Twins Minor League Report (8/17): We're Going Sweeping!

RED WINGS REPORT

Game 1: Syracuse 5, Rochester 2 (10 innings)

Box score

After their rain postponement on Saturday, Logan Darnell made the start for the Red Wings in the first of two games. In 5.2 innings, the lefty allowed just two earned runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out three. What did him in was the long ball, as two of those hits went for solo home runs, including one from the first batter of the game. Lester Oliveros then came in to pitch 2.1 scoreless innings, with two strikouts. Mark Hamburger pitched into extra innings, but was saddled with the loss after giving up three runs (one unearned) in the tenth, after a walk, three consecutive singles and an error at the plate allowed the runs to score.

The Red Wings had just five hits and three walks in the game, and were 0-9 with runners in scoring position. Chris Herrmann and Pedro Florimon each had two hits, with Herrmann collecting a double, his third home run of the season and he scored both of Rochester’s runs.

Game 2: Syracuse 7, Rochester 3 (7 innings)

Box Score

Syracuse jumped all over starter Sean Gilmartin in the first inning and never looked back, as a grand slam contributed to six runners crossing the plate for the Chiefs. Gilmartin recovered to retire ten in row before a walk, double and intentional walk to load the bases ended his night in the fifth inning.

A.J. Achter came on and allowed one inherited runner to score, but struck out three in two innings of relief. Michael Tonkin finished the shortened game with a scoreless inning, striking out two.

Rochester outhit Syracuse 11-6 in the game, but were unable to string enough of them together to keep pace. Aaron Hicks was 2-4 with a double from the leadoff spot, while Josmil Pinto was 3-3 with a double and a walk from the 3-hole to lead the offense.

ROCK CATS REVIEW

Harrisburg 2, New Britain 7

Box Score

Eddie Rosario got the Rock Cats on the board first in this one, when he slugged his sixth home run of the season in the third inning, a two-run shot with Levi Michael on-base after a leadoff single. They added five more runs in the seventh, when Jorge Polanco (RBI single), Corey Wimberly (bases-clearing triple) and Kyle Knudson (sacrifice fly) brought home ducks on the pond.

Rosario (2-5), Mike Gonzalez (2-4), Reynaldo Rodriguez (2-3), Polanco (2-4), and Stephen Wickens (2-4 each had multiple hits. Tony Thomas and Gonzalez added doubles to the effort.

It was Jason Wheeler on the mound for New Britain. He controlled the Harrisburg lineup for five innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out nine. He walked the first batter of the game, but struck out the next six. He struck out eight of the first eleven he faced and set down eight in a row before his exit after the fifth inning. He improved to 4-4 with the Rock Cats.

Alex Wimmers struck out two more Senators in an inning of relief, while Cole Johnson, Ryan O’Rourke and Jim Fuller added three more K's in the final three innings for a total of fourteen for the pitching staff. O’Rourke surrendered the two Harrisburg runs in the eighth inning, but they weren’t enough to overcome the seventh inning outburst from the Red Wings as they completed the three game sweep.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Palm Beach 5, Fort Myers 6 (11 innings)

Box Score

The Miracle gave up leads in both the eighth and ninth innings of this one, but ended the game with some extra inning heroics from Adam Brett Walk[off] II, as he drove in Travis Harrison with a single in the eleventh to give Fort Myers the victory.

Ethan Mildren made the start, and pitched five solid innings, allowing two runs as he scattered five hits and three walks. He struck out five. Zack Jones and Madison Boer combined to throw the next two scoreless innings, before Tyler Jones gave up the game-tying run in the eighth.

Fort Myers was quick to take back the lead in the bottom half of the frame, as Tyler Grimes (single) and Jason Kanzler (double) got themselves into scoring position for Aderlin Mejia (sacrifice fly) and Niko Goodrum (RBI single), for a two run lead going into the ninth. D.J. Johnson then gave up two runs to blow the save opportunity and send the game into extra innings.

Todd Van Steensel was next to pitch for the Miracle and picked up his first FSL win with two scoreless extra innings, walking two and striking out two.

Seven of the nine hitters in the Miracle lineup collected multiple hits, as they tallied seventeen in the game. Stuart Turner, Grimes and Kanzler had doubles, while Mejia and Grimes each drove in two runs. Kanzler also stole two bases, giving him nine in sixteen games with Fort Myers.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Peoria 4, Cedar Rapids 5

Box score

Cedar Rapids was also able to finish off a series sweep, winning their sixth game in a row, in [intentional] walk-off fashion on Sunday.

With the game tied 4-4 with two out in the bottom of the ninth, a Logan Wade double, a wild pitch and a Chad Christensen walk put runners on first and third for Mitch Garver. Peoria pitcher Jacob Booden, who had entered the game in the eighth inning, then intended to put Garver on first base with an intentional walk, but misfired his first throw into the dirt and past the catcher, allowing Wade to race home for the win.

The Kernels offense was led by Wade who was 3-5 on the day, with the ninth inning double and fifth inning home run to drive in three. Jonatan Hinojosa was 2-5 with a run scored. Garver was 2-4 with two doubles and a walk.

Ryan Eades was on the mound and despite allowing three runs in the third inning, was able to finish six innings for Cedar Rapids. He allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks, with one strikeout. Hudson Boyd struck out two in two perfect innings, while Brian Gilbert was credited with the win after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Princeton 0, Elizabethton 11

Box Score

Elizabethton scored early and often en route to the blowout of Princeton at home.

A wild pitch in the first inning allowed Jermias Pineda to score the first run of the game, while singles from Trey Vavra and Alex Real brought home Nick Gordon and Tanner English for a 3-0 lead after three.

Elizabethton then sent ten men to the plate in the fourth on their way to seven runs, punctuated by a three run home run from Brian Navaretto, his second of the year.

Six hitters collected multiple hits for the Twins, including Pineda (2-5, 2 R’s, 2B, 3 RBI), Gordon (2-4, 2 RBI), English (2-4, BB, R, 2B), Vavra (3-5, R), Real (2-4, BB, R, RBI) and Austin Deimer (2-4, 2 R’s, 2B) as the team garnered fifteen hits.

Derrick Penilla improved to 4-4 on the season with six shutout innings, scattering four hits and one walk, while striking out eight. Enigma Brandon Poulson pitched two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and two walks with two K’s, while Randy LeBlanc finished the game with a scoreless inning.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Pitcher – Jason Wheeler, New Britain Rock Cats (5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R’s, 9 K’s)

Hitter – Logan Wade, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-5, 2 R’s, 2B, HR, 3 RBI)

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Syracuse @ Rochester – Mark Hamburger (3-3, 4.37 ERA), 6:05PM CST

Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids – Chih-Wei Hu (5-1, 2.54 ERA), 6:35PM CST

Princeton @ Elizabethton – John Curtiss (2-1, 0.84 ERA), 6:00PM CST

GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles – TBD, 11:00AM CST

DSL Twins @ DSL Padres – TBD, 9:30AM CST