Allen Post

As I write this, I’m two weeks away from turning 23 years old, which means I was seven when the 2006 Minnesota Twins won the American League Central. It also means I have no meaningful memory of a Twins playoff win, but whatever. I digress. The 2006 season was the first in which I really followed the sport on more than just a watch-guys-hit-ball level. It was that year that I figured out how the standings worked, what a wild card was, and how to calculate basic stats like batting average and ERA.
So, of course, the Twins’ magical comeback from 10.5 games back in the second week of August to Division Champs on the last day of the season—their only division lead all year—made me fall in love with the team and the sport. But, the funny thing about falling in love with a team at seven years old is that the way I remember that team is very far from the reality of what actually happened.
Obviously, I remember Mauer, Morneau, and Santana being awesome, and, looking back, that memory is absolutely correct; they were awesome. But things get a little more skewed as we move down the rest of the roster.
As mentioned in the teaser, I remember thinking that Boof Bonser was some unique diamond in the rough that had a funny name but dominated on the mound. Turns out the opposite is true: he was a highly-touted first round pick that was always young for his level in the minors, but was never great in the bigs. His career lasted only four years and 2006, his rookie and best season, wasn’t even that great. 
In my mind, Luis Castillo (not the Reds starter, the other one) was THE Twins’ second basemen of the mid-aughts, and that he was one of the better hitters on the team. That just wasn’t true—he finished only seventh on the team in batting average (his main calling card) and Terry freaking Tiffee had a higher slugging percentage than him. Also, the 2006 season was his only full year in a Twins uniform, as he was traded to the Mets at the deadline in 2007.
To this day, when I hear the word piranha, I think about Jason Tyner. Ozzie Guillen coined the term “Little Piranhas” to describe Castillo, Tyner, Jason Bartlett, and Nick Punto, but, for whatever reason, Tyner sticks in my head as the most piranha-like. And that’s weird, because according to WAR, he was the least productive of them all, probably because he only appeared in 62 games. And, as sacrilegious as it is to measure the Piranhas using WAR, it does show that he wasn’t nearly as big of a factor as I remember.
I didn’t only remember guys for being better than they actually were, though. There were two guys in particular whose output was more significant than I remembered. 
I remember Nick Punto as a funny, light-hitting, loveable-loser kind of player, and I guess he was that in some sense, but he was a lot more. First, I was shocked to look back and see that he batted .290, and I was even more shocked to find out that he was fifth on the team in WAR, ahead of guys like Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter, and Brad Radke. And he did so with one (1) homer. I guess that’s what 135 games of solid third base defense and not terrible hitting get you, but the idea of Punto being legitimately good (if only for a year) is still wild to me.
Francisco Liriano will forever stick in my memory as the guy who gets arm surgeries and can’t throw strikes, but he was actually dominant in 2006. He only pitched twice after July and would get Tommy John the following winter, but he made the All Star team as a rookie and pitched to an ERA of 2.16, a WHIP of exactly one, and a K/9 rate of 10.7. His WAR was also third on the team, beating out AL MVP and 130 RBI man Justin Morneau.
I also remember Kyle Lohse being an idiot, but I don’t think I’m wrong about that.
There’s one more thing I misremember, though. I have very little recollection of the Twins getting swept in the playoffs. I’m sure I watched the games, but they just didn’t stick, though I think I remember my guy Boof starting one of them. That’s okay, though; I will always associate the 2006 Twins with good memories, even if those memories are completely wrong and I have no idea what actually happened.
 
How do you remember the 2006 Twins? What's the first Twins season you remember? Let us know in the comments!
 

Falvine Strike Out on Starting Pitchers
With José Berríos in Toronto and Kenta Maeda out for at least the first half of 2022, Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan are the only likely 2022 rotation pieces that are actually on the roster right now. Michael Pineda seems somewhat likely to come back into the fold but that’s no guarantee, and even then, the Twins would need a top-end arm to get the rotation even close to competitive. Cody Christie wrote a compelling argument last week that Falvey and Levine need to cut a big check for a starter, and I tend to agree that without one of the big-money guys, this rotation could look pretty gory, and not in a good way.
I guess this is only really scary if you believe the Twins offense can be competitive—as I believe they can—because a young, learning-on-the-job rotation isn’t a bad thing if the team wouldn’t be good anyway. But this team can be good with a solid rotation, so it’d be best not to miss out.
Miguel Sanó Never “Figures It Out”
Of all the scenarios in this article, this is perhaps the most likely. Miguel Sanó isn’t a bad player. He’s a beast with exit velocity and hard-hit percentage numbers. However, as Twins fans, we seem to struggle to accept that those benefits are always going to come with one of the worst strikeout rates in the league. We seem to think that, someday, something will click and the strikeouts will stop, his average will creep up towards .250, and his OPS will rise to .900+. What if that never happens? What if this is who he always is?
Again, he’s not bad, but if who he is now is what he’ll always be, then we have a bad defensive first baseman who strikes out a lot out of the six hole in the lineup, and is borderline unplayable when he’s in a slump. Are the 30 homers a year worth that trouble? That’s a question for more analytical minds than mine to figure out, but I think that type of reality is one we have to come to terms with as the expectation for Sanó’s career, as scary as that may be.
Andrelton Simmons Being on the 2022 Roster
The Twins signed Simmons last January after reportedly missing out late on Marcus Semien. Then, Semien hit 45 bombs, and Simmons was one of the least impressive hitters in all of baseball, so we’ve already lived this nightmare. Simmons is a free agent again this winter, and he’ll be available for a lot less money than the front office spent for him last winter. And, given how committed the team was to putting his useless bat in the lineup almost every night last season, it doesn’t take much imagination to see them bringing him back in.
The Twins certainly can’t trot him out as the Opening Day shortstop (talk about nightmare), but I don’t want the stink of his 2021 campaign anywhere close to the 2022 squad, even if it’s just as a backup utility infielder. 
The Next Wave of Prospects Falls Short
About a year ago, the Twins’ plan seemed clear: the current core was fresh off two straight division titles and was poised to transition perfectly into the years of Alex Kirilloff, Royce Lewis, Ryan Jeffers, and Trevor Larnach. However, 2021 didn’t go well for either the current stars of the team or for those pegged to be next up. The current Twins fell well short of their playoff expectations, Lewis lost his season, Kirilloff was good-not-great and had surgery, and Larnach and Jeffers couldn’t stay up in the big leagues. 
Now, Kirilloff and Larnach gave us signs that there is real reason for optimism for the next wave of talent, but it often seems that, with prospects, blind optimism is the norm. And I’m not saying it’s worth a whole lot of concern, but there is a scary scenario out there where these guys just don’t live up to the lofty expectations we’ve given them. 
Byron Buxton Leaves
Okay, so I saved the scariest scenario surrounding this team for last. The Byron Buxton extension talks have been well-documented because he’s the most-talented Twin since Joe Mauer and when healthy, plays something like pre-steroid-era Barry Bonds. Obviously, the concern is his constant injury problems, as he hasn’t played 100 games in a season since 2017. But, though it’s hard to commit a $17 million-a-year extension to a guy who may not be in the lineup half the time, the alternative is worse. 
Think of what Eddie Rosario is doing right now for Atlanta, except that happens all the time and it’s for the Yankees or some other crazy rich club. That’s the nightmare scenario we’re trying to avoid. And, based on the Twins’ history with former players popping off after leaving the club, Buxton may never get injured again if Derek and Thad let him walk.
 
Did I scare you enough? Let me know in the comments!
 

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

Okay, let me start by saying this is an absolutely terrible idea. If you want a serious look at bullpen options for 2022, check out Jamie Cameron’s article from Friday on that very topic. Astudillo will never be seriously considered as a pitcher, partially because selling such a decision to the fanbase unironically would be impossible, but what if he was? What if he got a full sixty innings of relief work?
As a primer, let’s look at Astudillo’s pitching numbers from 2021. He was given four opportunities to toe the rubber, all as a mop-up dude in blowout losses. In those four games, he pitched four full innings and allowed only one (rather infamous) run. That’s an ERA of 2.25, which is better than every actual reliever the Twins put out there this year except for four innings of Devin Smeltzer and 12 innings of Nick Vincent. Also, with only one hit allowed all year, Astudillo’s WHIP of .750 was second on the club, trailing only Smeltzer.
On the other hand, having walked two and struck out exactly zero (0) hitters, Astudillo’s strikeouts per walk rate is in the mud (at 0.00), but, as Twins fans, we like to pretend that Wes Johnson can fix everything, so let’s assume he gets at least a strikeout every two innings out of Astudillo. 
Now, obviously, La Tortuga’s four innings pitched is a ridiculously small sample size, but if that’s the type of thing that bothers you, this may not be the article for you, because this entire flimsy argument is based on that small sample size. And, even with that said, we’ve seen position players be immediately terrible on the mound before, and the fact that Astudillo gave the Twins even just four innings of competence means something. 
With his stats settled (just don’t look at his FIP), let’s examine Astudillo’s stuff. According to FanGraphs, Willians has a fastball that sits in the low-80s, a seldom-used changeup in the low 60s and a heavily-used eephus that comes in at a bizarrely slow 45 miles per hour. Now he’s certainly not blowing up the radar gun, but he can throw each of these pitches for strikes (a remarkable skill) and pitchers have gotten Major League hitters out before with little velocity. Heck, Jamie Moyer’s fastball was tipping the scales at 78 mph when he was pitching real innings in the majors as a 49-year-old. 
The key is the difference in velocity between your fastest and slowest pitch. In Moyer’s autobiography, Just Tell Me I Can’t, he repeatedly mentioned that he aimed for a 10 mph difference between his fastball and changeup velocity. Well, check out Astudillo; he’s got a 35+ mph difference between his fastest and slowest pitch. This overlay shows you exactly what that looks like:
I mean, these pitches cross the plate in completely different time zones. And, it’s not as if those are the only two pitches he throws. If that were the case, hitters could either sit on one or the other and smack the baseball into next week. But Astudillo can get the ball across the plate at virtually any velocity between 45mph and 85 mph, so hitters never really know when the pitch is going to cross. With this bizarre pitch arsenal, there is reason to believe that Astudillo would be unpredictable enough on the mound to have real success. Just check out this highlight tape:
It’s clear that big league hitters just simply don’t know what to do with 45 mph over the middle, and then after seeing it a few times, Astudillo shows them the same delivery but fires it in at 72, which is suddenly way too fast to adjust to. 
Now, obviously, professional hitters would be able to adjust to Astudillo’s antics if he actually became a full-time reliever. The eephus surely wouldn’t be as effective the 100th time Astudillo threw it and his fastball might start to look like batting practice fodder more than anything else. But, given that Astudillo is the only guy in the league that pitches like he does, I’m just not sure hitters would be spending time preparing for the one at-bat a series they might get off him. 
And, even if they did, it might not matter. When you spend all your career preparing for—and all day hitting off of—high velocity, high spin rate guys, adjusting to hitting off Astudillo likely feels like playing a completely different sport. And that might be just enough to make him viable as a full-time reliever. 
Again, Falvey and Levine certainly won’t be able to trot out an Opening Day roster that has Astudillo as a pitcher, because, you know, we want the team to be good. However, if the team is going to be bad again—if we make it to July and Minnesota baseball is just as depressing as it was this year—I’d love to see him coming out of the bullpen on a regular basis. I only kind of believe he could do it, but if the Twins are going to be bad, I’d rather they be fun to watch.
What do you think? Could La Tortuga actually do it? Let us know in the comments!
 

Blankenhorn and Arraez Make Back-to-Back Errors to Lose to Oakland
Everyone remembers this game in Oakland. In fact, it was such an important inflection point in the season that Nick Nelson chose it as the most important moment of April. As season-defining as it was, the bottom of the tenth of that game was equally embarrassing. 
After a tough start, the Twins battled back to take a 10-7 lead in the game, and then promptly blew about three different chances to win the game and it went to (the dreaded) tenth inning. Byron Buxton bent the universe to his will (as he does) with a two-run homer in the top of the tenth, but it only set the stage for a meltdown in the bottom of the inning. Alex Colome, who had already blown a save, had loaded the bases, but there were two outs and the Twins still led by two, so any ball in the infield would surely end the game, right? 
Wrong. Travis Blankenhorn basically farted on a grounder to second that scored one run. Then Luis Arraez fielded a bouncer to third, but missed first base by a good six feet on his throw, and just like that, the Twins blew their fourth and fifth chances to win the game and Oakland was dogpiling. Pathetic.  
Rob Refsnyder Introduces Himself to the Camden Yards Wall
Remember when Rob Refsnyder was a thing? The 30-year-old journeyman was filling in at the center field spot for Buxton and for a second there, you couldn’t tell the difference between the two. Refsnyder was swinging a scorching bat and had some timely hits that helped the Twins to a 10-6 record in his first sixteen games in the lineup. However, in that sixteenth game, Rob took his Buxton impression a little too far and freight-trained himself into the center field wall, injuring himself and ruining the Refsnyder-as-cult-hero vibe the Twins had going on. 
Also, no image encapsulates the 2021 Twins better than this:
...and getting clowned on by one of the worst teams in baseball didn’t help.
Yermin Mercedes Tees Off on Astudillo
Okay, this one isn’t even really about the Twins, as it has more to do with infighting between Tony La Russa and his players. But the only issue the White Sox had all year was played out over the backdrop of them consistently brutalizing the Twins on the field, and that’s a tough look. 
As a reminder, the Twins were getting shellacked by Chicago and sent Willians Astudillo out to the mound while they limped through the final innings. Yermin Mercedes came up with two outs and on a 3-0 count, he deposited Astudillo’s 47-mile-per-hour offering into the shrubs in center. La Russa, Roy Smalley, and basically nobody else got mad about it, but it became a sports news cycle topic for a few days, reminding the national audience that the Twins stank and the White Sox, even with their (invented) issues, didn’t.
Also, all that stuff aside, you can’t watch this as a Twins fan and not be a little embarrassed:
Almost Getting No-Hit at Home Against Angels
On July 24th, Patrick Sandoval took a no-hitter into the ninth against the Twins that was broken up by a Brent Rooker double with two outs left to get. I was at the game that night, so maybe that’s why this sticks with me, but the offense almost could not have looked worse. They struck out thirteen times against Sandoval and the mental gymnastics I was doing to justify buying a ten dollar beer was more entertaining than watching the at-bats the Twins were putting up on the field. It was a clown show.
Then, Rooker and Donaldson turned two doubles into one run to make it 2-1, but they couldn’t complete the comeback and somehow that was even worse than getting no-hit.
The Ones That Got Away
Okay, these next two aren't really moments, but it’s my article, so who’s going to stop me from breaking my own rules? (Editor's Note: Ahem...)  Anyway, Whether it’s star players traded away or cut-bait guys who find a huge role elsewhere, perhaps nothing haunts us as Twins fans more than former Twins finding success elsewhere. And there was plenty more of that again this year. Nelson Cruz is hitting homers in the playoffs for the Rays. José Berríos was dicing guys in meaningful games down the stretch for Toronto. Freaking Lamonte Wade Jr. just can’t stop getting big hits in big spots for the 107-win Giants. Even guys like Matt Wisler and Hansel Robles are giving playoff teams important innings this postseason. Also Eddie Rosario is on the Braves, but that one honestly doesn't feel so bad.
Seeing the pieces of what should have been your contending team make a difference for real contenders throughout the league is especially humiliating.
Signing Andrelton Simmons and Alex Colomé
When Derek Falvey and Thad Levine brought Colomé and Simmons to the club, I, along with many others, was pumped. Here was our big late-inning guy and the shortstop upgrade we needed; let’s go win a division. Uh huh.
Colomé was sneakily not bad over the second half of the year, but he blew enough games early in the year that his success later in the year (when the games didn’t really matter) will be forgotten. It turns out the the secondary numbers and, you know, every other team in the league was right: he’s not that good.
Meanwhile, Andrelton Simmons wasn’t just not that good, he was a dumpster fire. Expected to be at least capable at the plate and excellent at shortstop, Simmons slashed a putrid .223/.283/.274 and was nearly special enough in the field to make up for it. He was completely and entirely awful.
Falvey and Levine were roundly praised for bringing these guys in, but now they’re facing unfamiliar criticism partially due to these guys’ falling well short of their expectations.


Were you able to laugh a little about it? What moments did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
 

SAINTS SENTINEL
Toledo 8, St. Paul 2
Box Score
Saint Paul came into tonight’s game with a respectable 5-2 record in the Triple-A Final Stretch race, but with Durham sitting on a 7-0 mark, the Saints found themselves in must-win territory. Unfortunately, they got a lackluster start from Beau Burrows and it only got worse from there. They dropped this one 8-2 and with Durham winning tonight, they have been eliminated from Final Stretch contention.
Burrows started out smooth with two scoreless innings, but he made a big mistake to Riley Greene in the third. The Mud Hen center fielder took him deep to center with a man on, giving Toledo a 2-0 lead.
The Hens were back at it in the fourth, though they got some help from the Saints. On a first-and-third steal attempt, Saints catcher David Banuelos hesitated and threw the ball in center field, allowing Ryan Kreidler to scamper home.
The Saints bats struggled early, but they grabbed Burrows a run of support in the top of the fifth on a Tomas Telis double. Drew Stankiewicz scored on the play, but Jose Miranda was thrown out at the plate trying to grab another run for St. Paul.
Burrows was removed with one out in the fifth and replaced with Ian Hamilton. The Saints starter allowed three runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings. He only allowed four hits and struck out four, but walked three.
Kreidler scored in another unusual way in the sixth. With one out in the inning and runners on first and third, Hamilton got a tailor-made double play ball to second, but Jacob Robson lured Drew Maggi into a rundown and kept the inning alive long enough for Kreidler to score to make it 4-1.
Robinson Leyer took over for Hamilton to start the seventh and a bad situation got worse. Leyer allowed the first three men of the inning to reach and then gave up a grand slam to Aderlin Rodriguez that curled around the left field foul pole. Leyer was removed from the 8-1 ballgame having only gotten one out while allowing four runs.
Bryan Sammons took over for Leyer and got the last five outs of the game without allowing a run, but the damage was done.
The Saints grabbed a run in the ninth thanks to two Toledo errors, but that run only served to slightly obscure the troubles the offense had all night. They got six hits, but couldn’t string any rallies together. It certainly didn’t help that they struck out 14 times as a team, including eight combined K’s (and a combined 0-for-12) from the three, four, and five hitters. Telis and Maggi were the best of a bad bunch tonight as they both went 2-for-4 with Telis driving in a run and Maggi scoring one. 
The Saints lose 8-2 and drop to a 5-3 record in the Triple-A Final Stretch.
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter of the Day: Tomas Telis (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, K
Pitcher of the Day: Bryan Sammons (St. Paul) - 1.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 3 K
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#6-  Jose Miranda (St. Paul)- 1-for-5
#13- Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul)- 0-for-4, 3 K
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota)- 1-for-3 (In Progress)
SATURDAY'S PROBABLE STARTER
St. Paul @ Toledo (4:05PM CST) RHP Drew Strotman (10-4, 5.09 ERA)
Feel free to comment and discuss tonight’s game!
 

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 3, Iowa 1
Box Score
Some nights, great pitching and Jose Miranda is all you need to secure a win. Tonight was one of those nights.
Charlie Barnes got the start on the mound for St. Paul tonight and he was excellent in a shortened outing. He went four innings and allowed only one run, while accumulating four strikeouts. Barnes threw 70 pitches in this one and wasn’t showing signs of slowing down, so his removal from the game is likely to keep him fresh for potential major league service in the future.  
The one Cubs run came in the top of the third on an Abiatal Avelino RBI single off Barnes. Fortunately, though, the Saints struck in the bottom of the inning when Jose Miranda belted a no-doubter three-run shot. That blast proved to be all the Saints would need.
After Barnes was removed, Beau Burrows entered the game in the fifth, charged with getting the fifteen-out save (not a thing). Burrows was even more fantastic, though, as he didn’t allow a hit until the ninth inning and struck out six Cubs. He did allow two hits in the ninth, but did not allow a run over all five of his innings, and the Saints took the game 3-1. St. Paul improves to 2-1 in the Triple-A Final Stretch.
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Double-A Central Championship Series Game 3: NW Arkansas 6, Wichita 2 (NW Arkansas wins series 3-0)
Box Score
Needing a win after their top two arms got roughed up in games one and two, the Wind Surge put the ball in the capable right hand of Austin Schulfer tonight in Riverfront Stadium’s playoff debut. However, a fourth inning grand slam ruined the night for Schulfer and the Surge, and their comeback hopes in this game and in the series never got started.
The packed home crowd was amped up early and Jermaine Palacios gave them something to cheer about in the second when he stroked a ball 400 feet the left and bat-flipped the Surge to a 1-0 lead.
The Naturals grabbed that run back in the third with a sac fly scoring Blake Perkins, who advanced two bases on an errant Schulfer pickoff attempt. 
After a close out call at the plate kept Wichita from retaking the lead, Brewer Hicklen, who made a game-saving catch in Game 1, pumped a grand slam over the left field wall to take the air out of the Wichita crowd and give NW Arkansas a 5-1 lead. 
Spencer Steer doubled and later scored on an Andrew Bechtold groundout in the fourth, but the offense couldn’t build on that and the next run of the game came in the seventh in favor of the Naturals, making it 6-2. 
In fact, the Surge didn’t put together a meaningful threat the rest of the game and that 6-2 scoreline was enough to earn the Naturals a dog-pile on the infield grass.
Schulfer ended up pitching four innings, allowing five runs (four earned) while striking out four. He gave way to Kody Funderburk, who allowed just one run in three innings. Jordan Gore finished the game with two innings of scoreless work. On offense, the Surge grabbed seven hits but, as they have for much of the stretch run, they struggled to bring runs in. Jermaine Palacios and Austin Martin had multi-hit games.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
High-A Central Championship Series Game 3: Cedar Rapids 8, Quad Cities 4 (Cedar Rapids leads series 2-1)
Box Score
After splitting the first two games, the Kernels endured a lengthy delay and turned to the long ball, bopping 4 homers en route to a crucial 8-4 Game 3 victory.
Quad Cities opened their account in the first inning with a Logan Porter RBI single, but DaShawn Kiersey Jr. had an answer in the form of a two-run homer that gave the Kernels a 2-1 second-inning lead.
In the third inning, the Kernels loaded the bases but their threat was interrupted by a rain delay. Well over an hour later, the game picked up again and Kiersey flew out to end the threat, permanently this time. 
In the fourth, though, Edouard Julien doubled the Cedar Rapids lead with a solo homer, and a few batters later, Alex Isola followed suit. Isola’s blast was worth three though, and the Kernels took a 6-1 lead.
Quad Cities got a run back in the fifth, but Julien was back at it again in the sixth, with another solo bomb. And, Michael Helman added on another when he doubled and later scored on a Matt Wallner sac fly. 
Quad Cities got two runs back in the seventh to cut the lead to 8-4 that was as close as their comeback attempts would get and the Cedar Rapids Kernels are one win away from the title. 
Casey Legumina got the start for Cedar Rapids and allowed one run in two innings but after the lengthy delay, this one became a bullpen game. Adam Rozek matched Legumina, allowing one run over the third and fourth innings. Derek Molina took over and pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, though only one was earned. Carlos Suniaga allowed a few hits, but finished the game with two scoreless innings.
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Beau Burrows (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K
Hitter of the Day - Edouard Julien (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR, BB, K
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 2-for-3, BB
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, BB, HR (16), 3 RBI
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, RBI, 2 K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 0-for-3, BB
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 1-for-3, K
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-4, 2B, R, 2 K
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Iowa @ St. Paul (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Drew Strotman (9-4, 5.13 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (3-3, 4.55 ERA in regular season)
Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!
 

Transactions
Minnesota Twins select the contract of RHP Nick Vincent from Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins option LHP Andrew Albers to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins sent C Mitch Garver on a rehab assignment to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins promote IF Ernie Yake to Triple-A St. Paul from Twins Complex SAINTS SENTINEL
Indianapolis 2, St. Paul 0
Box Score
The Saints' never got in gear in this one, spoiling a solid pitching performance across the board. 
Jason Garcia got the start for Saint Paul and was effective over four full innings. He allowed four hits and walked one but did not allow a run and struck out one. Unfortunately, the Saints’ bats struggled early as well and this contest stayed scoreless until the fifth, when Indianapolis got on the board first. 
Now facing reliever Edgar Garcia, Indianapolis grabbed a run in the fifth off a Bligh Madris double and another in the sixth from an Ethan Paul single. 
Those turned out to be the only runs of the game, spurring Indianapolis to a 2-0 win. The Saints only managed multiple base runners in the first and ninth innings and didn’t score in either inning. Miguel Yajure sailed through six against St. Paul before turning it over to the bullpen that was just as effective. Gilberto Celestino had a big 3-for-3 night, but he was the only Saints hitter with more than one knock.
Chris Nunn pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings but the damage was done during Edgar Garcia’s outing.
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 2, Arkansas 1
Box Score
Fresh off clinching a spot in the playoff, Wichita gave the ball to Cole Sands and Twins Daily’s #19 prospect was dominant, as he and Kody Funderburk keyed a pitcher’s duel victory.
Sands went five full innings and only allowed three hits while striking out four. He did allow three walks but did not allow any of them to score. In fact he, didn’t allow anyone to score. 
From there, Funderburk took over and it was as if nothing changed. Kody cruised through three hitless innings, and though he ran into some trouble and allowed a run in the ninth, he still closed out the win.
On the offensive end, the Surge didn’t do a lot, but it was just enough. The first run of the game came in the second, when a Jermaine Palacios single finished off a rally that brought Leobaldo Cabrera to the plate. 
Hours of scoreless baseball later, Ernie De La Trinidad blasted a shot into the bullpen to grab Wichita’s second run of the game.
Those runs proved to be all the Surge needed, thanks to the dominant pitching. D.J Burt and Ernie De La Trinidad had the only multi-hit games for Wichita. 
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 6
Box Score
With a playoff berth very much in the balance, Cedar Rapids turned to Casey Legumina tonight for his debut start for the Kernels. Legumina allowed three runs and struck out seven in 4 ⅔ innings, keeping the Kernels in it and allowing their late offensive explosion to carry the day.
The Kernels didn’t wait to take the lead in this one as Michael Helman came to the plate on a throwing error from Peoria third baseman Jacob Buchberger. 
Peoria answered in the bottom of the third with a run coming in on a Jhon Torres double, but the Kernels took their lead right back off a massive solo homer from Aaron Sabato. 
Unfortunately, the Chiefs took the lead for themselves in the fifth with two runs, with Torres and Pedro Pages registering RBI singles.  
Cedar Rapids still trailed 3-2 heading in the eighth inning, but then they decided they’d had enough of that. The offense blasted three homers in the inning for four runs to take a strong three-run lead. The bombs came from Edouard Julien, Michael Helman, and Aaron Sabato for his second of the night. 
However, the Chiefs took that punch and responded with one of their own in their half of the eighth. They strung together four straight hits and put up three runs to tie the game, with RBI going to Tommy Jew (2) and Tyler Reichenborn. 
But, as if to spit in the face of Peoria’s comeback, Seth Gray hit a go-ahead bomb to dead center to lead off the ninth inning. And, though the bottom of the ninth inning didn't go smoothly for Cedar Rapids, no runs were scored and the Kernels secured a massive win.
Coming into this game, the Kernels were tied with Lake County for the second playoff spot in High-A Central and both teams were just one game up on Great Lakes with three to play. With losses tonight from both of their playoff rivals, this Kernels win gives them a one-game lead over Lake County. Cedar Rapids trails both Lake County and Great Lakes in the playoff tiebreaker, so that one-game lead is crucial as they'll need it to secure a spot against Quad Cities in the playoff.  
 
MUSSEL MATTERS
Tampa 0, Fort Myers 0 (postponed top first)
Box Score
The Mussels were scheduled to finish last night’s postponed game against Tampa tonight. Unfortunately, the rain continued to create problems in Fort Myers and no baseball could be played today. 
The game that had been scheduled for today has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled. The Mussels and Tarpons will play a doubleheader tomorrow, weather permitting.
 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
Game 1: FCL Red Sox 10, FCL Twins 2
Box Score
It’s Friday, so you already know that the FCL Twins lost to the Red Sox. In the first half of a scheduled doubleheader the Twins struggled on both sides of the ball, losing 10-2. 
The Twins only managed four hits in this one and no hitter had a multi-hit game. The runs scored on two solo homers, one from LaRon Smith in the second, and the other from Rubel Cespedes in the fifth. The Red Sox offense scored runs in all but two innings and built their substantial lead with a four-run second inning and a three-run second. 
On the mound for the Twins, Giovahniey German started the game and struggled, allowing five runs (four earned) in less than two innings. Control was an issue for German, as he walked three batters and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch. Danny Moreno took over from German and was better, allowing a run and striking out three in two innings of work. Cole Bellair’s 2 ⅔ innings was the longest outing of the night, though he was touched for four earned runs during his time on the bump. Ricardo Velez took care of the seventh and was the only Twins pitcher to not allow a run. 
 
Game 2: FCL Twins 2, FCL Red Sox 0 (postponed, bottom second)
Box Score
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Cole Sands (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Hitter of the Day - Aaron Sabato (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (7)
 
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-4
#7 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (right elbow strain)
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Temporarily Inactive List
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (right shoulder impingement)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5, 3 K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 3-for-3, BB, 2B
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR (8)
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - Rained Out
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 0-for-3, BB, K 
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Indianapolis (6:05 PM CST) - LHP Bryan Sammons (1-2, 5.49 ERA)
Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (6-7, 4.37 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35 PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (2-3, 4.63 ERA)
Tampa @ Fort Myers, Doubleheader (Game 1: 3:30 PM CST, Game 2 to follow) - TBD
Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!
 
 

Transactions
Minnesota Twins select the contract of RHP Nick Vincent from Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins option LHP Andrew Albers to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins sent C Mitch Garver on a rehab assignment to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins promote IF Ernie Yake to Triple-A St. Paul from Twins Complex SAINTS SENTINEL
Indianapolis 2, St. Paul 0
Box Score
The Saints' never got in gear in this one, spoiling a solid pitching performance across the board. 
Jason Garcia got the start for Saint Paul and was effective over four full innings. He allowed four hits and walked one but did not allow a run and struck out one. Unfortunately, the Saints’ bats struggled early as well and this contest stayed scoreless until the fifth, when Indianapolis got on the board first. 
Now facing reliever Edgar Garcia, Indianapolis grabbed a run in the fifth off a Bligh Madris double and another in the sixth from an Ethan Paul single. 
Those turned out to be the only runs of the game, spurring Indianapolis to a 2-0 win. The Saints only managed multiple base runners in the first and ninth innings and didn’t score in either inning. Miguel Yajure sailed through six against St. Paul before turning it over to the bullpen that was just as effective. Gilberto Celestino had a big 3-for-3 night, but he was the only Saints hitter with more than one knock.
Chris Nunn pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings but the damage was done during Edgar Garcia’s outing.
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 2, Arkansas 1
Box Score
Fresh off clinching a spot in the playoff, Wichita gave the ball to Cole Sands and Twins Daily’s #19 prospect was dominant, as he and Kody Funderburk keyed a pitcher’s duel victory.
Sands went five full innings and only allowed three hits while striking out four. He did allow three walks but did not allow any of them to score. In fact he, didn’t allow anyone to score. 
From there, Funderburk took over and it was as if nothing changed. Kody cruised through three hitless innings, and though he ran into some trouble and allowed a run in the ninth, he still closed out the win.
On the offensive end, the Surge didn’t do a lot, but it was just enough. The first run of the game came in the second, when a Jermaine Palacios single finished off a rally that brought Leobaldo Cabrera to the plate. 
Hours of scoreless baseball later, Ernie De La Trinidad blasted a shot into the bullpen to grab Wichita’s second run of the game.
Those runs proved to be all the Surge needed, thanks to the dominant pitching. D.J Burt and Ernie De La Trinidad had the only multi-hit games for Wichita. 
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 7, Peoria 6
Box Score
With a playoff berth very much in the balance, Cedar Rapids turned to Casey Legumina tonight for his debut start for the Kernels. Legumina allowed three runs and struck out seven in 4 ⅔ innings, keeping the Kernels in it and allowing their late offensive explosion to carry the day.
The Kernels didn’t wait to take the lead in this one as Michael Helman came to the plate on a throwing error from Peoria third baseman Jacob Buchberger. 
Peoria answered in the bottom of the third with a run coming in on a Jhon Torres double, but the Kernels took their lead right back off a massive solo homer from Aaron Sabato. 
Unfortunately, the Chiefs took the lead for themselves in the fifth with two runs, with Torres and Pedro Pages registering RBI singles.  
Cedar Rapids still trailed 3-2 heading in the eighth inning, but then they decided they’d had enough of that. The offense blasted three homers in the inning for four runs to take a strong three-run lead. The bombs came from Edouard Julien, Michael Helman, and Aaron Sabato for his second of the night. 
However, the Chiefs took that punch and responded with one of their own in their half of the eighth. They strung together four straight hits and put up three runs to tie the game, with RBI going to Tommy Jew (2) and Tyler Reichenborn. 
But, as if to spit in the face of Peoria’s comeback, Seth Gray hit a go-ahead bomb to dead center to lead off the ninth inning. And, though the bottom of the ninth inning didn't go smoothly for Cedar Rapids, no runs were scored and the Kernels secured a massive win.
Coming into this game, the Kernels were tied with Lake County for the second playoff spot in High-A Central and both teams were just one game up on Great Lakes with three to play. With losses tonight from both of their playoff rivals, this Kernels win gives them a one-game lead over Lake County. Cedar Rapids trails both Lake County and Great Lakes in the playoff tiebreaker, so that one-game lead is crucial as they'll need it to secure a spot against Quad Cities in the playoff.  
 
MUSSEL MATTERS
Tampa 0, Fort Myers 0 (postponed top first)
Box Score
The Mussels were scheduled to finish last night’s postponed game against Tampa tonight. Unfortunately, the rain continued to create problems in Fort Myers and no baseball could be played today. 
The game that had been scheduled for today has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled. The Mussels and Tarpons will play a doubleheader tomorrow, weather permitting.
 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
Game 1: FCL Red Sox 10, FCL Twins 2
Box Score
It’s Friday, so you already know that the FCL Twins lost to the Red Sox. In the first half of a scheduled doubleheader the Twins struggled on both sides of the ball, losing 10-2. 
The Twins only managed four hits in this one and no hitter had a multi-hit game. The runs scored on two solo homers, one from LaRon Smith in the second, and the other from Rubel Cespedes in the fifth. The Red Sox offense scored runs in all but two innings and built their substantial lead with a four-run second inning and a three-run second. 
On the mound for the Twins, Giovahniey German started the game and struggled, allowing five runs (four earned) in less than two innings. Control was an issue for German, as he walked three batters and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch. Danny Moreno took over from German and was better, allowing a run and striking out three in two innings of work. Cole Bellair’s 2 ⅔ innings was the longest outing of the night, though he was touched for four earned runs during his time on the bump. Ricardo Velez took care of the seventh and was the only Twins pitcher to not allow a run. 
 
Game 2: FCL Twins 2, FCL Red Sox 0 (postponed, bottom second)
Box Score
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Cole Sands (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Hitter of the Day - Aaron Sabato (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (7)
 
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-4
#7 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (right elbow strain)
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Temporarily Inactive List
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (right shoulder impingement)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5, 3 K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 3-for-3, BB, 2B
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR (8)
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - Rained Out
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 0-for-3, BB, K 
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Indianapolis (6:05 PM CST) - LHP Bryan Sammons (1-2, 5.49 ERA)
Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (6-7, 4.37 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35 PM CST) - RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (2-3, 4.63 ERA)
Tampa @ Fort Myers, Doubleheader (Game 1: 3:30 PM CST, Game 2 to follow) - TBD
Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!
 
 

TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
SAINTS SENTINEL
Omaha 6, St. Paul 3
Box Score
Omaha touched St. Paul for four homers in this one and led wire-to-wire, taking the game 6-3. 
Bobby Witt Jr. got the game started for the Storm Chasers with a solo homer in the first frame, and Ryan McBroom matched his teammate three innings later to make it 2-0.
Omaha added on in the sixth and Witt was involved again. The Royals’ top prospect doubled in a run and later scored on an M.J. Melendez sacrifice fly. 
The Saints offense finally got off the mark in the sixth, when a Gilberto Celestino double started a rally that scored two and featured an RBI each from Mark Contreras and Jimmy Kerrigan. 
The Saints’ momentum stopped there, though, as Robinson Leyer gave up a solo bomb to the first batter of the next inning to make it 5-2, and a second McBroom homer in the eighth stretched the Omaha lead one notch further. 
Tomas Telis homered in the eighth to cut the deficit to 6-3, but the Saints went down quietly in the ninth and lose to that score.
Charlie Barnes got the start for the Saints tonight and made just the one mistake to Bobby Witt Jr. over 3 ⅓ innings. Barnes’ early hook didn’t seem to serve any purpose for the Saints in this game, but manager Toby Gardenhire may still have taken him out for a reason:
As Seth noted in his tweet, Chandler Shepherd took over from there, but he struggled, allowing three runs in 1 ⅔ innings. Leyer allowed just a solo homer in his two innings, as did Nick Vincent in his only inning of work. Chris Nunn took the ninth and was the only Saint pitcher to not allow a run.
Telis and Celestino were the Saints with multi-hit games tonight.
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 3 
Box Score
Jordan Balazovic did a lot to confirm his title as the Twins’ top pitching prospect with a truly special outing on the mound that keyed tonight’s victory for Wichita. 
Balazovic allowed a run on an RBI groundout in the third, but he went six full innings, struck out five, and, most notably, did not allow a hit. Balazovic, who had thrown 88 pitches when he left the game, was showing no signs of slowing down, but manager Ramon Borrego evidently didn’t see the benefit in stretching his top asset’s limits. Still, enjoy Balazovic’s six innings of dominance:
Meanwhile, the Surge offense was having quite the interesting game as well. Wichita got their first two runs in the third, thanks to Austin Martin. The Wichita star shortstop came to the plate with men on first and second and poked a weak grounder to right side, but he busted out of the box and forced an overthrow (allowing one to score), and then got in a rundown that allowed the second run to score. Just watch:
In the fifth, Trey Cabbage (who else?) also drove in two runs, but in a very, very different way:
The Surge added another run in the fifth off a Roy Morales single that scored Chris Williams.
The Naturals got their first hits of the game in the eighth off Zach Neff, and they scored two as well. Clay Dungan doubled in Kevin Merrell and later scored on a Vinnie Pasquantino sac fly to cut the lead to 5-3. Jordan Gore was rock solid in the ninth inning, though, and put away the two-run W.
After Balazovic’s six no-hit innings, Adam Lau pitched a no-hit inning of his own, though he did walk two batters. Neff allowed the two runs (and the Naturals’ only two hits) in the eighth and only managed to get two outs. Gore grabbed the last four outs of the game without allowing a base runner. 
Cabbage and Roy Morales had multi-hit games for the Surge.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids X, Wisconsin X
Box Score
This game was an absolute nail-biter until it wasn't: the Kernels explode for four runs in the ninth to take it 7-3. 
Matt Wallner and Aaron Sabato struck first for the Kernels with back-to-back solo homers in the top of the first: 
However, Sean Mooney allowed that lead to slip away immediately by allowing a three-run shot to Joey Wiemer in the bottom of the inning. In the third though, Alex Isola pumped a homer of his own well over the fence in the left center to tie the game for Cedar Rapids.
Both teams built and squandered numerous chances over the middle innings of this game, but it stayed tied at three into the late innings. Like they had in the fifth, the Timber Rattlers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, and, just like the fifth, they couldn't bring even one run across.
And, unlike in the fifth, this time Wisconsin's lack of clutch hitting really hurt them. While the Timber Rattlers were likely still cursing their failures in the eighth inning, Aaron Sabato came up with a man on and blasted his second bomb of the night to give the Kernels a two-run lead. Then, not to be outdone, Isola followed up with his second homer of the night, and the Kernels still weren't done. Gabriel Maciel ripped an RBI single up the middle to make the score 7-3 and effectively seal the game for Cedar Rapids. However, seemingly just to torture themselves, the Timber Rattlers loaded the bases one more time in the bottom of the ninth, and, one more time, they failed to score.
But hey, it's hard to be that upset when you're dressed like this:
Other than his three-run mistake, Sean Mooney hung tough on the mound for Cedar Rapids. Those were the only runs he allowed in four innings of work and he struck out six, though he did walk three. Denny Bentley was rock solid again in his 2 ⅔ innings of work, striking out four and working around three hits and two walks. Zach Featherstone got the Kernels into trouble with three walks in the eighth, but Osiris German got them out of the eighth. German went out for the ninth, too and got two outs but was removed from the game with two runners on. Melvi Acosta came on for the last out, and walk the bases loaded before finally closing out the game.
 
MUSSEL MATTERS
Palm Beach 2, Fort Myers 0  
Box Score
The Fort Myers’ arms, led by Cade Povich in his second Single-A start, were excellent in this game. However, the Palm Beach pitchers were two runs better and the Mussels drop this one, 2-0.
Povich, the Twins’ latest third round draft pick, was very impressive in his three innings to start this game, allowing only one hit and no runs, while striking out five Cardinal batters. Miguel Rodriguez took the middle three innings of the game, and only allowed one run, a home run off the bat of Ryan Holgate in the fourth inning.
Zaquiel Puentes took over from there and allowed only one run over the seventh and eighth innings, as he, too, fell victim to Holgate, this time through an RBI single. Bradley Hanner hurled a scoreless ninth inning to finish off a solid outing from the Mussels pitching staff.
Still, despite the successes of their pitchers, Fort Myers never looked like winning this game because their offense fell flat. They did get seven hits – and even loaded the bases in the fifth – but they couldn’t string knocks together and their clutch hitting was atrocious. Alerick Soularie and Mikey Perez got multi-hit games, but the Mussels’ hitters might owe the pitching staff dinner after this 2-0 loss. 
 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 16, FCL Twins 10
Box Score
The bats came out to play for the FCL Twins tonight, but unfortunately, they came out in greater force for the FCL Red Sox and Minnesota’s complex leaguers drop this one 16-10.
Leading the offense for the Twins was Carlos Aguiar, who bopped two homers for a total of four RBI, and Kala’i Rosario, who was 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, and a homer of his own. The Twins scored two in the top of the first, but never had the lead again despite plating seven runs over the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. They added one in the ninth, but fell well short of the offensive output from the Red Sox. Other than Aguiar and Rosario, Wander Valdez was the only other Twin with a multi-hit game.
It goes without saying that it was a struggle on the mound for the FCL Twins tonight. Giovahniey German started the game and allowed seven runs (six earned) over 2 ⅓ innings. His outing was low-lighted by three different wild pitches and five walks. John Wilson replaced German and was the most effective pitcher for the Twins, allowing only two runs (one earned) in 2 ⅔ innings of work. Danny Moreno followed Wilson, but followed more in German’s footsteps as he was touched for five runs in an inning and a third. Rafael Feliz finished the game by allowing two earned run in 1 ⅔ innings. 
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, R, ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Hitter of the Day - Aaron Sabato (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, BB, K
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, R, ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, K
#7 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (right elbow strain)
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Did not play
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (right shoulder impingement)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2 BB, K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, R, 2B, K
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - 1-for-5, 2 K
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 0-for-5, 3 K
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - Did not play
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 0-for-4, K
SATURDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
Omaha @ St. Paul (6:05 PM CST) - TBD
NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Chris Vallimont (5-6 5.75 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (1:05 PM CST) - LHP Aaron Rozek (0-1, 4.38 ERA)
Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CST) - RHP Regi Grace (1-0, 3.47 ERA)
Feel free to comment and discuss tonight’s games!
 

TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
SAINTS SENTINEL
Omaha 6, St. Paul 3
Box Score
Omaha touched St. Paul for four homers in this one and led wire-to-wire, taking the game 6-3. 
Bobby Witt Jr. got the game started for the Storm Chasers with a solo homer in the first frame, and Ryan McBroom matched his teammate three innings later to make it 2-0.
Omaha added on in the sixth and Witt was involved again. The Royals’ top prospect doubled in a run and later scored on an M.J. Melendez sacrifice fly. 
The Saints offense finally got off the mark in the sixth, when a Gilberto Celestino double started a rally that scored two and featured an RBI each from Mark Contreras and Jimmy Kerrigan. 
The Saints’ momentum stopped there, though, as Robinson Leyer gave up a solo bomb to the first batter of the next inning to make it 5-2, and a second McBroom homer in the eighth stretched the Omaha lead one notch further. 
Tomas Telis homered in the eighth to cut the deficit to 6-3, but the Saints went down quietly in the ninth and lose to that score.
Charlie Barnes got the start for the Saints tonight and made just the one mistake to Bobby Witt Jr. over 3 ⅓ innings. Barnes’ early hook didn’t seem to serve any purpose for the Saints in this game, but manager Toby Gardenhire may still have taken him out for a reason:
As Seth noted in his tweet, Chandler Shepherd took over from there, but he struggled, allowing three runs in 1 ⅔ innings. Leyer allowed just a solo homer in his two innings, as did Nick Vincent in his only inning of work. Chris Nunn took the ninth and was the only Saint pitcher to not allow a run.
Telis and Celestino were the Saints with multi-hit games tonight.
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 3 
Box Score
Jordan Balazovic did a lot to confirm his title as the Twins’ top pitching prospect with a truly special outing on the mound that keyed tonight’s victory for Wichita. 
Balazovic allowed a run on an RBI groundout in the third, but he went six full innings, struck out five, and, most notably, did not allow a hit. Balazovic, who had thrown 88 pitches when he left the game, was showing no signs of slowing down, but manager Ramon Borrego evidently didn’t see the benefit in stretching his top asset’s limits. Still, enjoy Balazovic’s six innings of dominance:
Meanwhile, the Surge offense was having quite the interesting game as well. Wichita got their first two runs in the third, thanks to Austin Martin. The Wichita star shortstop came to the plate with men on first and second and poked a weak grounder to right side, but he busted out of the box and forced an overthrow (allowing one to score), and then got in a rundown that allowed the second run to score. Just watch:
In the fifth, Trey Cabbage (who else?) also drove in two runs, but in a very, very different way:
The Surge added another run in the fifth off a Roy Morales single that scored Chris Williams.
The Naturals got their first hits of the game in the eighth off Zach Neff, and they scored two as well. Clay Dungan doubled in Kevin Merrell and later scored on a Vinnie Pasquantino sac fly to cut the lead to 5-3. Jordan Gore was rock solid in the ninth inning, though, and put away the two-run W.
After Balazovic’s six no-hit innings, Adam Lau pitched a no-hit inning of his own, though he did walk two batters. Neff allowed the two runs (and the Naturals’ only two hits) in the eighth and only managed to get two outs. Gore grabbed the last four outs of the game without allowing a base runner. 
Cabbage and Roy Morales had multi-hit games for the Surge.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids X, Wisconsin X
Box Score
This game was an absolute nail-biter until it wasn't: the Kernels explode for four runs in the ninth to take it 7-3. 
Matt Wallner and Aaron Sabato struck first for the Kernels with back-to-back solo homers in the top of the first: 
However, Sean Mooney allowed that lead to slip away immediately by allowing a three-run shot to Joey Wiemer in the bottom of the inning. In the third though, Alex Isola pumped a homer of his own well over the fence in the left center to tie the game for Cedar Rapids.
Both teams built and squandered numerous chances over the middle innings of this game, but it stayed tied at three into the late innings. Like they had in the fifth, the Timber Rattlers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, and, just like the fifth, they couldn't bring even one run across.
And, unlike in the fifth, this time Wisconsin's lack of clutch hitting really hurt them. While the Timber Rattlers were likely still cursing their failures in the eighth inning, Aaron Sabato came up with a man on and blasted his second bomb of the night to give the Kernels a two-run lead. Then, not to be outdone, Isola followed up with his second homer of the night, and the Kernels still weren't done. Gabriel Maciel ripped an RBI single up the middle to make the score 7-3 and effectively seal the game for Cedar Rapids. However, seemingly just to torture themselves, the Timber Rattlers loaded the bases one more time in the bottom of the ninth, and, one more time, they failed to score.
But hey, it's hard to be that upset when you're dressed like this:
Other than his three-run mistake, Sean Mooney hung tough on the mound for Cedar Rapids. Those were the only runs he allowed in four innings of work and he struck out six, though he did walk three. Denny Bentley was rock solid again in his 2 ⅔ innings of work, striking out four and working around three hits and two walks. Zach Featherstone got the Kernels into trouble with three walks in the eighth, but Osiris German got them out of the eighth. German went out for the ninth, too and got two outs but was removed from the game with two runners on. Melvi Acosta came on for the last out, and walk the bases loaded before finally closing out the game.
 
MUSSEL MATTERS
Palm Beach 2, Fort Myers 0  
Box Score
The Fort Myers’ arms, led by Cade Povich in his second Single-A start, were excellent in this game. However, the Palm Beach pitchers were two runs better and the Mussels drop this one, 2-0.
Povich, the Twins’ latest third round draft pick, was very impressive in his three innings to start this game, allowing only one hit and no runs, while striking out five Cardinal batters. Miguel Rodriguez took the middle three innings of the game, and only allowed one run, a home run off the bat of Ryan Holgate in the fourth inning.
Zaquiel Puentes took over from there and allowed only one run over the seventh and eighth innings, as he, too, fell victim to Holgate, this time through an RBI single. Bradley Hanner hurled a scoreless ninth inning to finish off a solid outing from the Mussels pitching staff.
Still, despite the successes of their pitchers, Fort Myers never looked like winning this game because their offense fell flat. They did get seven hits – and even loaded the bases in the fifth – but they couldn’t string knocks together and their clutch hitting was atrocious. Alerick Soularie and Mikey Perez got multi-hit games, but the Mussels’ hitters might owe the pitching staff dinner after this 2-0 loss. 
 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 16, FCL Twins 10
Box Score
The bats came out to play for the FCL Twins tonight, but unfortunately, they came out in greater force for the FCL Red Sox and Minnesota’s complex leaguers drop this one 16-10.
Leading the offense for the Twins was Carlos Aguiar, who bopped two homers for a total of four RBI, and Kala’i Rosario, who was 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, and a homer of his own. The Twins scored two in the top of the first, but never had the lead again despite plating seven runs over the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. They added one in the ninth, but fell well short of the offensive output from the Red Sox. Other than Aguiar and Rosario, Wander Valdez was the only other Twin with a multi-hit game.
It goes without saying that it was a struggle on the mound for the FCL Twins tonight. Giovahniey German started the game and allowed seven runs (six earned) over 2 ⅓ innings. His outing was low-lighted by three different wild pitches and five walks. John Wilson replaced German and was the most effective pitcher for the Twins, allowing only two runs (one earned) in 2 ⅔ innings of work. Danny Moreno followed Wilson, but followed more in German’s footsteps as he was touched for five runs in an inning and a third. Rafael Feliz finished the game by allowing two earned run in 1 ⅔ innings. 
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, R, ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Hitter of the Day - Aaron Sabato (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, BB, K
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 1-for-4
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - 6.0 IP, R, ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, K
#7 - Joe Ryan (Minnesota) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List (right elbow strain)
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - Did not play
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (right shoulder impingement)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2 BB, K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, R, 2B, K
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - 1-for-5, 2 K
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - 0-for-5, 3 K
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - Did not play
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 0-for-4, K
SATURDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
Omaha @ St. Paul (6:05 PM CST) - TBD
NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Chris Vallimont (5-6 5.75 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (1:05 PM CST) - LHP Aaron Rozek (0-1, 4.38 ERA)
Palm Beach @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CST) - RHP Regi Grace (1-0, 3.47 ERA)
Feel free to comment and discuss tonight’s games!
 

TRANSACTIONS
Minnesota Twins activate CF Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins activate RHP Jorge Alcala Minnesota Twins place C Mitch Garver on 10-day IL (lower back tightness) Minnesota Twins place RHP Luke Farrell on 60-day IL (oblique strain) Minnesota Twins option RHP Edgar Garcia to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins option RHP Kyle Barraclough to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins select contract of RHP Ian Gibaut from Triple-A St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL
Toledo 11, St. Paul 1
Box Score
It seems that someone forgot to tell the Saints pitchers that batting practice happens before the game, as they allowed four homers and 11 runs in this ugly loss.
Bryan Sammons was the first victim of the Tulsa offense as he gave up a pair of early runs to the Mud Hens. The first came off an Aderlin Rodriguez RBI single in the first, and the second was the product of a monstrous solo homer from Isaac Paredes in the third.
Jacoby Jones added on for Toledo in the fourth with a big homer of his own to straightaway center. Jones’s blast counted for two, doubling the Mud Hen lead, 4-0.
Yennier Cano replaced Sammons for the fifth, but the home run onslaught didn’t stop. Rodriguez added to his RBI total for the night with a two-run shot.
Chris Nunn got the sixth for the Saints, but he wasn’t the man to slow down the Toledo bats. In fact, it only got worse. Spencer Torkelson drove in two with a double and Paredes added a two-run poke off the foul pole to his solo shot from the third inning. Nunn was taken out after getting only one out in the inning, but one of his inherited runners scored before the Saints finally got back in the dugout, now down 11-0.
The Saints got a run back in the eighth off a J.T. Riddle RBI single, but never even managed to cut the lead to single digits, and they lose their fifth straight.
After all the pitching struggles, Andrew Vasquez finally got some outs, going 2 2/3 innings without allowing a baserunner to finish the game. He struck out three. Nobody managed a multi-hit game for the Saints.
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Tulsa 2, Wichita 1
Box Score
Wind Surge pitchers were impressive, striking out 13 batters and keeping the Drillers to two runs in this one, but the Wichita batters were equally unimpressive (they struck out 14 times) and they drop this one, 2-1. 
The Drillers took an early advantage in this one with two runs in the second inning. Juan Zabala pushed one across with an RBI single, and another scored moments later on a Chris Vallimont wild pitch.
After that, Vallimont settled down and got through four innings without allowing any more runs, and he added an impressive eight strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Wichita offense continued their recent dry spell and couldn’t get up to speed against the Tulsa pitching as they didn’t manage a hit until the fifth inning. They did score one in that inning, though, off an Austin Martin RBI fielder’s choice, to make it 2-1
The score was still at 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, when Aaron Whitefield came up with the bases loaded. Whitefield worked a full count and took ball four, only the home plate umpire (who was awful all night) rung him up on a ball three inches off the plate. That call ended the inning and the threat, and the game remained at 2-1.
The Wind Surge went down quietly in the ninth as they did most of the game (though not without another questionable strike three call). Drillers win 2-1.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, the bullpen was dominant, allowing only three hits and no runs over the remaining five innings of the game. Jason Garcia allowed two hits and a walk and added a strikeout over the fifth and sixth innings. Alex Phillips went 1 2/3 scoreless with two strikeouts and Jordan Gore got the remaining four outs and grabbed two strikeouts of his own. The Surge managed only three hits as a club so there were no individual multi-hit performances.
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 1
Box Score
Cody Laweryson was rock solid for the Kernels tonight, and he needed to be. The big righty sprinkled four hits over five full innings and only allowed one run. He added four strikeouts. However, the Cedar Rapids hitters were just as ineffective against Beloit starter Bryan Hoeing. Still, they pushed one across late to grab the W.
Each starter handled the first time through the lineup easily and this game stayed scoreless until the fourth, when Yunior Severino gave the Kernels the lead all by himself. Actually, he got some help from the Beloit defense. What should have been a bloop single turned into a triple when the Snappers center fielder dove and missed the ball. Then, Beloit shortstop Ynmanol Marinez airmailed a throw home and Severino scampered home for a Little League home run. 
Beloit got that run right back in the next half inning, though, in very similar circumstances. Thomas Jones tripled and scored in the next at-bat on a wild pitch to tie the game.
This pitcher’s duel stayed knotted at one apiece until the top of the ninth, when the Kernels loaded the bases with no outs. They got one across with a Seth Gray flare single into left field, but that’s all they managed. 
Still, that’s all they needed, as Denny Bentley shut down the Snappers in the ninth to secure a win that will leave you without fingernails, 2-1.
After Laweryson exited, Melvi Acosta picked up right where Cody left off, hurling two innings of work without allowing a baserunner. Of the six outs he got, three were strikeouts. Denny Bentley took over from there and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, grabbing the win thanks to Gray’s go-ahead knock. That knock was Gray’s second of the ballgame, and he joins Yunior Severino as the only guys with multi-hit games for the Kernels.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Game 1: Bradenton 8, Fort Myers 2  (F/7)
Box Score
Game one of tonight's doubleheader got under way about two hours late due to troubling Florida weather, and the Mighty Mussels were ready to go right away. However, they melted down as the game went on and they lose in a rout. 
The Mussels were able to land a solid punch early with a two-run double from Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the first inning. And, John Stankiewicz was excellent in preserving that lead while he was on the mound with four innings of one-hit, scoreless work. He added five strikeouts.
However, when Juan Pichardo took over for the Mussels, things went sideways. Pichardo allowed a two-run game-tying homer in the fifth to Jase Bowen and allowed three more runs in the sixth before he was removed for Bradley Hanner. 
Hanner got the Mussels out of the sixth, but he didn’t fare much better than Pichardo. He added two inherited runs to Pichardo’s ERA and allowed a run of his own, and just like that, Bradenton’s lead ballooned to 8-2.
That lead held steady for the Marauders over the remainder of the scheduled seven innings. On a tough day all around for the Mussels, they only managed two hits as a team and didn’t have a multi-hit night for any player.
Game 2: Fort Myers 10, Bradenton 2  (F/7)
Box Score
After a tough game one, the Mussels bounced back with a solid start from Zarion Sharpe and an explosion from the offense. 
Christian Encarnacion Strand ripped a single to drive in a run to get the scoring started in the first, and the rest of the squad just took off from there. Fort Myers added three more in the second, with one coming to the plate on a Justin Washington single and two more scoring on Alerick Soularie's homer.
The third inning brought two runs for Bradenton, but five more for Fort Myers. With the bases loaded, Willie Joe Garry Jr. hit into a fielder's choice that scored two thanks to a throwing error, and he scored a few pitches later on a Will Holland double. Then, another error on a ball to left off the bat of Soularie scored two more to make the lead 9-2. 
in the fourth, Encarnacion-Strand added to his big day with his first professional homer, a solo shot that brought the lead to 10-2, where it stayed for the remainder of the game.
Zarion Sharpe went five full innings for the Mussels, and allowed two earned runs on six hits. He pitched with a lead for nearly his whole outing and had a walk and two strikeouts. Carlos Suniaga allowed three baserunners over the last two innings, but kept them from scoring and picked up a pair of strikeouts in the process. Soularie and Encarnacion-Strand had multi-hit games.
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
Game 1: FCL Red Sox 6, FCL Twins 5
Box Score
The Complex League Twins’ comeback fell just short in the bottom of the ninth in this one and they the first half of today's doubleheader 6-5. 
The Twins scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 2-0 lead off RBI extra base hits from Endy Rodriguez and Malfrin Sosa. The Red Sox got three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to grab a 6-2 lead but the Twins made some noise in the last frame. Sosa ripped another RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch. Then Ricardo Olivar tripled to drive in a run to make it 6-5, with himself standing on third as the tying run. Unfortunately, the comeback came one run short as Breilin Ramirez struck out to end the game. Sosa, Rodriguez, Olivar all had multi-hit games with at least one RBI.
The Twins kept the Red Sox offense scoreless through the first four innings thanks to Develson Aria and Regi Grace who both delivered two hitless innings on the mound. Erasmo Moreno took care of the fifth without allowing a run but allowed all six of the Red Sox runs over the next two innings. Cole Bellair grabbed the last out in the seventh and finished the game, allowing only one hit and no runs.
Game 2: FCL Twins 7, FCL Red Sox 1  (F/7)
Box Score
The Twins' complex league club left no room for doubt in the second game, crushing the Red Sox in seven innings. 
The Twins didn't waste time getting a crooked number up on the scoreboard as they struck for three in the top of the first. An RBI each was credited to Noah Miller and Carlos Aguiar for their singles and another run came in on a Rubel Cespedes triple. 
The Twins added a run in the third off a wild pitch and another in the fifth off a walk before things got even more interesting in the sixth. 
The Twins led off the inning with back-to-back home runs but only Emmanuel Rodriguez's left the ballpark. Noah Miller showed off his wheels and made his first professional homer an inside-the-park job. The homer was Miller's second hit of the night, and he was the only Twin to accomplish a multi-hit game.
On the mound, there was more excitement to be had. Third round pick Cade Povich made his professional debut with two innings of scoreless work to start this one. He allowed only one hit and struck out three. David Festa picked up where Povich left off, as he also hurled two scoreless with only one hit allowed in his pro debut. The only Red Sox run of the night came during Malik Barrington's two innings, but Barrington also got five of his six outs via strikeout. John Wilson got the remaining three outs of this seven inning game without allowing a baserunner. 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - John John Stankiewicz (Fort Myers) - 4.0 IP, H, R, ER, BB, 5 K
Hitter of the Day - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Fort Myers) - 3-for-7, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR(1), 3 K (over two games)
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-for-5, RBI, 3 K
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, BB
#7 - Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, K
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (shoulder)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, BB
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, K
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(1), K
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - Did not play
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 0-for-5, 2 BB, 2 K
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-5, K
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Toledo (6:05PM CST) – RHP Drew Strotman (7-3, 4.04 ERA)
Tulsa @ Wichita (6:05PM CST) – RHP Cole Sands (2-1, 2.93 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (5-1, 3.16 ERA)
Bradenton @ Fort Myers Game One: (6:00PM CST) – TBD
Feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!
 

TRANSACTIONS
Minnesota Twins activate CF Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins activate RHP Jorge Alcala Minnesota Twins place C Mitch Garver on 10-day IL (lower back tightness) Minnesota Twins place RHP Luke Farrell on 60-day IL (oblique strain) Minnesota Twins option RHP Edgar Garcia to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins option RHP Kyle Barraclough to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins select contract of RHP Ian Gibaut from Triple-A St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL
Toledo 11, St. Paul 1
Box Score
It seems that someone forgot to tell the Saints pitchers that batting practice happens before the game, as they allowed four homers and 11 runs in this ugly loss.
Bryan Sammons was the first victim of the Tulsa offense as he gave up a pair of early runs to the Mud Hens. The first came off an Aderlin Rodriguez RBI single in the first, and the second was the product of a monstrous solo homer from Isaac Paredes in the third.
Jacoby Jones added on for Toledo in the fourth with a big homer of his own to straightaway center. Jones’s blast counted for two, doubling the Mud Hen lead, 4-0.
Yennier Cano replaced Sammons for the fifth, but the home run onslaught didn’t stop. Rodriguez added to his RBI total for the night with a two-run shot.
Chris Nunn got the sixth for the Saints, but he wasn’t the man to slow down the Toledo bats. In fact, it only got worse. Spencer Torkelson drove in two with a double and Paredes added a two-run poke off the foul pole to his solo shot from the third inning. Nunn was taken out after getting only one out in the inning, but one of his inherited runners scored before the Saints finally got back in the dugout, now down 11-0.
The Saints got a run back in the eighth off a J.T. Riddle RBI single, but never even managed to cut the lead to single digits, and they lose their fifth straight.
After all the pitching struggles, Andrew Vasquez finally got some outs, going 2 2/3 innings without allowing a baserunner to finish the game. He struck out three. Nobody managed a multi-hit game for the Saints.
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Tulsa 2, Wichita 1
Box Score
Wind Surge pitchers were impressive, striking out 13 batters and keeping the Drillers to two runs in this one, but the Wichita batters were equally unimpressive (they struck out 14 times) and they drop this one, 2-1. 
The Drillers took an early advantage in this one with two runs in the second inning. Juan Zabala pushed one across with an RBI single, and another scored moments later on a Chris Vallimont wild pitch.
After that, Vallimont settled down and got through four innings without allowing any more runs, and he added an impressive eight strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Wichita offense continued their recent dry spell and couldn’t get up to speed against the Tulsa pitching as they didn’t manage a hit until the fifth inning. They did score one in that inning, though, off an Austin Martin RBI fielder’s choice, to make it 2-1
The score was still at 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, when Aaron Whitefield came up with the bases loaded. Whitefield worked a full count and took ball four, only the home plate umpire (who was awful all night) rung him up on a ball three inches off the plate. That call ended the inning and the threat, and the game remained at 2-1.
The Wind Surge went down quietly in the ninth as they did most of the game (though not without another questionable strike three call). Drillers win 2-1.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, the bullpen was dominant, allowing only three hits and no runs over the remaining five innings of the game. Jason Garcia allowed two hits and a walk and added a strikeout over the fifth and sixth innings. Alex Phillips went 1 2/3 scoreless with two strikeouts and Jordan Gore got the remaining four outs and grabbed two strikeouts of his own. The Surge managed only three hits as a club so there were no individual multi-hit performances.
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 1
Box Score
Cody Laweryson was rock solid for the Kernels tonight, and he needed to be. The big righty sprinkled four hits over five full innings and only allowed one run. He added four strikeouts. However, the Cedar Rapids hitters were just as ineffective against Beloit starter Bryan Hoeing. Still, they pushed one across late to grab the W.
Each starter handled the first time through the lineup easily and this game stayed scoreless until the fourth, when Yunior Severino gave the Kernels the lead all by himself. Actually, he got some help from the Beloit defense. What should have been a bloop single turned into a triple when the Snappers center fielder dove and missed the ball. Then, Beloit shortstop Ynmanol Marinez airmailed a throw home and Severino scampered home for a Little League home run. 
Beloit got that run right back in the next half inning, though, in very similar circumstances. Thomas Jones tripled and scored in the next at-bat on a wild pitch to tie the game.
This pitcher’s duel stayed knotted at one apiece until the top of the ninth, when the Kernels loaded the bases with no outs. They got one across with a Seth Gray flare single into left field, but that’s all they managed. 
Still, that’s all they needed, as Denny Bentley shut down the Snappers in the ninth to secure a win that will leave you without fingernails, 2-1.
After Laweryson exited, Melvi Acosta picked up right where Cody left off, hurling two innings of work without allowing a baserunner. Of the six outs he got, three were strikeouts. Denny Bentley took over from there and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, grabbing the win thanks to Gray’s go-ahead knock. That knock was Gray’s second of the ballgame, and he joins Yunior Severino as the only guys with multi-hit games for the Kernels.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Game 1: Bradenton 8, Fort Myers 2  (F/7)
Box Score
Game one of tonight's doubleheader got under way about two hours late due to troubling Florida weather, and the Mighty Mussels were ready to go right away. However, they melted down as the game went on and they lose in a rout. 
The Mussels were able to land a solid punch early with a two-run double from Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the first inning. And, John Stankiewicz was excellent in preserving that lead while he was on the mound with four innings of one-hit, scoreless work. He added five strikeouts.
However, when Juan Pichardo took over for the Mussels, things went sideways. Pichardo allowed a two-run game-tying homer in the fifth to Jase Bowen and allowed three more runs in the sixth before he was removed for Bradley Hanner. 
Hanner got the Mussels out of the sixth, but he didn’t fare much better than Pichardo. He added two inherited runs to Pichardo’s ERA and allowed a run of his own, and just like that, Bradenton’s lead ballooned to 8-2.
That lead held steady for the Marauders over the remainder of the scheduled seven innings. On a tough day all around for the Mussels, they only managed two hits as a team and didn’t have a multi-hit night for any player.
Game 2: Fort Myers 10, Bradenton 2  (F/7)
Box Score
After a tough game one, the Mussels bounced back with a solid start from Zarion Sharpe and an explosion from the offense. 
Christian Encarnacion Strand ripped a single to drive in a run to get the scoring started in the first, and the rest of the squad just took off from there. Fort Myers added three more in the second, with one coming to the plate on a Justin Washington single and two more scoring on Alerick Soularie's homer.
The third inning brought two runs for Bradenton, but five more for Fort Myers. With the bases loaded, Willie Joe Garry Jr. hit into a fielder's choice that scored two thanks to a throwing error, and he scored a few pitches later on a Will Holland double. Then, another error on a ball to left off the bat of Soularie scored two more to make the lead 9-2. 
in the fourth, Encarnacion-Strand added to his big day with his first professional homer, a solo shot that brought the lead to 10-2, where it stayed for the remainder of the game.
Zarion Sharpe went five full innings for the Mussels, and allowed two earned runs on six hits. He pitched with a lead for nearly his whole outing and had a walk and two strikeouts. Carlos Suniaga allowed three baserunners over the last two innings, but kept them from scoring and picked up a pair of strikeouts in the process. Soularie and Encarnacion-Strand had multi-hit games.
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
Game 1: FCL Red Sox 6, FCL Twins 5
Box Score
The Complex League Twins’ comeback fell just short in the bottom of the ninth in this one and they the first half of today's doubleheader 6-5. 
The Twins scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 2-0 lead off RBI extra base hits from Endy Rodriguez and Malfrin Sosa. The Red Sox got three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to grab a 6-2 lead but the Twins made some noise in the last frame. Sosa ripped another RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch. Then Ricardo Olivar tripled to drive in a run to make it 6-5, with himself standing on third as the tying run. Unfortunately, the comeback came one run short as Breilin Ramirez struck out to end the game. Sosa, Rodriguez, Olivar all had multi-hit games with at least one RBI.
The Twins kept the Red Sox offense scoreless through the first four innings thanks to Develson Aria and Regi Grace who both delivered two hitless innings on the mound. Erasmo Moreno took care of the fifth without allowing a run but allowed all six of the Red Sox runs over the next two innings. Cole Bellair grabbed the last out in the seventh and finished the game, allowing only one hit and no runs.
Game 2: FCL Twins 7, FCL Red Sox 1  (F/7)
Box Score
The Twins' complex league club left no room for doubt in the second game, crushing the Red Sox in seven innings. 
The Twins didn't waste time getting a crooked number up on the scoreboard as they struck for three in the top of the first. An RBI each was credited to Noah Miller and Carlos Aguiar for their singles and another run came in on a Rubel Cespedes triple. 
The Twins added a run in the third off a wild pitch and another in the fifth off a walk before things got even more interesting in the sixth. 
The Twins led off the inning with back-to-back home runs but only Emmanuel Rodriguez's left the ballpark. Noah Miller showed off his wheels and made his first professional homer an inside-the-park job. The homer was Miller's second hit of the night, and he was the only Twin to accomplish a multi-hit game.
On the mound, there was more excitement to be had. Third round pick Cade Povich made his professional debut with two innings of scoreless work to start this one. He allowed only one hit and struck out three. David Festa picked up where Povich left off, as he also hurled two scoreless with only one hit allowed in his pro debut. The only Red Sox run of the night came during Malik Barrington's two innings, but Barrington also got five of his six outs via strikeout. John Wilson got the remaining three outs of this seven inning game without allowing a baserunner. 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - John John Stankiewicz (Fort Myers) - 4.0 IP, H, R, ER, BB, 5 K
Hitter of the Day - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Fort Myers) - 3-for-7, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR(1), 3 K (over two games)
PROSPECT SUMMARY
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-for-5, RBI, 3 K
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, BB
#7 - Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, K
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (shoulder)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, BB
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 0-for-4, K
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR(1), K
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - Did not play
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 0-for-5, 2 BB, 2 K
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-5, K
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Toledo (6:05PM CST) – RHP Drew Strotman (7-3, 4.04 ERA)
Tulsa @ Wichita (6:05PM CST) – RHP Cole Sands (2-1, 2.93 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (5-1, 3.16 ERA)
Bradenton @ Fort Myers Game One: (6:00PM CST) – TBD
Feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games!
 

TRANSACTIONS
Minnesota Twins recall LHP Lewis Thorpe from Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins designate RHP Nick Vincent for assignment SAINTS SENTINEL
Iowa 11, St. Paul 7 
Box Score
The Saints fell behind early, but used the big fly to get back in the game and take the lead, only to blow it in the ninth. They battled to force extras, but sputtered in the additional frames to lose 11-7.
The I-Cubs got the scoring going early with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off the bat of Jared Young, but couldn’t manage to add any additional runs from the chance. The Saints responded immediately with a Trevor Larnach solo blast that tied the game at a run apiece.
In the third, however, Iowa put one across on a single from Young and then two more came in on a Trent Giambrone homer. And in the fourth, Chandler Shepherd grooved a hanging breaking ball to the ninth hitter in the Cardinals lineup, and Edwin Figuera hit it about 400 feet over the left field wall to add one more.
The Saints had a response though, in the form of a two-run Gilberto Celestino home run onto the Killebrew Root Beer awning in left-center.
Moments later, Jimmy Kerrigan put a ball a bit further left:
Then, in the next inning, Tomas Telis tied the game and gave the left field spectators yet another souvenir.
In the seventh, the Saints finally got their noses in front. In an inning with three stolen bases (including a steal of third from Telis!), Mark Contreras drove in Telis with a double. He was thrown out at the plate two batters later trying to grab another run, but St. Paul took their first lead nonetheless.
Unfortunately, that lead wasn't enough, as Jovani Moran uncharacteristically allowed two runs in the ninth to blow the save and give the Cubs the lead back.
Still, the never-say-die Saints weren't out of it yet. Mark Contreras hit his third double of the night and moved up to third on a flyout. At that point, Cubs pitcher Dillon Maples walked Ben Rortvedt unnecessarily and threw a ball a foot behind Kerrigan, allowing Contreras to tie the game on a wild pitch and send the game to extras.
However, Iowa answered with four runs in the top of the tenth. At that point, the never-say-die Saints were, in fact, out of it. They lose 11-7.
Chandler Shepherd ended up getting through five innings, but allowed five earned runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out three. Ryan Mason (6th) and Chris Nunn (7th and 8th) combined for three scoreless innings to set the game up for Moran. Moran only got two outs and allowed two runs on two hits, two walks and a homer. He needed Robinson Leyer to come in to get the last out in the top of the ninth. He managed that, but fell apart in the 10th, as he allowed four runs and gets saddled with the loss. Telis, Contreras, and Kerrigan had multi-hit games (all three of Contreras's hits were doubles).
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 7, Springfield 1
Box Score
Springfield squandered big opportunities for runs early and late, while Wichita capitalized on theirs all night long. The Surge win this one in a rout.
Springfield led off the game with a triple and loaded the bases in the third, and both times, Tyler Beck was able to weasel out of the inning without allowing a run. Beck’s threat management paid off immediately as Leobaldo Cabrera blasted a two-run shot to give his team (and his starter) a two run cushion. 
Then, in the fifth inning, after (another) Austin Martin hit by pitch, a ground ball from B.J. Boyd led to two errors from the Springfield defense which allowed Martin to score and Boyd to take third on a Little League triple. Boyd scored in the next at-bat on Jermaine Palacios’s double.
After a few close brushes early in the game, Beck settled down nicely into the middle innings. He only allowed two baserunners in innings four through six and handed the ball over the bullpen after the sixth without ever allowing a run. He worked around five hits and two walks, and struck out six. 
The Surge fully broke the game open in the eighth, when they scored three runs. Cabrera, D.J. Burt and Chris Williams each grabbed an RBI and the Wichita lead ballooned to 7-0. 
Springfield finally pushed one across in the eighth, but then, for good measure, they squandered another bases loaded opportunity in the ninth. Surge win 7-1.
After Beck’s excellent work, Bryan Sammons struck out two in a baserunner-less seventh inning. Jason Garcia was tasked with finishing the game, but allowed a run in the eighth, and loaded the bases in the ninth frame, requiring Jordan Gore to get the final out. Cabrera, Burt, Palacios, and Aaron Whitefield all had multi-hit games. 
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 10, Wisconsin 1
Box Score
The Cedar Rapids offense was explosive in this game and Louie Varland was excellent again, leading to a big Kernels win.
Michael Helman started the Kernels onslaught with his solo homer in the second inning. However, Joey Wiemer answered for Wisconsin with a solo shot of his own to lead off the fourth. Wiemer, with his homer, was the first Timber Rattler to reach base.
In the bottom of the inning the Kernels had another homer, only this time it wasn’t a solo shot. In fact, Jeferson Morales’s deep bomb to center came with the bases juiced and Cedar Rapids took a 5-1 lead, just like that. 
Manager Brian Dinkelman said, "(Morales) competes well at the plate, has a good feel for the zone, good bat-to-ball skills, puts the ball in play. So far he's driven the balls hard, has a couple of home runs, Big grand slam for us tonight. He puts together good at-bats and seems to find the barrel." 
Matt Wallner helped the Kernels add on in the fifth with a two-run double down the right field line. Wallner scored on a Seth Gray sac fly minutes later to stretch the lead to 8-1. The Kernels kept pouring it on in the seventh, as another Gray double drove in Wallner and Edouard Julien.
After Wisconsin’s catcher, Kekai Rios, took the mound to do his best Willians Astudillo impression, the Timber Rattlers went down quietly in the ninth and this game came to its official conclusion. 
While the offense was making noise all night, Louie Varland was silencing the Wisconsin bats. He became the first Kernels starter to record an out in the seventh inning. He got through seven full innings (the longest start of his career) and allowed one earned run on six hits. He also struck out six. Varland was also remarkably efficient, needing only 75 pitches (54 strikes) to get through seven innings.
Dinkelman said, "Louie attacks the zone. Tonight, they were very aggressive and he switched his plan to a lot of off-speed pitches and induced a lot of weak contact, and got outs early. He threw the ball well again for us and gave us seven strong innings."
Of his efficiency, Varland noted, "I had all three of my pitches working. I went off-speed heavy and got a lot of soft contact for outs. I'm happy with it." 
He acknowledged, "I need to find that changeup and use it more consistently and throw it in the zone more. That right now is my next step moving forward, finding that consistent third pitch." 
Tyler Palm covered the final two innings of the game, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out four. Julien, Morales, and Wander Javier had multi-hit games in tonight’s drubbing.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 1, Dunedin 0 (Game suspended due to weather)
Box Score
Tonight’s Mighty Mussels was suspended after three innings due to inclement weather and wet field conditions 
Jesus Feliz’s solo homer in the second inning was the only run scored before the postponement. On the mound, Aaron Rozek was effective for Fort Myers, as he struck out four in three scoreless innings.
 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Twins 9, FCL Orioles Orange 5 (F/7)
Box Score
The Complex League Twins have turned around their form of late, as today’s win over the Orioles’ Orange squad makes it four victories in their last five. The Twins scored in all but two innings of this seven-inning contest and the offense was keyed by contributions from the bottom of the order. Seventh hitter Malfrin Sosa had a two-run shot in the second and an RBI double in the fifth, eighth hitter Rubel Cespedes hit a LONG home run, and ninth hitter Nelson Roberto had a two-run homer of his own (and also made a nice, running catch in center). Leadoff man Luis Gomez also had a two-hit outing, but didn’t score or drive in any runs. Kala'i Rosario added a big, booming double. 
On the mound, Samuel Perez was perfect through five innings. He ran into a bit of trouble with back-to-back singles in the sixth and was removed.
Ricardo Velez replaced Perez and only managed to get one out while allowing two inherited runs and three runs of his own. Fortunately, the offense was humming, and John Wilson got the Twins out of the sixth and covered the seventh and final inning to close out a 9-5 win.
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Louie Varland, Cedar Rapids (7.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 6 K, 75 pitches)
Hitter of the Day - Jeferson Morales, Cedar Rapids (2-for-4, R, 4 RBI, Grand Slam)
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 - Royce Lewis (rehab) - Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-for-3, R, BB, HBP
#3 - Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#4 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#5 - Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) - Injured List (elbow strain)
#6 - Jose Miranda (St. Paul) - 1-for-6, K
#7 - Joe Ryan (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#8 - Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) - Did not pitch
#9 - Chase Petty (Complex) - Did not pitch
#10 - Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) - 0-for-1 (game suspended)
#11 - Josh Winder (St. Paul) - Injured List (shoulder)
#12 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
#13 - Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, HR
#14 - Drew Strotman (St. Paul) - Did not pitch
#15 - Noah Miller (Complex) - Did not play
#16 - Brent Rooker (Minnesota) - Did not play
#17 - Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) - Out for season (Tommy John surgery)
#18 - Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) - 1-for-1 (game suspended)
#19 - Cole Sands (Wichita) - Did not pitch
#20 - Spencer Steer (Wichita) - 1-for-5, R, 2B, BB
THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Iowa @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) - RHP Beau Burrows (2-1, 4.34 ERA)
Wichita @ Springfield (7:05PM CST) - RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.19 ERA)
Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - LHP Tyler Watson (2-3, 3.33 ERA)
Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30PM CST) - RHP Casey Legumina (2-1, 4.63 ERA)
Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games!

TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
 
SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 1, Louisville 0 
Box Score
The Saints’ pitchers were untouchable tonight and the Louisville arms were only a little bit less untouchable in this pitchers duel. Saint Paul gets Louisville back for last night, winning this one 1-0.
Chandler Shepherd was nothing short of dominant in his start tonight. The St. Paul starter went six full innings and didn’t allow a run. Unfortunately for the Saints, Shepherd’s Louisville counterpart, Michael Mariot, matched his every move (literally) and when Shepherd gave way to Yennier Cano to start the seventh, both starters had allowed four hits and no runs.  
Mariot was taken out after the seventh and Sherman Johnson, for one, was happy to see him go. Johnson gave the Saints the first lead of the ballgame in the eighth with a clutch solo shot to right center.
In contrast to their opponents, the Saints bullpen did not let them down tonight. Cano walked his first two batters in the seventh but struck out a couple to get out of the inning unscathed. Then, Kyle Barraclough hurled a hitless eighth and Nick Vincent closed the game with a strong ninth. One run was all the Saints needed in this one.   
Thomas Telis and home run hero Sherman Johnson had the only multi-hit games for the St. Paul.
 
Winder Shut Down
Saints starter and Twins Daily’s #8 prospect Josh Winder will be shut down for the following few weeks with shoulder fatigue. Winder hasn’t pitched since July 21st and the Twins have decided to protect their asset by resting him an additional two or three weeks.
Thorpe Finishes Rehab Stint
In positive news, Lewis Thorpe finished his rehab stint with the FCL Twins and is set to start for the Saints on Sunday.
 
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 11, Midland 4
Box Score
Trey Cabbage led the Wind Surge bats to a big night and Chris Vallimont was an exciting watch on the mound. It was a good night for Wichita as they take this one in blowout fashion.
The best way to start a ballgame is to put a crooked number up in the first, and that’s exactly what the Wind Surge did tonight. Wichita put up four in the opening frame, with an RBI each coming on Cabbage and Jermaine Palacios singles and two runs scoring on Andrew Bechtold’s double.
After giving up a four spot to hard-hit Wichita liners, Midland got one back in the third off a weak infield single from Devin Foyle. However, Cabbage responded with two more RBI on a deep blast to right that extended the Wichita lead to 6-1.
Midland got an additional run back in the fourth, but Cabbage had another two-run shot up his sleeve in the fifth, giving him his fourth and fifth RBI of the night.
While Cabbage and the Surge were mashing, Vallimont was dealing on the mound. He struggled a bit with walks (he had four, two came around to score), but his swing-and-miss stuff was on full display as he had eight strikeouts over five innings. Just check out the Rock Hounds’ facial expressions for confirmation for how filthy he was tonight:
Midland got a two-run homer of their own in the seventh, but, like they did all night, the Wichita bats had an answer. Austin Martin drove in two with a double in the eighth, and this one ended 11-4 in Wichita’s favor.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, Alex Phillips allowed two earned runs over two innings and Jordan Gore took care of the eighth and ninth without allowing a baserunner. Cabbage's big night was the only multi-hit showing for Wichita.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 2
Box Score
The Kernels jumped in front early and held on for the rest of the game, taking a tight one tonight, 4-2.
The Kernels’ first trip to the plate was quite a productive one, as they sent eight men to bat and pushed three runs across. The big hit came in the form of a two-run Yunior Severino single, and Seth Gray also notched an RBI on a groundout. Matt Wallner helped Cedar Rapids add on in the second, with an RBI single of his own.
Quad Cities finally got on the board in the fifth, using a Maikel Garcia triple to score Gavin Stupienski from first for their first run. Then, in the sixth, Jake Means doubled and drove in another run to cut the Cedar Rapids lead to 4-2. Kernels’ starter Louie Varland left the ballgame shortly after. At the end of his outing Varland had gone 5 ⅔ innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. 
The bullpen took over from there for Cedar Rapids. Melvi Acosta grabbed the last out of the sixth and pitched a hitless seventh, and Zach Featherstone allowed the bases to fill in the eighth, but got out of the inning without allowing a run. Then, Featherstone shut down the River Bandits one more time, securing the 4-2 win for Cedar Rapids.
Alex Isola and Severino had multi-hit games for the Kernels tonight.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 3
Box Score
This one looked to be headed towards slugfest territory after the first inning, but in what turned out to be a quiet offensive game, the Mussels edge out the Blue Jays, 4-3
Dunedin got two runs right away in the top of the first, with RBI coming on a Jesus Feliz fielding error and a P.K. Morris sac fly. But, Fort Myers had a first-inning run of their own, on a Charles Mack RBI groundout that scored Misael Urbina.
The score stayed at 2-1 until the fourth, when the Mussels grabbed a run to tie it up. Urbina was involved again, this time driving in a run on a sac fly.
After the rocky first inning, Mussel’s starter Bobby Milacki settled down well and allowed no runs over the next three innings, and when Matthew Swain took over in the fifth, he dominated the Blue Jays bats with three hitless innings and five strikeouts. 
The solid pitching paid off in the seventh, when Fort Myers took their first lead of the ballgame. Jeferson Morales hit his seventh bomb of the year, driving in himself and Charles Mack to give the Mussels a two-run advantage.
However, that lead got cut in half in the eighth, after a Miguel Hiraldo sacrifice fly scored Dunedin’s third run of the game. Dunedin got two baserunners on in the ninth, but they couldn’t bring them across. Denny Bentley gets credit for the six-out save and the Mussels win 4-3. 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 5, FCL Twins 5 (Suspended/7)
Box Score
Today’s game between the Twins’ and Red Sox’ Complex League sides was suspended due to lightning with no outs and one man on in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score tied at five runs apiece. Of note in this one, is that Alerick Soularie made his pro debut for the FCL Twins. So far, he is 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
The game will be resumed tomorrow, so check back in tomorrow’s report for a full recap!
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Chandler Shepherd (St. Paul) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day - Trey Cabbage (Wichita) 3-for-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR (9), SO
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-4 
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, K
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 1-for-3
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch 
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-for-5, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-2, R, RBI
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-3, 2 R, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – 0-for-3, BB, K (game suspended)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Louisville @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Ian Hamilton (2-1, 2.61 ERA)
Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.58 ERA)
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beck (2-1, 2.06 ERA)
Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-2, 3.62 ERA)
 
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TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
 
SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 1, Louisville 0 
Box Score
The Saints’ pitchers were untouchable tonight and the Louisville arms were only a little bit less untouchable in this pitchers duel. Saint Paul gets Louisville back for last night, winning this one 1-0.
Chandler Shepherd was nothing short of dominant in his start tonight. The St. Paul starter went six full innings and didn’t allow a run. Unfortunately for the Saints, Shepherd’s Louisville counterpart, Michael Mariot, matched his every move (literally) and when Shepherd gave way to Yennier Cano to start the seventh, both starters had allowed four hits and no runs.  
Mariot was taken out after the seventh and Sherman Johnson, for one, was happy to see him go. Johnson gave the Saints the first lead of the ballgame in the eighth with a clutch solo shot to right center.
In contrast to their opponents, the Saints bullpen did not let them down tonight. Cano walked his first two batters in the seventh but struck out a couple to get out of the inning unscathed. Then, Kyle Barraclough hurled a hitless eighth and Nick Vincent closed the game with a strong ninth. One run was all the Saints needed in this one.   
Thomas Telis and home run hero Sherman Johnson had the only multi-hit games for the St. Paul.
 
Winder Shut Down
Saints starter and Twins Daily’s #8 prospect Josh Winder will be shut down for the following few weeks with shoulder fatigue. Winder hasn’t pitched since July 21st and the Twins have decided to protect their asset by resting him an additional two or three weeks.
Thorpe Finishes Rehab Stint
In positive news, Lewis Thorpe finished his rehab stint with the FCL Twins and is set to start for the Saints on Sunday.
 
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 11, Midland 4
Box Score
Trey Cabbage led the Wind Surge bats to a big night and Chris Vallimont was an exciting watch on the mound. It was a good night for Wichita as they take this one in blowout fashion.
The best way to start a ballgame is to put a crooked number up in the first, and that’s exactly what the Wind Surge did tonight. Wichita put up four in the opening frame, with an RBI each coming on Cabbage and Jermaine Palacios singles and two runs scoring on Andrew Bechtold’s double.
After giving up a four spot to hard-hit Wichita liners, Midland got one back in the third off a weak infield single from Devin Foyle. However, Cabbage responded with two more RBI on a deep blast to right that extended the Wichita lead to 6-1.
Midland got an additional run back in the fourth, but Cabbage had another two-run shot up his sleeve in the fifth, giving him his fourth and fifth RBI of the night.
While Cabbage and the Surge were mashing, Vallimont was dealing on the mound. He struggled a bit with walks (he had four, two came around to score), but his swing-and-miss stuff was on full display as he had eight strikeouts over five innings. Just check out the Rock Hounds’ facial expressions for confirmation for how filthy he was tonight:
Midland got a two-run homer of their own in the seventh, but, like they did all night, the Wichita bats had an answer. Austin Martin drove in two with a double in the eighth, and this one ended 11-4 in Wichita’s favor.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, Alex Phillips allowed two earned runs over two innings and Jordan Gore took care of the eighth and ninth without allowing a baserunner. Cabbage's big night was the only multi-hit showing for Wichita.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 2
Box Score
The Kernels jumped in front early and held on for the rest of the game, taking a tight one tonight, 4-2.
The Kernels’ first trip to the plate was quite a productive one, as they sent eight men to bat and pushed three runs across. The big hit came in the form of a two-run Yunior Severino single, and Seth Gray also notched an RBI on a groundout. Matt Wallner helped Cedar Rapids add on in the second, with an RBI single of his own.
Quad Cities finally got on the board in the fifth, using a Maikel Garcia triple to score Gavin Stupienski from first for their first run. Then, in the sixth, Jake Means doubled and drove in another run to cut the Cedar Rapids lead to 4-2. Kernels’ starter Louie Varland left the ballgame shortly after. At the end of his outing Varland had gone 5 ⅔ innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. 
The bullpen took over from there for Cedar Rapids. Melvi Acosta grabbed the last out of the sixth and pitched a hitless seventh, and Zach Featherstone allowed the bases to fill in the eighth, but got out of the inning without allowing a run. Then, Featherstone shut down the River Bandits one more time, securing the 4-2 win for Cedar Rapids.
Alex Isola and Severino had multi-hit games for the Kernels tonight.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 3
Box Score
This one looked to be headed towards slugfest territory after the first inning, but in what turned out to be a quiet offensive game, the Mussels edge out the Blue Jays, 4-3
Dunedin got two runs right away in the top of the first, with RBI coming on a Jesus Feliz fielding error and a P.K. Morris sac fly. But, Fort Myers had a first-inning run of their own, on a Charles Mack RBI groundout that scored Misael Urbina.
The score stayed at 2-1 until the fourth, when the Mussels grabbed a run to tie it up. Urbina was involved again, this time driving in a run on a sac fly.
After the rocky first inning, Mussel’s starter Bobby Milacki settled down well and allowed no runs over the next three innings, and when Matthew Swain took over in the fifth, he dominated the Blue Jays bats with three hitless innings and five strikeouts. 
The solid pitching paid off in the seventh, when Fort Myers took their first lead of the ballgame. Jeferson Morales hit his seventh bomb of the year, driving in himself and Charles Mack to give the Mussels a two-run advantage.
However, that lead got cut in half in the eighth, after a Miguel Hiraldo sacrifice fly scored Dunedin’s third run of the game. Dunedin got two baserunners on in the ninth, but they couldn’t bring them across. Denny Bentley gets credit for the six-out save and the Mussels win 4-3. 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 5, FCL Twins 5 (Suspended/7)
Box Score
Today’s game between the Twins’ and Red Sox’ Complex League sides was suspended due to lightning with no outs and one man on in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score tied at five runs apiece. Of note in this one, is that Alerick Soularie made his pro debut for the FCL Twins. So far, he is 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
The game will be resumed tomorrow, so check back in tomorrow’s report for a full recap!
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Chandler Shepherd (St. Paul) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day - Trey Cabbage (Wichita) 3-for-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR (9), SO
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-4 
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, K
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 1-for-3
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch 
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-for-5, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-2, R, RBI
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-3, 2 R, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – 0-for-3, BB, K (game suspended)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Louisville @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Ian Hamilton (2-1, 2.61 ERA)
Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.58 ERA)
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beck (2-1, 2.06 ERA)
Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-2, 3.62 ERA)
 
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TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
 
SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 1, Louisville 0 
Box Score
The Saints’ pitchers were untouchable tonight and the Louisville arms were only a little bit less untouchable in this pitchers duel. Saint Paul gets Louisville back for last night, winning this one 1-0.
Chandler Shepherd was nothing short of dominant in his start tonight. The St. Paul starter went six full innings and didn’t allow a run. Unfortunately for the Saints, Shepherd’s Louisville counterpart, Michael Mariot, matched his every move (literally) and when Shepherd gave way to Yennier Cano to start the seventh, both starters had allowed four hits and no runs.  
Mariot was taken out after the seventh and Sherman Johnson, for one, was happy to see him go. Johnson gave the Saints the first lead of the ballgame in the eighth with a clutch solo shot to right center.
In contrast to their opponents, the Saints bullpen did not let them down tonight. Cano walked his first two batters in the seventh but struck out a couple to get out of the inning unscathed. Then, Kyle Barraclough hurled a hitless eighth and Nick Vincent closed the game with a strong ninth. One run was all the Saints needed in this one.   
Thomas Telis and home run hero Sherman Johnson had the only multi-hit games for the St. Paul.
 
Winder Shut Down
Saints starter and Twins Daily’s #8 prospect Josh Winder will be shut down for the following few weeks with shoulder fatigue. Winder hasn’t pitched since July 21st and the Twins have decided to protect their asset by resting him an additional two or three weeks.
Thorpe Finishes Rehab Stint
In positive news, Lewis Thorpe finished his rehab stint with the FCL Twins and is set to start for the Saints on Sunday.
 
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 11, Midland 4
Box Score
Trey Cabbage led the Wind Surge bats to a big night and Chris Vallimont was an exciting watch on the mound. It was a good night for Wichita as they take this one in blowout fashion.
The best way to start a ballgame is to put a crooked number up in the first, and that’s exactly what the Wind Surge did tonight. Wichita put up four in the opening frame, with an RBI each coming on Cabbage and Jermaine Palacios singles and two runs scoring on Andrew Bechtold’s double.
After giving up a four spot to hard-hit Wichita liners, Midland got one back in the third off a weak infield single from Devin Foyle. However, Cabbage responded with two more RBI on a deep blast to right that extended the Wichita lead to 6-1.
Midland got an additional run back in the fourth, but Cabbage had another two-run shot up his sleeve in the fifth, giving him his fourth and fifth RBI of the night.
While Cabbage and the Surge were mashing, Vallimont was dealing on the mound. He struggled a bit with walks (he had four, two came around to score), but his swing-and-miss stuff was on full display as he had eight strikeouts over five innings. Just check out the Rock Hounds’ facial expressions for confirmation for how filthy he was tonight:
Midland got a two-run homer of their own in the seventh, but, like they did all night, the Wichita bats had an answer. Austin Martin drove in two with a double in the eighth, and this one ended 11-4 in Wichita’s favor.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, Alex Phillips allowed two earned runs over two innings and Jordan Gore took care of the eighth and ninth without allowing a baserunner. Cabbage's big night was the only multi-hit showing for Wichita.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 2
Box Score
The Kernels jumped in front early and held on for the rest of the game, taking a tight one tonight, 4-2.
The Kernels’ first trip to the plate was quite a productive one, as they sent eight men to bat and pushed three runs across. The big hit came in the form of a two-run Yunior Severino single, and Seth Gray also notched an RBI on a groundout. Matt Wallner helped Cedar Rapids add on in the second, with an RBI single of his own.
Quad Cities finally got on the board in the fifth, using a Maikel Garcia triple to score Gavin Stupienski from first for their first run. Then, in the sixth, Jake Means doubled and drove in another run to cut the Cedar Rapids lead to 4-2. Kernels’ starter Louie Varland left the ballgame shortly after. At the end of his outing Varland had gone 5 ⅔ innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. 
The bullpen took over from there for Cedar Rapids. Melvi Acosta grabbed the last out of the sixth and pitched a hitless seventh, and Zach Featherstone allowed the bases to fill in the eighth, but got out of the inning without allowing a run. Then, Featherstone shut down the River Bandits one more time, securing the 4-2 win for Cedar Rapids.
Alex Isola and Severino had multi-hit games for the Kernels tonight.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 3
Box Score
This one looked to be headed towards slugfest territory after the first inning, but in what turned out to be a quiet offensive game, the Mussels edge out the Blue Jays, 4-3
Dunedin got two runs right away in the top of the first, with RBI coming on a Jesus Feliz fielding error and a P.K. Morris sac fly. But, Fort Myers had a first-inning run of their own, on a Charles Mack RBI groundout that scored Misael Urbina.
The score stayed at 2-1 until the fourth, when the Mussels grabbed a run to tie it up. Urbina was involved again, this time driving in a run on a sac fly.
After the rocky first inning, Mussel’s starter Bobby Milacki settled down well and allowed no runs over the next three innings, and when Matthew Swain took over in the fifth, he dominated the Blue Jays bats with three hitless innings and five strikeouts. 
The solid pitching paid off in the seventh, when Fort Myers took their first lead of the ballgame. Jeferson Morales hit his seventh bomb of the year, driving in himself and Charles Mack to give the Mussels a two-run advantage.
However, that lead got cut in half in the eighth, after a Miguel Hiraldo sacrifice fly scored Dunedin’s third run of the game. Dunedin got two baserunners on in the ninth, but they couldn’t bring them across. Denny Bentley gets credit for the six-out save and the Mussels win 4-3. 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 5, FCL Twins 5 (Suspended/7)
Box Score
Today’s game between the Twins’ and Red Sox’ Complex League sides was suspended due to lightning with no outs and one man on in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score tied at five runs apiece. Of note in this one, is that Alerick Soularie made his pro debut for the FCL Twins. So far, he is 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
The game will be resumed tomorrow, so check back in tomorrow’s report for a full recap!
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Chandler Shepherd (St. Paul) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day - Trey Cabbage (Wichita) 3-for-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR (9), SO
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-4 
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, K
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 1-for-3
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch 
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-for-5, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-2, R, RBI
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-3, 2 R, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – 0-for-3, BB, K (game suspended)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Louisville @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Ian Hamilton (2-1, 2.61 ERA)
Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.58 ERA)
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beck (2-1, 2.06 ERA)
Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-2, 3.62 ERA)
 
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TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
 
SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 1, Louisville 0 
Box Score
The Saints’ pitchers were untouchable tonight and the Louisville arms were only a little bit less untouchable in this pitchers duel. Saint Paul gets Louisville back for last night, winning this one 1-0.
Chandler Shepherd was nothing short of dominant in his start tonight. The St. Paul starter went six full innings and didn’t allow a run. Unfortunately for the Saints, Shepherd’s Louisville counterpart, Michael Mariot, matched his every move (literally) and when Shepherd gave way to Yennier Cano to start the seventh, both starters had allowed four hits and no runs.  
Mariot was taken out after the seventh and Sherman Johnson, for one, was happy to see him go. Johnson gave the Saints the first lead of the ballgame in the eighth with a clutch solo shot to right center.
In contrast to their opponents, the Saints bullpen did not let them down tonight. Cano walked his first two batters in the seventh but struck out a couple to get out of the inning unscathed. Then, Kyle Barraclough hurled a hitless eighth and Nick Vincent closed the game with a strong ninth. One run was all the Saints needed in this one.   
Thomas Telis and home run hero Sherman Johnson had the only multi-hit games for the St. Paul.
 
Winder Shut Down
Saints starter and Twins Daily’s #8 prospect Josh Winder will be shut down for the following few weeks with shoulder fatigue. Winder hasn’t pitched since July 21st and the Twins have decided to protect their asset by resting him an additional two or three weeks.
Thorpe Finishes Rehab Stint
In positive news, Lewis Thorpe finished his rehab stint with the FCL Twins and is set to start for the Saints on Sunday.
 
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 11, Midland 4
Box Score
Trey Cabbage led the Wind Surge bats to a big night and Chris Vallimont was an exciting watch on the mound. It was a good night for Wichita as they take this one in blowout fashion.
The best way to start a ballgame is to put a crooked number up in the first, and that’s exactly what the Wind Surge did tonight. Wichita put up four in the opening frame, with an RBI each coming on Cabbage and Jermaine Palacios singles and two runs scoring on Andrew Bechtold’s double.
After giving up a four spot to hard-hit Wichita liners, Midland got one back in the third off a weak infield single from Devin Foyle. However, Cabbage responded with two more RBI on a deep blast to right that extended the Wichita lead to 6-1.
Midland got an additional run back in the fourth, but Cabbage had another two-run shot up his sleeve in the fifth, giving him his fourth and fifth RBI of the night.
While Cabbage and the Surge were mashing, Vallimont was dealing on the mound. He struggled a bit with walks (he had four, two came around to score), but his swing-and-miss stuff was on full display as he had eight strikeouts over five innings. Just check out the Rock Hounds’ facial expressions for confirmation for how filthy he was tonight:
Midland got a two-run homer of their own in the seventh, but, like they did all night, the Wichita bats had an answer. Austin Martin drove in two with a double in the eighth, and this one ended 11-4 in Wichita’s favor.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, Alex Phillips allowed two earned runs over two innings and Jordan Gore took care of the eighth and ninth without allowing a baserunner. Cabbage's big night was the only multi-hit showing for Wichita.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 2
Box Score
The Kernels jumped in front early and held on for the rest of the game, taking a tight one tonight, 4-2.
The Kernels’ first trip to the plate was quite a productive one, as they sent eight men to bat and pushed three runs across. The big hit came in the form of a two-run Yunior Severino single, and Seth Gray also notched an RBI on a groundout. Matt Wallner helped Cedar Rapids add on in the second, with an RBI single of his own.
Quad Cities finally got on the board in the fifth, using a Maikel Garcia triple to score Gavin Stupienski from first for their first run. Then, in the sixth, Jake Means doubled and drove in another run to cut the Cedar Rapids lead to 4-2. Kernels’ starter Louie Varland left the ballgame shortly after. At the end of his outing Varland had gone 5 ⅔ innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. 
The bullpen took over from there for Cedar Rapids. Melvi Acosta grabbed the last out of the sixth and pitched a hitless seventh, and Zach Featherstone allowed the bases to fill in the eighth, but got out of the inning without allowing a run. Then, Featherstone shut down the River Bandits one more time, securing the 4-2 win for Cedar Rapids.
Alex Isola and Severino had multi-hit games for the Kernels tonight.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 3
Box Score
This one looked to be headed towards slugfest territory after the first inning, but in what turned out to be a quiet offensive game, the Mussels edge out the Blue Jays, 4-3
Dunedin got two runs right away in the top of the first, with RBI coming on a Jesus Feliz fielding error and a P.K. Morris sac fly. But, Fort Myers had a first-inning run of their own, on a Charles Mack RBI groundout that scored Misael Urbina.
The score stayed at 2-1 until the fourth, when the Mussels grabbed a run to tie it up. Urbina was involved again, this time driving in a run on a sac fly.
After the rocky first inning, Mussel’s starter Bobby Milacki settled down well and allowed no runs over the next three innings, and when Matthew Swain took over in the fifth, he dominated the Blue Jays bats with three hitless innings and five strikeouts. 
The solid pitching paid off in the seventh, when Fort Myers took their first lead of the ballgame. Jeferson Morales hit his seventh bomb of the year, driving in himself and Charles Mack to give the Mussels a two-run advantage.
However, that lead got cut in half in the eighth, after a Miguel Hiraldo sacrifice fly scored Dunedin’s third run of the game. Dunedin got two baserunners on in the ninth, but they couldn’t bring them across. Denny Bentley gets credit for the six-out save and the Mussels win 4-3. 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 5, FCL Twins 5 (Suspended/7)
Box Score
Today’s game between the Twins’ and Red Sox’ Complex League sides was suspended due to lightning with no outs and one man on in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score tied at five runs apiece. Of note in this one, is that Alerick Soularie made his pro debut for the FCL Twins. So far, he is 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
The game will be resumed tomorrow, so check back in tomorrow’s report for a full recap!
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Chandler Shepherd (St. Paul) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day - Trey Cabbage (Wichita) 3-for-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR (9), SO
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-4 
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, K
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 1-for-3
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch 
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-for-5, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-2, R, RBI
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-3, 2 R, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – 0-for-3, BB, K (game suspended)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Louisville @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Ian Hamilton (2-1, 2.61 ERA)
Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.58 ERA)
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beck (2-1, 2.06 ERA)
Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-2, 3.62 ERA)
 
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TRANSACTIONS
No transactions today.
 
SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 1, Louisville 0 
Box Score
The Saints’ pitchers were untouchable tonight and the Louisville arms were only a little bit less untouchable in this pitchers duel. Saint Paul gets Louisville back for last night, winning this one 1-0.
Chandler Shepherd was nothing short of dominant in his start tonight. The St. Paul starter went six full innings and didn’t allow a run. Unfortunately for the Saints, Shepherd’s Louisville counterpart, Michael Mariot, matched his every move (literally) and when Shepherd gave way to Yennier Cano to start the seventh, both starters had allowed four hits and no runs.  
Mariot was taken out after the seventh and Sherman Johnson, for one, was happy to see him go. Johnson gave the Saints the first lead of the ballgame in the eighth with a clutch solo shot to right center.
In contrast to their opponents, the Saints bullpen did not let them down tonight. Cano walked his first two batters in the seventh but struck out a couple to get out of the inning unscathed. Then, Kyle Barraclough hurled a hitless eighth and Nick Vincent closed the game with a strong ninth. One run was all the Saints needed in this one.   
Thomas Telis and home run hero Sherman Johnson had the only multi-hit games for the St. Paul.
 
Winder Shut Down
Saints starter and Twins Daily’s #8 prospect Josh Winder will be shut down for the following few weeks with shoulder fatigue. Winder hasn’t pitched since July 21st and the Twins have decided to protect their asset by resting him an additional two or three weeks.
Thorpe Finishes Rehab Stint
In positive news, Lewis Thorpe finished his rehab stint with the FCL Twins and is set to start for the Saints on Sunday.
 
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 11, Midland 4
Box Score
Trey Cabbage led the Wind Surge bats to a big night and Chris Vallimont was an exciting watch on the mound. It was a good night for Wichita as they take this one in blowout fashion.
The best way to start a ballgame is to put a crooked number up in the first, and that’s exactly what the Wind Surge did tonight. Wichita put up four in the opening frame, with an RBI each coming on Cabbage and Jermaine Palacios singles and two runs scoring on Andrew Bechtold’s double.
After giving up a four spot to hard-hit Wichita liners, Midland got one back in the third off a weak infield single from Devin Foyle. However, Cabbage responded with two more RBI on a deep blast to right that extended the Wichita lead to 6-1.
Midland got an additional run back in the fourth, but Cabbage had another two-run shot up his sleeve in the fifth, giving him his fourth and fifth RBI of the night.
While Cabbage and the Surge were mashing, Vallimont was dealing on the mound. He struggled a bit with walks (he had four, two came around to score), but his swing-and-miss stuff was on full display as he had eight strikeouts over five innings. Just check out the Rock Hounds’ facial expressions for confirmation for how filthy he was tonight:
Midland got a two-run homer of their own in the seventh, but, like they did all night, the Wichita bats had an answer. Austin Martin drove in two with a double in the eighth, and this one ended 11-4 in Wichita’s favor.
After Vallimont left the ballgame, Alex Phillips allowed two earned runs over two innings and Jordan Gore took care of the eighth and ninth without allowing a baserunner. Cabbage's big night was the only multi-hit showing for Wichita.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 4, Quad Cities 2
Box Score
The Kernels jumped in front early and held on for the rest of the game, taking a tight one tonight, 4-2.
The Kernels’ first trip to the plate was quite a productive one, as they sent eight men to bat and pushed three runs across. The big hit came in the form of a two-run Yunior Severino single, and Seth Gray also notched an RBI on a groundout. Matt Wallner helped Cedar Rapids add on in the second, with an RBI single of his own.
Quad Cities finally got on the board in the fifth, using a Maikel Garcia triple to score Gavin Stupienski from first for their first run. Then, in the sixth, Jake Means doubled and drove in another run to cut the Cedar Rapids lead to 4-2. Kernels’ starter Louie Varland left the ballgame shortly after. At the end of his outing Varland had gone 5 ⅔ innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. 
The bullpen took over from there for Cedar Rapids. Melvi Acosta grabbed the last out of the sixth and pitched a hitless seventh, and Zach Featherstone allowed the bases to fill in the eighth, but got out of the inning without allowing a run. Then, Featherstone shut down the River Bandits one more time, securing the 4-2 win for Cedar Rapids.
Alex Isola and Severino had multi-hit games for the Kernels tonight.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 3
Box Score
This one looked to be headed towards slugfest territory after the first inning, but in what turned out to be a quiet offensive game, the Mussels edge out the Blue Jays, 4-3
Dunedin got two runs right away in the top of the first, with RBI coming on a Jesus Feliz fielding error and a P.K. Morris sac fly. But, Fort Myers had a first-inning run of their own, on a Charles Mack RBI groundout that scored Misael Urbina.
The score stayed at 2-1 until the fourth, when the Mussels grabbed a run to tie it up. Urbina was involved again, this time driving in a run on a sac fly.
After the rocky first inning, Mussel’s starter Bobby Milacki settled down well and allowed no runs over the next three innings, and when Matthew Swain took over in the fifth, he dominated the Blue Jays bats with three hitless innings and five strikeouts. 
The solid pitching paid off in the seventh, when Fort Myers took their first lead of the ballgame. Jeferson Morales hit his seventh bomb of the year, driving in himself and Charles Mack to give the Mussels a two-run advantage.
However, that lead got cut in half in the eighth, after a Miguel Hiraldo sacrifice fly scored Dunedin’s third run of the game. Dunedin got two baserunners on in the ninth, but they couldn’t bring them across. Denny Bentley gets credit for the six-out save and the Mussels win 4-3. 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 5, FCL Twins 5 (Suspended/7)
Box Score
Today’s game between the Twins’ and Red Sox’ Complex League sides was suspended due to lightning with no outs and one man on in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the score tied at five runs apiece. Of note in this one, is that Alerick Soularie made his pro debut for the FCL Twins. So far, he is 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
The game will be resumed tomorrow, so check back in tomorrow’s report for a full recap!
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Chandler Shepherd (St. Paul) 6 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Hitter of the Day - Trey Cabbage (Wichita) 3-for-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR (9), SO
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-for-4 
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, K
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (St. Paul) – 1-for-3
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch 
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Did not play
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-for-5, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 0-for-2, R, RBI
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-for-3, 2 R, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-4, K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – 0-for-3, BB, K (game suspended)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Louisville @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Ian Hamilton (2-1, 2.61 ERA)
Midland @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) – RHP Austin Schulfer (3-7, 4.58 ERA)
Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Tyler Beck (2-1, 2.06 ERA)
Dunedin @ Ft. Myers (6:00PM CST) – RHP Miguel Rodriguez (2-2, 3.62 ERA)
 
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TRANSACTIONS
Minnesota Twins trade RHP Jose Berríos to Toronto Blue Jays for SS Austin Martin and RHP Simeon Woods- Richardson Minnesota Twins trade LHP J.A. Happ and cash to St. Louis Cardinals for RHP John Gant and LHP Evan Sisk. Minnesota Twins trade RHP Hansel Robles to Boston Red Sox for RHP Alex Scherff Minnesota Twins claim RHP Edgar Garcia off waivers from Cincinnati Reds, optioned to Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins recall LHP Charlie Barnes from Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins recall RHP Griffin Jax from Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins activate RHP John Gant  SAINTS SENTINEL 
Indianapolis 8, St. Paul 4 
Box Score
The Saints trailed for virtually all of this game thanks to mediocre pitching and rather poor defense. They drop this one 8-4. 
The Indianapolis offense got started a big blow early, scoring four runs in the top of the first. They made use of four first-inning hits and a Saints error to score those runs, with an RBI each credited to Colin Moran, Cole Tucker, Bligh Madris, and Hunter Owen.
The Saints had an opportunity to get right back into the game, though, when they loaded the bases with no out in the second. They capitalized. Sherman Johnson singled to drive in two, then Roberto Peña nearly hit one out, but settled for an RBI sac fly. The Saints couldn’t push any more across, but went to the third having cut the lead to 4-3.
Unfortunately, Indianapolis got three more of their own in the fourth, in part due to botched pop-up. Peña fell over backwards and missed T.J. Rivera’s short pop to right, allowing two runs to score. Rivera, who ended up on second, scored the next at-bat on Anthony Alford’s double to make the score 7-3.
The teams traded runs in the fifth, but those would be the last runs of the game, as Indianapolis held their four-run lead to the finish off this one.
Andrew Albers got the start on the mound for St. Paul and was roughed up, though he wasn’t helped by his defense. Albers went six innings and allowed all eight runs, though only three were earned. He allowed 11 hits, no walks, and struck out five. Robinson Leyer (7th and 8th) and Rob Whalen (9th) took care of the remaining three innings, and didn’t allow a run. Rob Refsnyder and Jimmy Kerrigan had multi-hit games for St. Paul.
The Saints defense, with four errors on the night, was pretty gross overall, but this play from Jose Miranda provided a highlight:
WIND SURGE WISDOM
NW Arkansas 9, Wichita 1
Box Score
Jordan Balazovic, Twins Daily’s third-ranked prospect, got the start for Wichita tonight and he was far from his usual self, leading to a second-straight blowout loss to Northwest Arkansas.
The Naturals got off to a good start against Balazovic, signaling bigger things to come. Clay Dungan hit Jordan’s first offering of the night for a double, then scored four batters later on a fielding error by Caleb Hamilton.
NW Arkansas really started to beat up on Balazovic in the third with a pair of two-run homers. M.J. Melendez, the minor league home run leader, got the first one, and Freddy Fermin matched him three hitters later.
Then, to start the fourth, Balazovic loaded the bases with a walk and two singles, allowed an RBI sac fly, and loaded the bases again with another walk. At that point, he was removed from the game. One of his inherited runners scored on a groundout, bringing Balazovic’s final line to a less than impressive 3.1 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 3 K.
On offense, Wichita got their only run in the third and it actually tied the game at the time. Aaron Whitefield singled and advanced to third on a stolen base and throwing error. Then, Roy Morales drove in the Surge center fielder with a sharp single.
The Naturals added another two-run homer in the fifth, this one coming off the bat of Blake Perkins. That run was the last of the game and only served to change the final score. The Surge lose 9-1.
After Balazovic’s tough start, Mitchell Osnowitz took over with 2 2/3 innings of work and allowed two runs on the fifth inning homer. Chris Nunn finished the game with two scoreless innings, adding four strikeouts. Morales had the only multi-hit game for Wichita.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 6, Wisconsin 5 (F/11)
Box Score
Ben Gross was excellent in his start for Cedar Rapids tonight, but a sluggish offense and leaky bullpen squandered the lead late. Still, extra-inning heroics and a little bit of help from the Wisconsin defense allowed the Kernels to grab this one in eleven innings.
Edouard Julien got the game going right away for Cedar Rapids with a leadoff homer to center. It was Julien’s seventh homer in just 27 games for Cedar Rapids.
The game stayed at 1-0 until the sixth, when Julien got involved again with the Kernels’ second run. He led off the inning with a double to the right center field gap and scored on a Wander Javier single. A few batters later, Javier scored as well on a bloop single from Seth Gray.
However, after keeping the Wisconsin offense off the board for five innings, Gross was chased from the game in the sixth. The Cedar Rapids starter gave up a swinging-bunt single, then an RBI triple from David Hamilton that broke up the shutout and ended Gross’s night.
Zach Featherstone came in and allowed an RBI single from Joe Gray Jr. that cut the Kernels’ lead to 3-2. On the play, Gray Jr. was thrown out trying to take second on what was a questionable out call, and Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson was invited to leave after a spirited argument with the umpires.
The Kernels loaded the bases in the eighth, looking for insurance runs. They found one on a Max Smith sac fly, but that’s all they would get. They could’ve used one more, as Wisconsin got one of their own in the bottom of the inning, on a Gray Jr. sac fly, and had luck on their side in the ninth.
After two quick groundouts, the Rattlers got a single. Then Nick Kahle placed a high pop-up just behind the infielders and in front of the pushed-back outfield. The ball was in the air long enough to allow the runner, who was running on contact, to score from first to extend the game.
Both teams got their free runner across in the tenth, but neither side could get more and the game headed to the 11th tied at five.
After having the lead for most of the game (and taking it briefly in the tenth), Cedar Rapids took another lead in the 11th, when free runner Daniel Ozoria scored on an error by third baseman Korry Howell. This time, the lead stuck. Erik Manoah Jr. struck out the side in the 11th to put the game away for good. Kernels win 6-5.
Gross ended up going 5 2/3 innings, and allowed two earned runs while striking out seven. He gave way to Zach Featherstone, who allowed an inherited run and got one out. Luis Rijo took the seventh and eighth and allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk. Acosta took the ninth and tenth and blew a one-run lead both times, though the run allowed in extras was unearned. Manoah Jr. earns the save with a perfect three-strikeout 11th. Julien, Camargo, and Michael Helman all had multi-hit games for Cedar Rapids.
MUSSEL MATTERS
Tonight’s Mighty Mussels game against Clearwater was postponed due to a COVID-19 situation within the Clearwater team.
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 8, FCL Twins 7
Box Score
It’s a weekend, so you already know what that means. Yes, the Complex League Twins lost to the Complex League Red Sox again, this time by a score of 8-7. 
The Twins took an early lead with two runs in the top of the first and, though they allowed five runs over innings four, five, and six, they kept pace with five runs of their own over that stretch and took 7-5 lead into the late innings. However, the Red Sox scored three in the bottom of the ninth on Juan Montero’s double to win the game in walk-off fashion. Emmanuel Rodriguez was the star man on offense for the Twins, going 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI.
On the mound, Erasmo Moreno was excellent in his start for the FCL Twins, going three scoreless with five strikeouts and one hit allowed. He did issue three free passes. Rafael Feliz took over from there and allowed five earned runs in two innings of work. The last two of his runs were inherited runners that scored after he was taken out with no outs in the sixth. Ramon Pineda went three innings and allowed only those inherited runs, while striking out four. Matt Mullenbach got two outs in the ninth before allowing the game-deciding three run double. 
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Ben Gross (Cedar Rapids) – 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Hitter of the Day - Edouard Julien (Cedar Rapids) – 2-6, 2 R, RBI, HR(7), K
 
PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:
#1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – 3.1 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 3 K
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 1-5, 3 K
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – Game postponed
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – Game postponed
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-6, 4 K
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – No game
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) –Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-4 K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – Game postponed
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-3, K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 1-6, R, RBI, 2 K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch
 
SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Indianapolis @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – RHP Drew Strotman (7-2, 3.39 ERA, Saints Debut)
Wichita @ NW Arkansas (6:05PM CST) – TBD
Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (7:05PM CST) – RHP Cody Laweryson (0-2, 4.01 ERA)Fort Myers @ Clearwater (5:30 PM CST pending COVID-19 situation) – TBD

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TRANSACTIONS
Minnesota Twins recall OF Brent Rooker from Triple-A St. Paul Minnesota Twins transfer RHP Cole Bellair to Low-A Ft. Myers from Twins Complex  
SAINTS SENTINEL
Omaha 5, St. Paul 3 
Box Score
The Saints only managed four hits on the night but they were in this game late. Still, two late runs were too much to overcome and Omaha gets the win, 5-3.
The Storm Chasers took an early lead in the first when Lucius Fox came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded and beat out an infield single to drive in a run. Royals prospect Nick Pratto added to that Omaha lead with a two-run homer in the third, his first in Triple-A.
In the top of the fifth, though, Keon Broxton got the Saints back into it with a two-run shot of his own, driving in himself and Damek Tomscha to make the score 3-2.
The score stayed at 3-2 until the bottom of the eighth, when Omaha added a couple of insurance runs. They started off the inning with four straight batters reaching and scored two runs (RBI to Sebastian Rivero and Anderson Miller), to bring the Storm Chasers’ lead to 5-2.
The Saints got one of those runs back, but fell short of a third straight ninth-inning comeback, losing this one 5-3.
Charlie Barnes was the Saints’ starting pitcher tonight and he was average at best over 4.2 innings. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks, and struck out three. Andrew Vasquez pitched a scoreless inning and had two strikeouts in the process. Yennier Cano went 1.2 innings but allowed the two late runs, both earned. Robinson Leyer took over for Cano to finish out the eighth, and got two outs without any additional damage. Tomscha had the only multi-hit game for St. Paul.
 
WIND SURGE WISDOM
Arkansas 4, Wichita 3
Box Score
The Surge led most of this game, but blew it in the ninth, allowing Arkansas to walk off as 4-3 victors.
The first inning went by without much drama, but Jermaine Palacios led off the second inning by putting the ball over the fence to break the deadlock.
Wichita built on their lead in the third with two runs through an RBI single from Roy Morales and a Trey Cabbage RBI sac fly.
The Travelers had an answer in the bottom of the inning, though, with two runs of their own. A walk, a single, and a double allowed runs to score on two different productive outs: a forceout from Dom Thompson-Williams and a sac fly off the bat of Josh Morgan.
This game went scoreless for five innings, but it sprang back to life in the bottom of the ninth. Connor Kopach singled with one out, then Stephen Wrenn doubled to the gap to score Kopach and tie the game. Wrenn, representing the winning run, advanced to third on a throwing error from the outfield.
One seeing-eye single later, and Wrenn was streaking home while Josh Morgan, the walk-off hero, took a Gatorade bucket shower at first base.
Austin Schulfer got the start on the mound for Wichita tonight and allowed two earned over 5.2 innings. He allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out three. Alex Phillips pitched in with 1.1 innings of scoreless work and gave the ball to Jordan Gore to get the six-out save. That didn’t go as planned, obviously. Gore got through a scoreless eighth, but gave up the two runs in the ninth; he gets the loss. Roy Morales and Jermaine Palacios had multi-hit games for the Surge.
 
KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 2, Beloit 1
Box Score
Tyler Watson was excellent in his start for the Kernels, the bullpen followed suit, and the Cedar Rapids bats did just enough to secure a 2-1 victory.
Bats were quiet for both teams through two innings, but the Snappers took the lead in the third in unusual fashion. Connor Scott hit a deep drive to right center that forced Gabriel Maciel to slam into the wall to make the catch. This allowed Ricky Aracena to tag up and score from second to give Beloit the first run of the ballgame.  
The Kernels’ two runs were delivered in a more typical way, as Alex Isola ripped a single through the left side to score Kyle Schmidt and Edouard Julien and give the Cedar Rapids a 2-1 lead going into the fourth.
Thanks to continued dominance from Watson and good deliveries from relievers Tyler Palm and Derek Molina, those two runs would be all Cedar Rapids needed to secure the win. Thomas Jones doubled and advanced to third for the Snappers in the ninth, but Beloit couldn’t bring him in and the game ended 2-1 Kernels. 
Watson went a total of five innings and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out four. Palm took the sixth and seventh, struck out three, and didn’t allow a hit. Molina closed out the evening by stranding the runner at third; he had two scoreless and allowed two hits. Alex Isola had the only multi-hit game for the Kernels.
 
MUSSEL MATTERS
Daytona 7, Fort Myers 5 (F/11)
Box Score
Fort Myers starter Landon Leach made his Single-A debut tonight and kept the Mussels in it, allowing for a late comeback that took this one to extras. However, the additional frames went Daytona’s way, and the Mussels lost 7-5 in 11 innings.
The Tortugas got a run in the top of the first when an Elly De La Cruz groundout scored Austin Hendrick. In the second, Daniel Vellojin roped a double to center that scored another. The Mussels got those two runs back in the bottom of the second though, with a Jesus Feliz RBI single and a Misael Urbina RBI sac fly.
Fort Myers kept the offense going in the fourth, when they loaded the bases with one out. They managed a run on a wild pitch but strikeouts from top prospects Keoni Cavaco and Aaron Sabato ended the rally.
The Mussels would pay for their wastefulness as Vellojin and Hendrick struck again in the top of the fifth. This time, Vellojin walked and Hendrick homered to steal the lead back for the Tortugas. The Fighting Willians Astudillos added another run in the seventh through a Wendell Marrero RBI double.
That run gave Daytona a 5-3 lead and that deficit would hold up until the ninth inning. Then the Mussels made their move. Willie Joe Garry Jr. and Urbina walked and singled respectively to put men on first and third with one out. Cavaco answered the bell this time, tripling in both runs to tie the game at five, and bringing himself (as the winning run) within 90 feet of home. Unfortunately, Sabato struck out again (he had four K's on the night) and Jeferson Morales was a victim of the K as well, sending this game to extras.
After a quiet tenth inning for both sides, the Tortugas snapped in the 11th. The leadoff hitter struck out, but Garrett Wolforth and Brandon Leyton rattled off back-to-back triples to take a commanding two-run lead to the bottom of the 11th. The Mussels went down in order at that point, sealing the 7-5 loss.
Leach went four full innings and allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out four. Casey Legumina took the fifth and allowed two runs in just one inning of work. Bradley Hanner pitched three full innings and struck out four, but did allow the seventh inning run. Carlos Suniaga took the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, and allowed the two decisive runs. He gets the loss. Jesus Feliz had the only multi-hit game for Fort Myers.
 
COMPLEX CHRONICLES
FCL Red Sox 9, FCL Twins 1
Box Score
The Complex League Twins lost another one to the FCL Red Sox today and it wasn’t close. The Red Sox used a three-run third inning and a four-run fifth to break the game open, then added one each in the eighth and ninth.
On offense, the FCL Twins had seven hits but were 1-11 with men in scoring position, and thus only scored one run. That run came in the third, when Argenis Jimenez hit a solo homer to right. They got men to first and third with no outs in the seventh, but a successful pickoff attempt and back-to-back strikeouts from Endy Rodriguez Kala’i Rosario ended the threat. Luis Baez and Yonardy Soto each had two hits.
On the mound, Rafael Feliz got the start and went 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and striking out three. He surrendered the rubber to Sean Gilmartin, who fared much worse. Gilmartin allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Ramon Pineda had the only scoreless outing of the game for the Twins, as he kept the Red Sox off the board in his 2 2/3 innings. John Wilson finished the game with 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs.
 
TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day - Tyler Watson (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Hitter of the Day - Jermaine Palacios (Wichita) – 3-4, R, RBI, HR(11), K
 
 PROSPECT SUMMARY
Take note that we have finished our midseason update, so there is a new list! Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Midseason Top 20 Prospects performed:
 #1 – Royce Lewis (Rehab) – Out for season (torn ACL)
#2 – Jhoan Duran (St. Paul) – Injured List (elbow strain)
#3 – Jordan Balazovic (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#4 – Matt Canterino (Cedar Rapids) – Injured List (right elbow strain)
#5 – Jose Miranda (St. Paul) – 0-4, K
#6 – Keoni Cavaco (Fort Myers) – 1-6, 2 RBI, 4 K 
#7 – Gilberto Celestino (Minnesota) – Did not play
#8 – Josh Winder (St. Paul) – Did not pitch
#9 – Aaron Sabato (Fort Myers) – 0-4, BB, 4 K
#10 – Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – Did not play
#11 – Blayne Enlow (Cedar Rapids) – Out for Season (Tommy John surgery)
#12 – Bailey Ober (Minnesota) – Did not pitch
#13 – Cole Sands (Wichita) – Did not pitch
#14 – Brent Rooker (Minnesota) – 0-4, K
#15 – Misael Urbina (Fort Myers) – 1-3, R, RBI, BB 
#16 – Spencer Steer (Wichita) – 0-4, 2 K
#17 – Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, 3 K
#18 – Alerick Soularie (Complex) – N/A (foot injury)
#19 – Edwar Colina (Rehab) – Injured List (elbow)
#20 – Chris Vallimont (Wichita) – Did not pitch
 
SATURDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
Omaha @ St. Paul (7:05PM CST) – LHP Andrew Albers (4-3, 4.70 ERA)
Wichita @ Arkansas (6:10PM CST) – LHP Kody Funderburk (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Beloit @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) – RHP Ben Gross (4-0, 2.65 ERA)
Daytona @ Fort Myers- (6:00PM CST) – RHP Orlando Rodriguez (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
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