Twins Minor League Report (8/24): Darnell Deals, Kernels Explode

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 9, Syracuse 0

Box Score

Behind a massive offensive outburst and some superb pitching by Logan Darnell, the Red Wings were able to shut out the Chiefs for the team's 67th win. Darnell pitched a complete game shutout while limiting the opposition to five hits, walking none and striking out nine. It was his first victory since July 3rd but it was only his third start since joining the rotation.

Five players in the Rochester line-up had three hits apiece and the team collected 20 hits overall. Danny Ortiz was part of the three-hit parade and two of his three hits were for extra-bases. The line for Ortiz could have looked even better but he was thrown out at home twice in the game. Argenis Diaz had the team's other extra-base hit, a double, and he drove in a pair of runs. Kennys Vargas was the lone hitter in the Red Wings batting order who failed to get a hit (0-for-6).

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Tennessee 2 (7 Innings)

Box Score

With the game tied in the bottom of the sixth frame, Adam Brett Walker stepped to the plate with the chance to play the hero. Max Kepler had just tied the game with a single that scored Jorge Polanco. Walker put the Lookouts in the lead with a two-run home run, his 28th long ball of the season. After being held without a home run for seven games, Walker has homered in two straight contests.

David Hurlbut picked up his ninth victory after allowing two earned runs across six innings. He struck out four and walked three. It was his third straight start where he's gone at least six innings and allowed two runs or fewer. J.T. Chargois earned his tenth save with a perfect seventh inning including a strikeout.

Chattanooga 1, Tennessee 4 (7 Innings)

Box Score

Greg Peavey had the Lookouts locked into a 1-1 tie after four innings but he gave up three runs over the next pair of innings to see that tie disappear. Peavey finished by allowing three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 5.1 innings. Corey Williams finished off the game with 1.2 scoreless innings in his second appearance since being promoted from Fort Myers.

Niko Goodrum was the only hitter with multiple hits as he finished the night 2-for-3 with a run scored. Levi Michael smacked his 11th double of the season while DJ Hicks had the team's lone RBI. After homering in two straight games, Adam Brett Walker went 0-for-2 with a walk.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 3, Jupiter 10

Box Score

Fort Myers sent former first round pick Kohl Stewart to the mound on Monday but he couldn't do enough to help his team to victory. The defense behind Stewart gave him little help as the Miracle committed a whopping five defensive errors. Stewart finished the night allowing seven runs (four earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks across 5.2 innings.

In his first appearance since being sent back from Chattanooga, Alex Muren had a rough night on the mound by allowing three earned runs in one inning. Brian Gilbert and Tyler Jay stopped some of the bleeding in the late innings. Jay struck out two in his inning of work.

There wasn't a single batter with more than one hit for the Miracle and none of the team's hits were for extra-bases. Mitch Garver drove in all three runs and Zach Granite scored two of the team's three runs. Engelb Vielma reached base twice and scored a run.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 23, Peoria 3

Box Score

Cedar Rapids didn't want to be outdone by their counterparts in Rochester so the club put on their own offensive clinic down in the Midwest League. The team jumped out to an early 5-0 in the first and added another 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth. Overall, the team pushed across 23 runs and clubbed an eye-popping 27 hits. It got so bad that the Chiefs used multiple position players as pitchers in the game.

When a team collects this many hits it's hard to know where to start with summarizing the night. Sean Miller led the team with five hits and he scored four runs. TJ White went 4-for-7 with a double and a triple. He tied with Edgar Corcino with five runs driven in. All but two batters in the line-up had three hits or more and every batter had a hit and scored a run.

Keaton Steel was the beneficiary of the massive offensive backing. He settled in to a nice rhythm on the mound and finished the night by allowing two earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts across six innings. Zach Tillery allowed one run in two innings of work.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 2, Greeneville 3

Box Score

The E-Twins held two different leads in this contest but weren't able to come up with the big hit to push their lead far enough ahead. Andro Cutura pitched into the sixth inning and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits. He struck out five and walked two while lowering his season ERA to 1.13. Nate Gercken took the loss, his third, as he allowed the game winning run to be scored in his two plus innings of work.

All of the E-Twins offense came from the top of the line-up. Outside the top three hitters, no one else was able to collect a hit. Alex Perez went 2-for-4 with a run scored but he committed two defensive errors. Jermaine Palacios had the team's only extra-base hit, his 11th double, and LaMonte Wade reached base twice. Zander Wiel didn't have a hit but he was credited with the team's only RBI.

GCL Twins Takes

GCL Twins 0, GCL Rays 2

Box Score

The Twins offense struggled to find any punch in this contest. Only two members of the line-up managed hits and the team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Ruar Verkerk went 2-for-3 before being lifted for a pinch runner in the late innings. Bryan Haar picked up one hit in three trips and he's hitting .300 for the season.

Jose Martinez was charged with his sixth loss but he didn't allow an earned run in four innings of work. He struck out four and walked one but the offense didn't do him any favors. Williams Ramirez and Hector Lujan combined to finish off the last two innings with Lujan allowing a run in the Rays last trip to the plate.

GCL Twins 1, GCL Rays 1 (Suspended)

Box Score

This game was supposed to be a make-up of a game played in the middle of July but rain interfered with its completion. The two teams will try to finish the contest on Tuesday. Look for a full report at Twins Daily when this game is completed.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Logan Darnell, Rochester Red Wings

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – TJ White, Cedar Rapids Kernels

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Syracuse (6:05 CST) – LHP Pat Dean

Chattanooga vs. Tennessee (6:15 CST) – LHP Brett Lee

Fort Myers vs. Jupiter (6:05 CST) – LHP Luke Westphal

Cedar Rapids vs. Peoria (6:35 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge

Elizabethton @ Greeneville (6:00 CST) – TBA

GCL Twins vs. GCL Rays (11:00 am CST) – TBA

GCL Twins vs. GCL Rays (Completion of Today's 2nd Game)