan struck out two in the final inning.

OK, on to the Royce Lewis portion. Lewis led off and played shortstop for the Kernels. In his first at-bat, he lined a single to left field. Soon after, he stole second base. We won’t mention though that he was then picked off. In his second at-bat, he lined a single to right field after fouling off several tough pitches. In his third at-bat, he drove in a run with another single to right field. His fourth at-bat, he had a line-drive-in-the-book, even if it really was a pop up that landed right between the right fielder, the second baseman and the first baseman. OK, he proved human in his fifth at-bat, striking out. But 4-5 with a run, an RBI, a stolen base and no errors is pretty good, I’d say!

First hit:

https://twitter.com/TCAnelle/status/896524709558407168

Third hit:

https://twitter.com/TCAnelle/status/896545299358994433

Fourth hit:

https://twitter.com/TCAnelle/status/896554287152713730

Oh, and the Kernels had one of their theme nights. It was Beach Night and the Kernels wore special jerseys that get auctioned off by silent bid through the sixth inning. Royce Lewis’s jersey went for $900.

Here’s a fun look at that jersey:

https://twitter.com/Mr_Shucks/status/896511028623749120

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 5, Johnson City 12

Box Score

It was a rough night all around for the E-Twins on Saturday. Offensively, they managed just five hits. Jose Miranda hit his first triple. Ariel Montesino added his third double. JJ Robinson drove in two of the team’s runs.

Ryley Widell started for the Twins. In 3.1 innings, the left-hander gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits. He walked two, hit two and struck out five. Moises Gomez gave up six runs on three hits and three walks in just one innings. Blair Lakso went two innings. He gave up two runs on three hits and three walks. Jose Martinez got the final five outs (two on strikeouts) and gave up just one hit.

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 4, GCL Red Sox 5

Box Score

Henry Centeno made another rehab start in the GCL. The right-hander walked one over three, no-hit innings. He struck out three. Matt Jones was next up. The left-hander gave up two unearned runs on three hits and two walks in three innings. He struck out three. Kevin Marnon gave up one run on two hits over two innings. He struck out three.Derek Molina gave up one run on one hit and one walk in his inning. Zach Featherstone came in and got two outs, but gave up an unearned run to take the loss.

Victor Tademo led the offense. He went 2-4 with his fourth double. Ricky De La Torre was also 2-4 and drove in two runs. Alex Robles went 2-3. Chris Paul had a double in five at-bats.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Dereck Rodriguez, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Royce Lewis, Cedar Rapids Kernels

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Norfolk @ Rochester (12:35 CST) - RHP Tim Melville

Chattanooga @ Birmingham (3:00 CST) - RHP Fernando Romero

Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (5:05 CST) - RHP Brady Anderson

Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) - LHP Charlie Barnes

Elizabethton @ Johnson City (6:00 CST) - RHP Melvi Acosta

GCL Twins - No Game Scheduled

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday’s games.