Twins Minor League Report (8/28): Wallner, Williams Help Saints to a Wild Win

TRANSACTIONS 

• OF Billy Hamilton was officially assigned to the FCL Twins. As you know, the FCL season is complete, so this is just a formality. Will be interesting to see where he is assigned in a few days, or if he goes directly to the big-league club. 
• RHP Randy Dobnak was sent to the Saints to continue his rehab assignment. 
• The Mighty Mussels played OF Carlos Aguilar on the Injured List on his 21st birthday. 

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 13. Iowa 12 
Box score 

Man! I heard it was a wild one… so of course, it was Randy Dobnak who was credited with the win in this topsy-turvy, series-ending win for the Saints. The Saints started with three runs in the top of the first inning, but they gave up five runs in the bottom of the inning. In the fourth frame, it was the Saints that put a five spot on the board, and they followed it with three more runs in the fifth. They held a 13-9 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, but the Cubs scored three to cut the Saints’ lead to just one at 13-12. However, no runs were scored by either team in the ninth inning and the Saints had their win. 

Strange to start a summary of a game in which Iowa scored 12 runs with the Saints pitchers, but let’s do just that. Dereck Rodriguez was on the mound to start. He gave up five runs on four hits and three walks, and he only recorded two outs. Drew Strotman got the final out of the first inning and then one out in the second frame. He was charged with one run on three hits and a walk. Juan Minaya calmed things down by getting the final two outs of the second frame and three quick outs in the third as well. 

Randy Dobnak’s rehab assignment was transferred to the Saints on Sunday morning. He entered the game in the fourth inning with an 8-6 Saints lead. He gave up two runs that inning. Then gave up another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. In all, he gave up three runs on four hits and two walks, and a hit batter, over his two innings. He struck out two batters. 

Evan Sisk got the sixth inning. He struck out two in a scoreless inning. Jake Jewell came on and got four outs, though he gave up three runs (1 earned) on three hits. Jharel Cotton came on and got the final two outs of the eighth inning, holding that one-run lead. Brad Peacock came on in the bottom of the ninth and gave up a hit and a walk, but no runs, to record the Save. 

As you’d expect in a 13-run game, there were several stars on the Saints’ offense. Chris Williams went 3-for-4 with a walk and a double, and he drove in four runs in the game. Matt Wallner went 2-for-4 with a walk and his fourth St. Paul homer. Nash Knight hit his first Saints homer, one of his two hits. Elliot Soto walked four times. John Andreoli and Mark Contreras each drove in two runs as well.  

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Frisco 3, Wichita 4
Box Score

Down 3-2 going to the ninth inning, Yunior Severino crushed a home run to tie the game at three. 

Unfortunately, Frisco scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to gain the walk-off win. 

Back to the beginning, lefty Brent Headrick made the start and was fantastic. He gave up one run on six hits and a walk. He also struck out nine batters. Veteran Ryan Horstman came on and gave up two runs on two hits and only got two outs. Osiris German came on and gave up two hits, but he recorded four outs, two on strikeouts. 

Along with his homer, Severino also had a walk and a double. Jair Camargo also had two hits. Aaron Sabato added his first double with the Surge. 

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 7, Lake County 8
Box Score

After a rare off day, Brooks Lee returned to the Kernels lineup with a 3-for-5 game to bump his batting average to .322. Mikey Perez was 2-for-3, with two walks. He also added his 13th Kernels stolen base. Wander Javier had the biggest hit of the day for Cedar Rapids. He hit a two-run homer, his 12th of the season, and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. Jake Rucker drove in two runs with a triple. 

RHP Tyler Palm started and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. Brad Hanner got the final out of the second inning, but he then gave up three runs on three hits in the third frame. Bobby Milacki gave up one run on two hits in the fourth inning. Ryan Shreve was charged with two unearned runs on one hit and one walk over two innings. Miguel Rodriguez and Hunter McMahon each tossed a scoreless inning. 

MUSSEL MATTERS
Game 1: Fort Myers 2, Lakeland 4 
Box Score

After completing approximately 2/3 of a game over the previous two days, the Mussels were able to complete two seven-inning games on Sunday morning. 

Tanner Schobel led the way in the first game. He went 2-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base. Rubel Cespedes went 2-for-3. Luis Baez had the lone extra base hit, his second double. Noah Miller had a single and followed with his 20th stolen base of the season. Kala’i Rosario stole his seventh bag. The right fielder also had two outfield assists, throwing out one runner at the plate and another at third base. 

Tomas Cleto made the start and tossed four scoreless innings. He gave up two hits but walked none and struck out three batters. 

Zaquiel Puentes was charged with four runs on four hits and a walk over his two innings of work. Anthony Escobar worked a scoreless inning. 

Game 2: Fort Myers 4, Lakeland 9 
Box Score

Misael Urbina shook off a rough Game 1 to have a strong Game 2. He struck out all four times he batted in the first game. In this game, he went 2-for-3 with a walk and his 16th double of the year. Nate Baez went 2-for-2 with a walk. Luis Baez hit his first home run of the season, a big three-run shot in the fourth inning. It came in his 194th plate appearance of the season. 

Regi Grace started the second game. He was charged with three runs on four hits over three innings. He walked two and struck out three batters. John Wilson came on for the fourth and gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in the inning. Juan Mendez was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. Niklas Rimmel gave up one run on two hits over the final 1 2/3 innings. 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Tomas Cleto (Ft. Myers) - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.
Hitter of the Day – Chris Williams (St. Paul) - 3-4, BB, 2B (2), R, RBI.

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed:

#1 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - Injured List
But Lewis and Jeffers sure seemed to enjoy their State Fair appearance earlier in the day on Saturday. 

#2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 3-5, R 
#4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-4, K 
#7 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - Game 1 (1-4, R, SB (20)), Game 2 (0-3, HBP, 2 K)
#9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 2-4, BB, HR (4), 2 R, 2 RBI 
#18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - Game 1 (2-2, BB, RBI, SB (3)), Game 2 (1-4, RBI, 2 K, SB (4))
#20 - Kala'i Rosario (Fort Myers) - Game 1 (1-3, R, K, SB (7))

TUESDAY’S MATCHUPS 
There are no minor-league games scheduled for Monday. Teams will return to action on Tuesday. 

• The Saints will host Omaha.
• The Wind Surge will travel to Springfield. 
• After a week in Lake County, the Kernels stay out east and will take on Dayton. 
• Ft. Myers will head to Bradenton. That is exciting as Bradenton is the lone Florida State League to share their games on MILB dot TV. 

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games.