Twins Minor League Report (8/28): Friday Night Light Shows

It was a busy night in the Twins farm system. Check out all the game stories and highlights below.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 2, Syracuse 9

Box Score

The Red Wings had shut out Syracuse in the two previous games. JO Berrios struck out 12 in seven shutout innings in Syracuse on Wednesday night. On Thursday night, Michael Bowden struck out nine in seven shutout innings. On Friday, it was Taylor Rogers’ turn.

It didn’t go so well. Three batters into the game, Syracuse scored, and they kept on doing just that. Rogers went just 2.1 innings. He was charged with seven runs (six earned) on seven hits (two homers) and a walk. He struck out two. Tim Shibuya came on and gave up one run on four hits in three innings. He struck out four. Next up was Alex Meyer. He was charged with an unearned run on three hits over 2.2 innings. He struck out four without issuing a walk. Cole Johnson gave up a hit and a walk in the ninth, but he did not allow a run.

Danny Santana was the only Red Wings player with more than one hit. He was 2-4, and the team had just four hits on the game. Xavier Avery knocked in two runs with his 21^st double.

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 5, Birmingham 0

Box Score

The offense provided plenty of runs, but the pitching got the job done with a shutout performance. Jason Wheeler went the first 6.1 innings. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out four. The game was delayed after the fifth inning due to rain, but Wheeler returned. Nick Burdi came on with one out in the seventh. He finished that inning and two more to earn his second Lookouts save. He went 2.2 innings and gave up no hits, walked two and struck out two.

Shannon Wilkerson continued to be an instigator for the Lookouts offense. He went 3-3 with two walks in this game. In the third, the Lookouts got back-to-back singles from Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler to give them a 2-0 lead. That same duo contributed again in the seventh inning. Polanco singled in a run before Kepler gave the team a 4-0 lead with a sacrifice fly. Along with Polanco, Travis Harrison also had two hits.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 5 (11 innings)

Box Score

As has been the case about two dozen times this year, the Miracle needed extra frames to decide this game.

Mat Batts started the game and was back on track. The southpaw gave up two runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out two and he walked none. Todd Van Steensel gave up a hit and a walk, but no runs in the seventh. Tyler Jay struck out one in a scoreless eighth inning. It was his fifth straight inning without allowing a run. Alex Muren pitched a scoreless ninth. However, when the game went to the tenth, Muren was charged with an unearned run. Brian Gilbert got the 11^th inning. He gave up two runs on one walk and one hit.

Logan Wade led the offense. He went 4-5 with his 19^th double. He drove in the game-tying run in the 10^th inning. He also stole his third base. Engelb Vielma went 3-4 with a walk. He stole his 32^nd base. Ryan Walker went 2-5. Chad Christensen went 2-5 and stole his 21^st base.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids, Kane County

Box Score

Rain and lightning caused this game to be postponed. They will play two games on Saturday evening.

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Elizabethton 6, Kingsport 9 (10 innings)

Box Score

The Twins had plenty of offense and they held the lead late, but they were unable to hold it and fell in extra innings.

LaMonte Wade continues to hit well. He went 2-5 with his ninth home run. In August, he has walked 25 times while striking out just nine times. And in this game, he also threw out a runner at home. Brian Olson went 2-4 with a walk and his second home run. He’s now hitting .372 in his time with the Twins. Amaurys Minier went 2-4 with a walk and his ninth double. Jermaine Palacios went 2-5. Lewin Diaz has just six hits with the E-Twins in about 40 plate appearances, but on Friday, he hit his third home run.

Onesimo Hernandez started and gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six. Jose Abreu gave up one run on two hits in 1.1 innings. He struck out three. Kuo Hua Lo, who has been terrific this season as the team’s closer, gave up two runs on five hits. He gave up a home run in the eighth and game-tying homer in the ninth. Alex Robinson started the tenth inning. He was charged with three runs on two hits and three walks and recorded just two outs. Josh Guyer came on and walked one runner in before getting a strikeout to end the inning.

In the game, Christian Cavaness, signed last month as a non-drafted from agent, led off and played center field.

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 0, GCL Red Sox 1

Box Score

The season is coming to a close. The team is scheduled to play just one more game, on Saturday, before these players get to travel home. Though they received very good pitching, the hitters looked like they were ready for the season to be over.

The Twins had just four hits in the game. Ariel Montesino went 2-4. He stole his third base. Roberto Gonzalez and Kolton Kendrick each walked twice in the game. Gonzalez stole his eighth base of the season and tells me his knee continues to feel better.

On the mound, seventh round pick Jovani Moran started and threw five innings. He gave up one run on four hits. He walked one and struck out three. He got seven grounders to just two fly outs. Miguel Gonzalez came in and threw four shutout innings. He didn’t give up any hits, walked one and struck out five.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Miguel Gonzalez, GCL Twins

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Shannon Wilkerson, Chattanooga Lookouts

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05 CST) – LHP Logan Darnell

Tennessee @ Chattanooga (6:30 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut

Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (5:05 CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves

Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (DH @ 5:35 CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc, RHP Sam Gibbons

Kingsport @ Elizabethton (5:00 CST) – RHP Miles Nordgren

GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox (9:00) – TBD (final game of their season)

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