Twins Minor League Report (8/16): Buxton Powers Rochester to Win

multiple hitters powered Chattanooga to a blowout win at home, and a dynamite start from a pitcher with a hitters name gave Fort Myers an easy win on the road. There were also two other “walk-off” games on the day as well.

To find out how it all went down, keep reading!

RED WINGS REPORT

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2, Rochester 3 (12 innings)

Box Score

It took twelve innings Sunday afternoon, but the Red Wings managed a walk-off win despite being out-hit 13-8 on the day and receiving little support from most of the lineup.

The RailRiders took the an early 2-0 lead off Rochester starter David Hurlbut, scoring a run in each of the first two innings, but that would be it for the game.

Hurlbut finished 6.2 innings, allowing just the two runs on nine hits while striking out two. Alex Meyer would bring the Red Wings into extra innings, finishing the seventh and four more scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and two walks, while striking out four. Mark Hamburger picked up the win by tossing a scoreless twelfth inning despite allowing two hits. He struck out two.

Leading the offense for the Red Wings was Byron Buxton from the leadoff spot. He was 3-6 on the day with his first AAA home run, a solo shot in the fifth inning to tie the game at two. James Beresford also picked up three hits from the two-hole, and Kennys Vargas and Danny Ortiz each drew two walks. The rest of the lineup managed just two hits and one walk.

In the bottom of the twelfth Jose Martinez led off the inning with a single and was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Carlos Paulino. That brought the top of the order and Buxton back up to the plate. On a 2-0 pitch, he sent a line drive single into center field to bring home Martinez and start the extra-inning walk-off win celebration.

Buxton has hit safely in all 11 of his AAA games to this point, owning a .404 batting average and has collected multiple hits in five games.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Tennessee 4, Chattanooga 11

Box Score

The Lookouts found themselves down 4-1 after the top of the fifth inning, but after the bottom of the seventh found themselves in front by seven.

Left-hander Jason Wheeler got the start and finished five tough innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two. He even picked up his third AA win of the year thanks to the offense after his day was done. Alex Wimmers pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three, and D.J. Johnson and J.T. Chargois each added a scoreless inning.

The Chattanooga offense worked ten walks and combined those free passes with twelve hits to rout the Smokies. Max Kepler continued to be Max Kepler, ending his game 3-4 with two runs scored, two doubles and two RBIs. Not to be overshadowed, Niko Goodrum scored three runs while also collecting three hits, including his fourth triple and fourth home run, a two-run blast in the seventh inning. He drove in four. Travis Harrison was the only batter in the lineup to not collect a hit, but did reach base three times via walk. Adam Brett Walker scored two runs and drew two walks while ending his day 1-3.

Kepler is near the top of the leaderboard in the Southern League in runs scored (2^nd), hits (5^th), doubles (2^nd), triples (1^st, tied with Buxton), total bases (2^nd, behind Walker), on-base percentage (1^st), slugging percentage (1^st), batting average (1^st), and OPS (1^st). He also has sixteen stolen bases, forty-eight walks compared to just fifty-three strikeouts, and fifty-six RBI. This is the type of overall season from the young German that wins Minor League Player of the Year awards. Bask in its glory!

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 5, Charlotte 1

Box Score

The Miracle jumped out to an early lead and never had to look back in this one thanks to their starting pitcher.

In the second inning, a double from Logan Wade, walk from Michael Quesada, and single from Tanner Vavra brought Engelb Vielma to the plate with one run in and runners on first and second base. Vielma then “cleared” the bases with an infield single and an throwing error to make the score 3-0.

Fort Myers added two more insurance runs in the fifth inning after Vavra and Vielma singled to start the inning, and were brought home on a Jason Kanzler triple.

Vielma was 4-5 on the day and has raised his average to .280 on the season with the Miracle. Quite an accomplishment when you discover he was hitting below .200 entering the month of June. But he hit .346 that month, then followed it by hitting .338 in July, and is at .380 so far in August. In his last ten, he’s hitting .425.

Mat Batts was sensational on the mound for Fort Myers to pick up his seventh Florida State League win. In eight innings, he allowed just a solo home run and three other hits, while striking out nine. He retired the first eight batters of the game before giving up a hit, and then proceeded to strike out the next three hitters. Charlotte had just one opportunity with runners in scoring position on the game due to his dominance.

Todd Van Steensel pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing two hits and striking out one.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 6, Fort Wayne 7 (10 innings)

Box Score

Cedar Rapids scored four runs in the seventh inning to take the lead in this one 4-1, and added two more insurance runs in the eighth to enter the bottom of the ninth inning on the road up 6-1.

For TinCaps fans, it turned into the type of game you regret leaving early. For Kernels fans, that means it turned into a disappointing loss.

Randy LeBlanc started the game for Cedar Rapids, and went four innings allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three. Luke Bard and Nick Anderson threw two scoreless innings apiece, each allowing a hit. Bard struck out two and Anderson struck out three.

The four runs in the seventh inning came after an Austin Diemer double scored two, a Pat Kelly single scored Diemer, and a Rafael Valera double scored Brian Navaretto.

A triple from Diemer in the eighth added another run, and he was brought home on a Navaretto single to make the score 6-1.

In the ninth inning, John Curtis was summoned to finish the game for the Kernels. As alluded to earlier, he was not able to. A single and back-to-back home runs made the score 6-4, then consecutive walks with two outs would bring Yorman Landa into the game. The first batter he faced singled to bring in two more runs and tie the game before he got the third out to send it to extra innings.

Landa remained in the game for the tenth inning, but ran into immediate trouble after a throwing error from third baseman T.J. White put the winning run on base to start the inning. A groundout moved him to second base, and a wild pitch put him ninety feet away for the TinCaps game-winning single.

Cedar Rapids got two hits from Alex Real (2-5, 2 R’s, BB) and Diemer (2-4, 2 R’s, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) and two-RBI from Valera (1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) to lead their offense.

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Danville 5, Elizabethton 6

Box Score

As opposed to their Midwest League cousins, the E-Twins were able to give their fans a comeback walk-off victory on Sunday despite being outhit 11-7 on total hits and 6-0 on extra-base hits.

Danville scored two runs in the first inning and one in the second jump out to a 3-0 lead against Twins starter Miles Nordgren. He would finish 3.1 innings on the day but no further damage.

In the bottom of the second Elizabethton tied it at three after a bases-loaded walk to Daniel Kihle scored one, and an Alex Perez single scored two more. The game would remain tied until the seventh inning when the Twins took a 4-3 lead after Manuel Guzman came around to score from first base after a throwing error.

C.K. Irby had pitched 3.2 scoreless innings to get Elizabethton to that point, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out four, but was replaced by Jose Abreu to start the eighth. He was greeted by a lead-off double, and one out later a two-run home run to put Danville back in front 5-4.

The Twins managed to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, as LaMonte Wade reached on another Danville error, and singles from Travis Blankenhorn and Brian Olson were enough to get him home.

Abreu made it interesting in the top of the ninth inning, but got a ground ball double play to end the threat and bring the home team back up to the plate.

Guzman got them started with a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. An intentional walk to Perez was followed by a walk from Wade to load the bases for A.J. Murray. His line drive to right field brought home the game winner for the home team.

Guzman led the team with three hits on the day (3-4, 3 R’s) and was the only hitter in the lineup with multiple hits. Wade drew three walks and scored a run.

GCL TWINS TAKES

The Gulf Coast League Twins, like the rest of the GCL, had the day off on Sunday. They host the GCL Orioles Monday morning.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher of the Day – Mat Batts, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 8 IP, 4 H’s, 1 R, 0 BB’s, 9 K’s)

Hitter of the Day – Niko Goodrum, Chattanooga Lookouts (3-5, 3 R’s, 3B, HR, 4 RBI)

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05 PM CST) – LHP Taylor Rogers (8-10, 3.90 ERA)

Chattanooga - Scheduled day off.

Charlotte @ Fort Myers (6:05PM CST) – Stephen Gonsalves (5-1, 2.34 ERA)

Cedar Rapids – Scheduled day off.

Danville @ Elizabethton (6:00 PM CST) – RHP Andro Cutura (2-2, 1.23 ERA)

GCL Orioles @ GCL Twins (11:00 AM CST) – TBD

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