Twins Minor League Report (9/6): Ober and Company Shut Out Opposition

TRANSACTIONS

• In Triple-A on Sunday, the St. Paul Saints activated RHP Brock Stewart, who had been down in Fort Myers working his way back. In addition, RHPs Ben Heller, Juan Minaya, and Tyler Thornburg were released.
• 2022 draft pick, OF Alec Sayre was placed on the 7-Day IL.
• The Wichita Wind Surge released LHP Bryan Sammons on Monday, and RHP Hunter McMahon was promoted to them from Cedar Rapids. They also transferred RHP Andrew Cabezas to the development list and received RHP Jordan Brink from the FCL Twins on Tuesday.
• RHP Malik Barrington was promoted from Fort Myers to Cedar Rapids along with RHP Regi Grace.
• In Fort Myers, RHP Anthony Escobar was released, while the Mighty Mussels received RHP Kyle Jones, LHP Develson Aria, and RHP Zebby Matthews from the FCL Twins.

SAINTS SENTINEL
Game 1: Toledo 1, St. Paul 2 (completion of game suspended July 17th)
Box Score

This game was suspended over a month ago in the first inning, so there were a lot of changes to the lineups for each team when it resumed on Tuesday.

Cole Sands had started the game back then, and allowed one run while recording two outs. Ariel Jurado took over on this night, and got them through the fourth, allowing just one hit and striking out four in 3 1/3 innings. Devin Smeltzer was just as good for the next three innings, also allowing just one hit and striking out four, and would get the credit for the win. Michael Feliz picked up a hold with a one-two-three eighth, striking out two before Brad Peacock picked up his eighth save by striking out two in the ninth as well.

Four consecutive singles in the bottom of the second led to the first run of the game for St. Paul, tying it at one. Mark Contreras tallied the third of those singles, driving in Michael Helman who had led off the frame with a base knock of his own. Chris Williams led off the fifth inning with a home run, which actually gets credited as his first of the season in Triple-A when looking at the box score, as well as the second game he played on this day. It is of course his ninth home run with St. Paul, and 27th of the season overall.

That was enough to secure the victory as Saints pitching held the Mud Hens to just three hits in the game. Braden Bishop had two hits to lead the lineup, and also drew a walk.

Game 2: St. Paul 1, Toledo 0 (7 innings)
Box Score

In Game 2, Saints pitching again held Toledo to just three hits, and with the result being a shutout the five hits of their own were enough to pull out another victory.

Mario Sanchez made the start and went the first four innings. He gave up just one hit and struck out three. Drew Strotman pitched a one-two-three fifth to pick up the win, and Jharel Cotton picked up a two-inning save, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out four.

St. Paul scored the only run of the game in the top of the sixth after Mark Contreras drew a walk, moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff attempt, then scampered home on a single from Cole Sturgeon. Michael Helman added a single, a walk, and his 29th stolen base of the season.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
NW Arkansas 5, Wichita 1
Box Score

The Kansas City Royals #9 prospect (per MLB.com), outfielder Tyler Gentry, took the Wind Surge to task late on Tuesday, tallying all five of the Naturals' RBI thanks to a two-run homer in the eighth, and a bases-clearing double in the ninth. 

To that point, Wichita pitchers had been great, as Cody Laweryson made the start and allowed no runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out five in the first four innings. Michael Boyle, Osiris German, and Jordan Brink then were able to add a scoreless inning each, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out three between them before the eighth. Hunter McMahon was the victim of the home run in the eighth before Blayne Enlow got tagged with the double in the ninth. McMahon gave up three hits and struck out one, while Enlow gave up three free passes in front of the double, but did strike out two as well.

The Wind Surge’s lone run came in the bottom of the eighth when Yunior Severino delivered a bases loaded single to score Edouard Julien, who had led off the inning with a single of his own. With the bases still loaded and nobody out, a strikeout preceded an inning-ending double play ball to kill their late rally.

Julien finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and stolen bases, Aaron Sabato chipped in a double, and Austin Martin was 1-for-4 with a walk and his 32nd stolen base to lead the offense, and also made an athletic tag at second on a steal attempt.

KERNELS NUGGETS
South Bend 6, Cedar Rapids 8
Box Score

This one got crazy late, as a six-run inning from the Kernels almost wasn’t enough to hold off a five-run rally from the Cubs in a battle of teams who ended the night with identical 71-56 records on the season. While the Kernels took the West Division first-half title, South Bend looks poised to take the second-half, so this could be a playoff preview series.

Orlando Rodriguez took the mound for Cedar Rapids and was fantastic for six innings. He allowed just one run on three hits and a walk, while punching out four Cubs. Matt Mullenbach pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two before the Kernels came to bat in the bottom of the eighth.

With the score 2-1 in favor of the good guys at that point, the Kernels broke it open thanks to some wildness to start the inning (two walks and a hit-by-pitch), and loud contact to end it. With the bases loaded Willie Joe Garry Jr. clubbed a double to score two, Dylan Neuse delivered a two-RBI single, and Jake Rucker put the exclamation point on it with a two-run home run, making it 8-1 Cedar Rapids.

Then it was time for Regi Grace’s Midwest League debut in the ninth, and it was one he’ll want to forget quickly. While recording two outs, he would be charged with four runs on three hits and walk, and Tyler Palm would be called upon to stop the bleeding. Palm also gave up two hits and a run of his own, but managed to keep the tying run off the basepaths to secure a win.

Neuse led the way for the Kernels with three hits in four at-bats, scoring a run and driving in two. In addition to his double, Garry Jr. also drew a walk, scored a run, and stole a base. Brooks Lee was 1-for-5 and scored a run, while Mikey Perez scored two runs and stole two bases.

MUSSEL MATTERS
St. Lucie 0, Fort Myers 5
Box Score

Bailey Ober made his second rehab appearance with the Mighty Mussels, and was in command for all four of his innings. He allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out three in the outing, and should be ready for St. Paul and/or the Minnesota Twins soon. Of his 52 pitches, 38 went for strikes (73%) in the game, and he faced just one hitter over the minimum in the outing. 

Develson Aria made his debut in full-season ball after Ober’s exit, and threw two scoreless frames, walking two and striking out three. Jackson Hicks then finished off the shutout with three scoreless innings to pick up his fifth win of the season. He allowed just one hit and struck out five Mets hitters, including all three in the ninth. Of note in this one is the 11th overall pick in this year's draft, catcher Kevin Parada, was 0-for-4 and struck out against each Mighty Mussels pitcher.

Fort Myers did all their damage in the seventh inning, with the first two runs coming on Keoni Cavaco’s tenth home run of the year, and Noah Cardenas unloading the bases with a double for their final three.

Cavaco was 2-for-4 on the night and also stole base in addition to his go-ahead homer. Tanner Schobel added a double, two walks, stolen base, and scored a run. Noah Miller finished 1-for-4 with a run scored, walk, and his 23rd stolen base of the year.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Jackson Hicks, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (W, 3 IP, H, 5 K)
Hitter of the Day - Dylan Neuse, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-for-4, R, 2 RBI, K)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
#2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-5, R, 2B, 2 K
#4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4, BB, SB
#7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 1-for-4, R, BB, SB
#9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-7, BB, K (2 games)
#14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 2-for-5, R, K, SB
#15 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 1 IP, H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
#18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - 1-for-2, R, 2B, 2 BB, SB
#20 - Kala’i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, 3 K

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees (2:05 PM CDT) - RHP Louie Varland (MLB Debut), Game 2 (Joe Ryan) 
St. Paul @ Toledo (5:35 PM CDT) - RHP Ronny Henriquez (2-4, 5.94 ERA)
NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - LHP Kody Funderburk (8-5, 3.24 ERA)
South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP David Festa (7-3, 2.59 ERA)
St. Lucie @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl (6-7, 3.53 ERA)

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games!