Twins Minor League Report (9/1): Playoff Push, September Call-Ups

AWARDS

The Twins announced their weekly Hitter and Pitcher of the Week

• Hitter of the Week: Zander Wiel, Rochester
  

In seven games for the Red Wings, Wiel hit .370 (10-for-27) with four doubles, three home runs, seven RBI, three walks and a 1.271 OPS. Wiel was selected in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt University.

• Pitcher of the Week: Cody Laweryson, Elizabethton
  

Laweryson made the start on Monday vs. Greeneville, pitching 6.0 shutout innings with three hits allowed, no walks and 15 strikeouts. He was selected out fo the 14th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of Main at Orono.

TRANSACTIONS

OF Ian Miller had contracted selected by Minnesota.

RHP Brusdar Graterol had contracted selected by Minnesota.

RHP Zack Littell recalled by Minnesota.

RHP Kohl Stewart recalled by Minnesota

LHP Devin Smeltzer recalled by Minnesota

LHP Lewis Thorpe recalled by Minnesota.

C Willians Astudillo ended MLB rehab assignment and returned to Minnesota.

RHP Sean Poppen returned from rehab assignment, recalled by Minnesota, and placed on the MLB 60-day Injured List.

INF Yeltsin Encarnacion transferred from Ft. Myers to Rochester.

RHP Alex Schick transferred from Cedar Rapids to Rochester.

LHP Denny Bentley transferred from Elizabethton to Rochester.

LHP Jeremy Bleich reinstated from the IL with Rochester.

INF Anthony Prato promoted from Elizabethton to Cedar Rapids

OF Byron Buxton has ended his rehab assignment with the Kernels

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Syracuse 7 (Final- 9 Innings, Rain)

Box Score

Rochester scored three runs in the seventh inning to tie the game before allowing four runs in the eighth inning to relinquish their advantage. In the seventh inning, Rochester plated three runs thanks to a double from Alejandro De Aza. Wilin Rosario would score in the next at-bat thanks to a wild pitch. Rochester tied the game at 3-3, but the bullpen saw that lead evaporate.

With all of the roster shuffling, Preston Guilmet started and was asked to record only nine outs. He allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Denny Pentley took over and didn’t allow a hit in two innings of work. He struck out two and walked one. Ryan O’Rourke coughed up two of the late-inning runs and Jeremy Bleich also added another two runs allowed as Syracuse stretched their lead to 7-3.

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 7, Montgomery 11

Box Score

Pensacola’s potent offense tried to mount a late-inning comeback, but it wasn’t enough with the hole the pitching staff had dug. Charlie Barnes struggled through five innings for his fourth loss of the year at Double-A. He surrendered seven runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

The bullpen didn’t exactly help the situation for Barnes. Jonathan Cheshire did fine in his one inning of work. He didn’t allow any runs and he walked one and struck out one. Stephen Gonsalves struggled with three earned runs on two hits with the biggest hit being a home run. Alex Phillips didn’t stop the bleeding as he surrendered one run on two hits to end the eighth inning.

Pensacola has already clinched a playoff spot, but the bullpen is going to need to have better outings if the club wants to find success in the postseason.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 1

Box Score

Cedar Rapids plated four runs in the third inning and that turned out to be enough against the Beloit lineup that went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Kody Funderburk scattered five hits and allowed one earned run for his first Midwest League win. He struck out eight and walked two to lower his ERA to 4.68. Rickey Ramirez pitched the final three frames and limited the Snappers to two hits. He walked two and struck out one without allowing a run.

Matt Wallner had the only extra-base hit of the night for the Kernels. He collected his third double since being promoted and drove in a run. In the third inning, Trevor Casanova was hit by a pitch before a Daniel Ozoria single moved him into scoring position. Gabe Snyder drove in the first run of the game before Wallner’s important double. A passed ball and a Seth Gray single plated enough runs to put the Kernels in the driver’s seat.

The Midwest League playoffs begin on Wednesday night as Cedar Rapids hosts the Quad Cities River Bandits. First pitch on September 4 begins at 6:35 p.m.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

TD Pitcher of the Day- Kody Funderburk, Cedar Rapids (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB)

TD Hitter of the Day- Ryan Costello, Pensacola (2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, R, BB)

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) – 0-5, 2 K

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – Did not play

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Minnesota) – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, K, 0 BB

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) – 2-4, 2 R, K

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 2-5, R, K

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) – 1-4

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) – 2-5, 2B, 2 R

#15 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 K

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) – 2-5, R, K

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs. Syracuse (12:05 CST) – TBD

Pensacola @ Montgomery (12:05 CST) – RHP Bailey Ober (8-0, 0.71 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (2:00 CST) – RHP Luis Rijo (5-8, 2.86 ERA)

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