Twins Minor League Report (8/16): Every Affiliate Earns a Win Except Elizabethton

Transactions – Robbie Grossman assigned to Rochester on rehab assignment, Shane Carrier sent to GCL Twins on rehab assignment

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 15 @ Toledo 2

Box Score

Rochester blasted Toledo 15-2 thanks in part to five early runs and a big eight-spot in the sixth inning to really break things open. The Wings offense was on fire, collecting 19 hits including four doubles and three home runs. Seven Rochester players had multiple hits. Jon Kemmer was 4-for-5 with a double, a home run, three runs scored and a strike out to lead all Rochester players. Just behind Kemmer was Kennys Vargas, 3-for-5 with a home run, five RBIs, a walk and two runs scored. LaMonte Wade had the other Red Wings home run as part of a 2-for-5 night that included three RBIs and a run scored. Byron Buxton was 2-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and two strike outs.

Starter John Curtiss went just 1.2 innings before being replaced by Fernando Romero. Curtiss went 1.2 innings, gave up a pair of hits and two walks, striking out one. Romero went 5.1 innings, gave up two runs (one earned) on seven hits. He struck out five and walked one. Ryan Eades pitched 1.0 inning, gave up a hit, a walk, and struck out two. Ryne Harper pitched the ninth inning striking out a pair and not giving up any walks, hits, or runs.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 10 @ Mississippi 1

Box Score

Chattanooga stomped Mississippi, scoring five runs in the third inning to race out to a big lead, adding to it with three more in the sixth inning, and added two more in the ninth after giving up a run in the bottom half of the eighth. The Lookouts were powered by the bottom of their lineup with the 7-8-9 hitters accounting for seven of the club’s eleven hits. Luis Arraez was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBIs as well as a walk and a strike out. Jimmy Kerrigan led the club with three hits in five at bats. Jordan Gore was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored, an RBI and he struck out twice. Brent Rooker was 1-for-5 with a single, a run scored, and two RBIs but stuck out three times.

Starter Dietrich Enns went 6.0 innings, gave up just five hits, walked one and struck out eight. Williams Ramirez gave up a run over 2.0 innings and struck out five. Anthony Marzi finished the game pitching the final inning.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Charlotte 1 @ Fort Myers 2

Box Score

Fort Myers scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth inning and held on to defeat Charlotte 2-1 in front of the home crowd. The Miracle are now just a game under .500 on the year at 60-61. Michael Pineda started, as he continues to come back from Tommy John surgery, going 3.0 innings. He gave up two hits, a run and struck out one. Pineda left with the game tied and earned no decision. Kevin Marnon pitched 2.0 scoreless innings and earned his first win of the year while striking out a pair of batters. Andro Cutura pitched the final 4.0 innings. He earned a save, gave up just one hit and struck out three.

The Miracle offense picked up six hits, led by Jose Miranda who was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. No other Miracle batter had multiple hits, but Alex Kirilloff and Ben Rortvedt made their lone hit count, each had a double.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Peoria 4 @ Cedar Rapids 2 (Game 1, Continuation of Yesterday’s Suspended Game)

Box Score

The Kernels and the Chiefs each collected nine hits, but the Chiefs hung a four-spot on the boar in the top of the eighth to win the contest. Ryan Jeffers was 3-for-5 with a run scored and a strike out, and Ben Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a run scored, two doubles, an RBI and a walk. No other Kernels had multiple hits.

On the mound, starter Randy Dobnak went 1.0 inning and gave up one hit and one strike out. Blayne Enlow went 5.0 innings, he gave up four hits, three walks, and struck out three. Calvin Faucher pitched the final three innings, he gave up four runs on four hits, walked three and struck out one.

Peoria 0 @ Cedar Rapids 4 (Game 2, 7 innings)

Box Score

The Kernels earned a split in this double-header of sorts, winning the nightcap 4-0. After going hitless in the first game, Akil Baddoo was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and two runs scored. Ryan Jeffers was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. The only other Kernels hit was another double from Ben Rodriguez who was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.

On the bump, Mike Acosta went 4.1 innings, giving up three hits, and no runs. He walked two and struck out five. Jared Finkel went 2.2 innings, gave up two hits, no runs and walked two, and getting credit for the win because Acosta did not go five innings to qualify (and whatever like 2.2 innings of relief is so great).

ELIZABETHTON TWINS TALK

Elizabethton 0 @ Bluefield 9

Box Score

Elizabethton managed just three hits in a 6-0 loss on Thursday night. The Twins didn’t help themselves out with four errors, but none lead to any Bluefield runs. The Twins picked up one hit a piece from Lean Marrero, Yunior Severino and pinch hitter Albee Weiss.

Twins starter Tyler Palm was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs on four hits over 4.2 innings. Palm walked two and struck out three. Blair Lakso came on in relief and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings and Seth Pinkerton pitched the eighth inning and gave up a pair of runs, on four hits. He walked one and struck out two.

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 2 @ GCL Orioles 0

Box Score

A very strong performance from the Twins pitching staff, recording 13 strike outs and walking just three while holding the Orioles scoreless. Prelander Berroa started and went 5.0 innings of one hit baseball, walking three and striking out nine. Michael Montero and Niklas Rimmel each pitched 2.0 additional innings of scoreless baseball keeping the shutout intact.

In the batters box, the Twins managed just five hits, but turned hits into early runs, scoring one in the second and another in the fourth. Estamy Urena was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, and Hunter Lee was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Dietrich Enns, Chattanooga

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jon Kemmer, Rochester

TOP 20 PROSPECT PERFORMANCE

1. Royce Lewis (FM): 0-3, 1 BB

2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB

3. Brusdar Graterol (FM): Did not play

4. Nick Gordon (ROC): 1-4, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K

5. Stephen Gonsalves (ROC): Did not play

6. Trevor Larnach (FM): Did not play

7. Brent Rooker (CHAT): 1-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 K

8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 2-8, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 K

9. Wander Javier: Out of for the season

10. Zack Littell (ROC): Did not play

11. Blayne Enlow (CR): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K

12. LaMonte Wade (ROC): 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 0-4

14. Lewis Thorpe (CHAT): Did not play

15. Ben Rortvedt (FM): 2-1, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB

16. Yunior Severino (ET): 1-4, 1 K

17. Lewin Diaz (FM): Did not play

18. Ryan Jeffers (ET): Did not play

19. Jacob Pearson (CR): 0-2 1 RBI, 1 BB

20. Luis Arraez (CHAT): 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester (6:05pm) – Zack Littell (4-5, 3.55)

Chattanooga (7:0opm) – Sean Poppen (5-5, 3.72)

Fort Myers (6:00pm) – Bryan Sammons (0-1, 11.37)

Cedar Rapids (6:35pm) – Jordan Balazovic (6-3, 4.13)

Elizabethton (6:05pm) – Andrew Cabezas (1-3, 3.21)

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Thursday's games.