Twins Minor League Report (8/22): Blank Blanks Reds

Keep reading to find out more on the night in the Twins minor league system on Wednesday. As always, please feel free to discuss and ask questions.

TRANSACTIONS

• 
  Utility man Taylor Motter was released by the Twins. He’d been playing in Rochester.
  

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 2, Pawtucket 7

Box Score

Fernando Romero was on the mound for the Red Wings. The right-hander went the first three innings. He gave up three runs on four hits. He walked a batter, hit a batter and struck out two in three innings. Tyler Duffey came on and gave up two runs on four hits in two innings. He struck out three. Ryne Harper gave up two runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings. He walked two, hit one and struck out two. John Curtiss got the final four outs.

Kennys Vargas had another strong game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 16th double. Zander Wiel had a hit in his fist at bat, the first hit of his Triple-A career. Byron Buxton went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 2, Montgomery 3

Box Score

Clark Beeker made his first Double-A start for the Lookouts on Wednesday night. The right-hander from Davidson gave up just two hits over four shutout innings. He struck out two without issuing a walk. Anthony Marzi came on and worked the next two innings. The left-hander gave up one run on two hits and a walk. Tyler Jay worked the final two innings and gave up two runs (1 earned) on two hits, a walk and a hit batter.

The Lookouts had just five hits in this game. Jaylin Davis provided the offense with a two-run, first-inning homer, his sixth with the Lookouts. Brent Rooker had a single and was hit by a pitch.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 6, Palm Beach 1

Box Score

Andro Cutura missed nearly two seasons after Tommy John surgery. On Wednesday, he turned 25 and celebrated with a Win. The right-hander gave up just one run on four hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out four. Adam Bray gave up two hits over two scoreless innings to end the game.

Taylor Grzelakowski led the way with a 3-for-5 game. He hit his 23rd double. Mark Contreras went 2-for-4 with a walk and his 15th double. Eddie De La Trinidad was 2-for-5 with his second double. Ben Rortvedt went 2-for-4 with his seventh Miracle double. Caleb Hamilton went 2-for-3 with a walk. Ryan Costello also had two hits. Alex Kirilloff extended his on-base streak to 33 games. Jose Miranda also doubled.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 8, Wisconsin 4

Box Score

Akil Baddoo paced the way early for the Kernels. In the first inning, he began the game with his 11th triple. An inning later, his 11th home run was a two-run shot that was the big hit in a five-run inning. Baddoo also walked once. Trevor Larnach went 3-for-5 with his sixth double and his second home run. Michael Helman went 2-for-4 with his third double. Michael Davis went 2-for-4 with his eighth double. Trey Cabbage knocked his 19th double, which Ben Rodriguez’s first triple drove in two runs.

Blayne Enlow made the start. He gave up one run on four hits over five innings to pick up his third win of the year. He walked one, hit two and struck out eight batters. Jared Finkel went the next 2 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs on five hits and a walk. Derek Molina got the final four outs and gave up just one hit.

E-TWINS E-TALK

Elizabethton 2, Greeneville 1 (11 innings)

Box Score

Jean Carlos Arias has struggled since being demoted to the E-Twins. He had an early single. In the ninth inning, he singled in the game-tying run. And in the bottom of the 11th inning, he singled in Trevor Casanova with the game-winning run. DaShawn Keirsey had a single and two walks.

Tyler Palm had another strong start. The lanky right-hander started with six scoreless innings. His final line was one run over 6 1/3 innings. He walked one, hit one and struck out four. Augustana University’s Jacob Blank came on and gave up just one hit over the final 4 2/3 innings. He intentionally walked one and struck out five to record his first professional win.

GCL TWINS TALK

GCL Twins 7, GCL Rays 8

Box Score

The Twins played a rare night game in the Gulf Coast League. A six-run fourth inning put the Twins in a hold. However, in the seventh inning, they mounted a comeback. They scored six runs of their own to tie the game. However, in the bottom of the inning, they gave up what proved to be the game-winning run.

Prelander Berroa started and gave up seven runs (just two earned) on eight hits and a walk over the first 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four. Denny Bentley came on and finished out the fourth and worked a scoreless fifth inning. Steven Cruz gave up one run on one hit and three walks over the next 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two. Petru Balan got the final four outs. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out one.

Shane Carrier had two doubles in the game. Estamy Urena was 2-for-4 with a walk. Victor Tademo also had two hits in the game.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Jean Carlos Arias, Elizabethton Twins (3-5, game-tying and game-winning hits).

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Jacob Blank, Elizabethton Twins (4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 IBB, 5 K)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Royce Lewis (Ft. Myers) - 1-5

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Ft. Myers) - 1-5, 2B(23), R, RBI, K

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Ft. Myers) - Did not pitch

#4 - Nick Gordon (Rochester) - 1-4, R, K

#5 - Stephen Gonsalves (Minnesota) - Did not pitch

#6 - Trevor Larnach (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, 2B(6), HR(2), 2 R, 2 RBI

#7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) - 1-3, HBP, R, K

#8 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) - 2-4, BB, 3B(11), HR(11), 2 R, 2 RBI

#9 -Wander Javier - out of for the season

#10 - Zack Littell (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#11 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)

#12 - LaMonte Wade (Rochester) - 0-4, K

#13 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - Did not play

#14 - Lewis Thorpe (Rochester) - Did not pitch

#15 - Ben Rortvedt (Ft. Myers) - 2-4, 2B(7), R

#16 - Yunior Severino (Elizabethton) - 0-1

#17 - Lewin Diaz (Ft. Myers) - Out for the season (wrist)

#18 - Ryan Jeffers (Cedar Rapids) - 1-5, R

#19 - Jacob Pearson (Cedar Rapids) - Did not play

#20 - Luis Arraez (Chattanooga) - 1-3

#21 - Jose Miranda (Ft. Myers) - 1-4, 2B(3), R, RBI, K

*Since Wander Javier is out, I’d add #21 to the list.

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05 CST) - RHP Zack Littell (4-6, 3.63 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Montgomery (6:35 CST) - RHP Sean Poppen (5-6, 3.55 ERA)

Ft. Myers @ Palm Beach (5:30 CST) - LHP Bryan Sammons (1-1, 8.20 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (7:00 CST) - RHP Melvi Acosta (2-4, 2.56 ERA)

Greeneville @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) - RHP Andrew Cabezas (1-3, 2.95 ERA)

GCL Twins - No Game Scheduled

Please feel free to ask any questions about Wednesday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.