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The Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals are playing Game 2 of this four-game series, the final home series of the 2019 regular season. Here were some pre-game notes.The Twins were able to beat the Royals on Thursday night to maintain their four game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central. As important, it dropped the Twins' Magic Number to six with nine games to play. However, Rocco Baldelli isn't ready to speak about the playoffs quite yet. While resting guys will be important, he notes that he won't be discussing any plans for the playoffs until they are able to clinch a spot in it. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves." "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Baldelli noted, "We're just going to try to win today's game." Speaking of enjoying it, Jose Berrios will be pitching for the Twins on Saturday night against the Royals. Before Friday night's game, he walked out to the outfield grass with his two, young sons. He went through his throwing program, played catch with Cibney Bello while Tony Diaz and played with Berrios's boys. New To September With such a full clubhouse, there are a lot of players who have not played games in September in the past, much less potentially games in October. Consider Randy Dobnak, Lewis Thorpe, Brusdar Graterol, Jorge Alcala, Cody Stashak and Devin Smeltzer haven't pitched this late into the season. However, as Rocco Baldelli noted, they each have to be considered individually. "The innings situation is different on every pitcher. To discuss is as a whole is challenging to do. We monitor all of our guys innings. It's not just the innings it's how you get the innings and rack them up. He threw x number of innings in a month but they were all kind of wedged in there in a short period of time, probably a little tougher on the body and tougher on the arm. When they get stretched out a little more I would consider that a little bit different. We kind of weigh that every day but I'm not concerned where any of our guys are at at this point." We often think about that in the sense of pitchers because of innings limits and pitch counts and such, but the same question should be asked of position players as well. (which is why I asked it) Luis Arraez, LaMonte Wade and Ian MIller haven't played in September before either. Wade missed time with his thumb injury earlier in the season, so he's probably doing OK. However, Arraez has been playing most every day for the Twins at a variety of positions including left field, a position he hasn't played in several years. "With young players who haven't played into even September that's something to take into consideration. You just have to monitor the players individually monitor them every day. You watch them. If they are tiring out in any way, if they look like they are losing something, we have the ability to get them off of their feet, have the ability to let them regroup." Arraez was out of the starting lineup on Friday night but Baldelli noted it was just regular rest. With a left-hander on the mound LaMonte Wade and Arraez were both out of the lineup. "I'm not worried about that with Luis. Luis is kind of like a machine. He's ready to play every day. He doesn’t waver. He's the same guy, same attitude, same positive energy. And he goes out there and he performs. It doesn't look he's slowed down one bit" Byron Buxton Returns Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton was in the Twins clubhouse before the game. He chatted with media briefly. When Baldelli was asked if he noticed anything different about Buxton, Baldelli said, "You mean besides the big box under his elbow." Buxton had labrum surgery almost two weeks ago and will have his left arm immobilized for four to six weeks. Marwin to the Outfield Marwin Gonzalez is back in the #MNTwins lineup tonight, but he is back in right field for the first time since returning to the lineup. The team figured that having him ease back in at first base was the way to go which also allowed CJ Cron to rest and work on some things. Scouting Presence There was a large scouting presence at Target Field tonight. As always, it seems, when I'm at Target Field, Terry Ryan is there. Again, always great to chat with the former Twins GM. Looks to be scouts from a variety of organizations including several from one of the Twins potential first round opponents. In addition, it was great to catch up with former Twins utility infielder Doug Bernier. He is now a scout with the Colorado Rockies. It was fun to discuss his transition from player to scout for a bit. We also discussed his Pro Baseball Insider website which provides a great place for kids or parents of ballplayers to ask questions and learn skills. Check it out and be sure to sign up for their e-mails. The Voice of the Red Wings Josh Whetzel, the radio voice of the Rochester Red Wings (and University of Buffalo men's basketball), was at Thursday and Friday's games. You'll for sure want to follow him on Twitter, but the man has an incredible memory of players and moments throughout his years with the Red Wings. Was enjoyable walking down Red Wing Memory Lane with him and Glen Perkins for a little while. Happy Birthday Audra! FSN's Audra Martin celebrated her __th birthday at Target Field onFriday night. Click here to view the article

Doug Bernier was pulled from Rochester's game on Tuesday evening and he will be joining the Twins as Eduardo Nunez was placed on the DL with a left oblique strain. Bernier can be added to the 40-man in the spot of suspended Ervin Santana. After a scary scene Tuesday night, it’s been revealed that Chattanooga’s Levi Michael suffered a high ankle sprain while sliding into second base. If you saw the play, you probably expected much worse. It’s a tough break for Michael, who has missed extended periods of time throughout his professional career. Wilkin Ramirez was activated from Rochester’s disabled list. He takes the spot vacated by recently-promoted Eddie Rosario. Let's take a look at the on-field action for Tuesday night.RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 15, Indianapolis 10 Box Score An offensive explosive for the Red Wings, led by Aaron Hicks. The Wings got contributions from all the starters and held on after jumping out to a 10-0 first inning lead. Hicks led off the game with a ground-rule double. This started off an inning that saw 14 batters come to the plate with seven hits, three doubles and ten runs scored. Hicks scored twice, came a home run short of the cycle and improved his batting average to .318. He would have had a chance to complete the cycle, but was pinch-hit for by Wilkin Ramirez in the eighth inning. Josmil Pinto and James Beresford also had three-hit games. The pitching staff was unimpressive, but did enough to get the win. Starter Jason Wheeler gave up five runs (two home runs) in five innings. Stephen Pryor gave up three runs in 2.1 and even #FreeLesterOliveros got roughed up for two runs on four hits (and allowed all three of his inherited runners from Pryor to score). He recorded two outs. A.J. Achter finished off the game with a perfect three-groundout ninth inning. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga - OFF Hopefully a day off doesn’t cool Byron Buxton off, as the Southern League Player of the Week has been on an absolute tear over the last 10 games. The Lookouts have used a hot start in May to propel themselves back to the top of a jumbled Southern League North, where they are tied with Tennessee among five teams who sit within two games of each other. Alex Wimmers will be on the mound tomorrow. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 6, Bradenton 3 (15 innings) Box Score For the 10th time already this season (in only 26 games), the last-place Miracle provided their fans with “free baseball”. Aaron Slegers really settled down after allowing two first-inning runs. He was able to complete seven innings on 86 pitches. He struck out one and walked one. Madison Boer, J.T. Chargois and Brian Gilbert (credited with the win) all made scoreless appearances. Brandon Peterson walked four and allowed an extra-inning tying run to score. Todd Van Steensel navigated a dicey bottom half of the 15th inning to pick up the save. The offense managed 13 hits, but many players had seven plate-appearances and the team batted only .217 on Tuesday night. Mitch Garver had two hits, two walks and drove in two, but didn’t play the last third of the game after being lifted for a pinch-runner in the 11th inning. Zach Granite, Bryan Haar and Jason Kanzler also contributed multi-hit games. Kanzler, who also stole two bases, has seen his batting average creep back up to .218 after a very slow start. Niko Goodrum drove in two runs with a triple in the 15th inning. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 7, Wisconsin 3 Box Score The Kernels improved to 15-11 thanks to hanging up crooked numbers in two of the first three innings and getting a very solid game from a trio of pitchers. After a Wisconsin error, the Kernels were able to plate two in the first inning. Nick Gordon scored on the misplay and Trey Vavra scored on T.J. White's groundout. The Kernels gave the runs back in the second inning. In the third inning, DH Jorge Fernandez had a three-run double to give Cedar Rapids the lead for good. Fernandez had three hits on the night, including two doubles. Gordon added RBI singles in both the fourth and the sixth inning to provide insurance runs. He also stole his second base. Mat Batts earned his third win, pitching six innings and striking out four. He allowed three runs, but only one was earned. Randy LeBlanc and C.K. Irby combined to pitch three scoreless innings. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Mat Batts, Cedar Rapids Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Aaron Hicks, Rochester WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis (12:35 CST) – RHP Mark Hamburger is listed as the scheduled starter; however, LHP Tommy Milone is expected to take his spot in the rotation. Chattanooga vs Jackson (6:15 CST) – RHP Alex Wimmers Ft. Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 CST) – RHP Chih-Wei Hu Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (5:35 CST) – RHP John Curtiss Click here to view the article

It’s Wednesday in Ft. Myers. It’s Game Day, and the grounds crew at Hammond Stadium has made this field look pristine. It’s going to be another hot day in southwest Florida, with temperatures nearing 90 degrees. As always in Florida, there is a chance of rain. In fact, a good chance. I had a chance to catch up with several Twins players in the clubhouse this morning, and now I’ll empty out the notebook.MAX KEPLER While fans were talking about Byron Buxton and Eddie Rosario during the Arizona Fall League, Max Kepler had arguably the most productive statistical showing among the Twins prospects. He said that he felt good throughout that seven-week season, but that the experience was terrific. “We had a really good team. Obviously we won a lot of games and the AFL championship, but it was just a great group of guys. There wasn’t one guy who didn’t fit in. And, we won a lot of games. Kepler spent much of the offseason back home in Germany. However, he returned to the States and stayed with his sister in Tampa. He said he feels much more comfortable this year in spring training than he did a year ago. He played mostly in the outfield in 2014. This spring, he has started games in right field and at first base. He said he is comfortable both places. Kepler is hoping – maybe assuming – that he will begin the 2015 season in Chattanooga. He was mostly healthy in 2014, though he missed almost two weeks during the season with strep throat. However, at 6-4 and 230 pounds, the 22-year-old has a chance to hit for a lot of power. ALEX MEYER “It’s been probably the toughest five weeks of my life.” That’s how Alex Meyer described his current situation. First, the dog shared by Meyer and his fiancé died unexpectedly. Just after spring training started, he learned that his grandpa passed away. “It’s been real hard. We were very close, but I guess it’s a part of life. Not the good part, but just have to move on.” Meyer made his spring debut and really struggled with his control. “It was surprising because I had thrown live batting practice at practice and my control was pinpoint, which was surprising to me too.” It’s important not to make much out of a first outing in spring training. That’s where adjustments start to happen. Meyer is excited to be a part of the 2015 Minnesota Twins. He believes that Ricky Nolasco will be really good this year, and Mike Pelfrey can bounce back and be solid. He is excited to be on the same team as Ervin Santana because “his stuff is nasty.” He knows a lot of people are down on the Twins in 2015. “I see when places like ESPN say that we’ll be the worst team in the American League, but I look around this room and see this collection of talent. Every year there are teams that no one expects to win many games and then they surprise people. I don’t see why we can’t do that this year.” JAMES BERESFORD Infielder James Beresford decided not to play in the Australia Baseball League the last two winters. He acknowledges that there is good and bad with that decision. “If I played all offseason in Australia, I would be much more game-ready in the field and at the plate at the beginning of spring training. However, by not playing throughout the winter, and working out and getting stronger, I feel much better, much more prepared later in the season.” In 2015, he had 556 plate appearances in Rochester. And speaking of strength, Beresford doubled his career total home runs. He hit .276 with two homers. One thing that Beresford is happy about is that he didn’t fight jet lag as much when he arrived in Ft. Myers almost a month ago. “The key is, no matter how tired you are, to stay awake during the day as long as you can. If you come here and sleep all day for a couple of days, it’s just going to take longer.” Beresford is a strong defensive infielder. Although he has primarily played second base the last few seasons, he can play all three infield positions well. There may not be an opening for a utility infielder on opening day, but if Beresford is strong in June or July and there is a need, he plans to be ready. His parents are planning a trip to the United States to watch their son play this summer. All parties are hoping that they will need to make plans to come to Minneapolis, even if it means altering their route. They’ll happily pay the flight change price. Beresford added, “I’ll happily pick up that cost!” DOUG BERNIER Last September, I had to take a business trip to San Francisco for work. In a Minneapolis airport bookstore, I found a book by John Fienstein entitled “Where Nobody Knows Your Name.” In John Feinstein’s book, he tells many stories about players (and coaches and even umpires) who took a long time to get to the big leagues or maybe even had to work their way back after getting to the big leagues earlier in their career. I read about 100 pages on the plane in September. So, when I flew on Sunday to Ft. Myers, I started again at about page 110. After just a couple of chapters, suddenly there it was. There is an entire chapter on Doug Bernier. As you recall, Bernier had a three-day stint in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies in 2008. He got in as a defensive replacement one game, and knowing Troy Tulowitzki was coming back the next day, he got a start. In all, he went 0-4. The chapter talks about his time with the Yankees AAA team in 2009 and 2011 (he was with the Pirates system in 2010). He played in big league spring training with some of the greats like Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano. In fact, one spring Jeter was hurt and Bernier had the chance to play a lot of shortstop. I asked Bernier about that book this morning. He said that he had talked with Feinstein before, and one day he called him up. “He basically explained the premise of the book, and I thought it was a great idea. We made a road trip together and talked about all of that information.” Has he read the book? “Yeah. I read it. I read my chapter. I think I’ve read the whole book. What I typically will do is pick up the book and pick a random chapter here and there and read it. I really enjoy the stories. Bernier returned to the big leagues in 2013 with the Twins. He was with the Twins throughout the second half of the season. He was also called up to the Twins last September. The 34-year-old is back in spring training hoping for another opportunity in 2015. QUICK NOTES Spent a little time talking to Trevor Plouffe. He said that he had a pretty regular offseason other than the first month or so doing some rehab. His wife, Olivia, is five months pregnant with the couple’s first child, a son. You can definitely see in his face that he is really excited about it, understandably!AJ Achter is expecting Michigan State to get an 8 or 9 seed, which can be a pretty scary seed. The Spartans are not used to that kind of seeding in an NCAA tournament. “I guess it says something about the program that we’re disappointed in an 8 or 9 seed.” As a Minnesotan, I think Gophers fans would be excited if their team got an 8 or 9 seed in the NIT.Mitch Garver said he expects to get “another five or six days” in big league camp, but he has enjoyed the experience and learned a lot.I talked to Aaron Hicks a little bit. I didn’t ask him about the base running blunder in Tuesday’s game (he forgot the number of outs and was pulled from the game). He knew it was a mistake, and he will learn from it.Before the game, there was a large crowd of Twins fans gathered around the field adjacent to Hammond Stadium. They were getting a show as Miguel Sano and Kennys Vargas were hitting blasts well beyond the outfield fences. They each spent a lot of time on fielding as well. Check back to Twins Daily throughout the day. I’ll post another article or two during the day and through the weekend. Twins Daily will have coverage of Twins spring training leading right up to Opening Day. You can also follow Twins Daily (Or SethTweets!) on Twitter, and be sure to Like the Twins Daily Facebook page for updates and pictures throughout the month. Click here to view the article

As Labor Day approaches and fall soon sets in, it's hard to believe that the baseball season is already almost five months complete. Monday is September 1st, and in baseball, that means September call-ups. We have discussed several players who could be promoted. The Twins certainly have a number of options. However, there are a handful of guys not on the 40-man roster who should at least be discussed in the September promotion talks.The Twins will likely call up five to eight players when rosters expand and the Rochester season comes to an end, whether that's on Monday or after a playoff run. They will want to add at least one catcher, an infielder, an outfielder and several pitchers. There are a lot of players on the 40-man roster who could be called up, but here are five players you should know about and not be 100% surprised if they get a shot. Remember last year, we were all pretty surprised when Eric Fryer and Shairon Martis were added to the 40-man roster and called up for September. Doug Bernier - Bernier spent most of the 2nd half of 2013 with the Twins. He was designated for assignment following the season, but he came back and, at age 34, put together the best season of his career. He is hitting .284/.354/.406 (.760) while playing his usual good defense. He has played 62 games at shortstop and 41 games at third base, and has also spent time at second base, first base and both corner outfield positions. He has set career highs in games (118), plate appearances (444), at-bats (384), hits (109), doubles (25), home runs (6) and RBIs (53) with five more games to play. James Beresford - The 25 year-old signed with the Twins in 2005 and has gradually worked his way up the system. 2013 was his breakout season, and 2014 has also been a terrific year for him. He spent the full season as the Red Wings second baseman. He has hit .281/.329/.358 (.687) with a career-high 28 doubles and two home runs. He continues to flash terrific defense and knows how to play the game. Deibinson Romero - The 27 year-old from the Dominican stayed healthy this year and hit well. He had a strong showing in spring training, impressing the big league staff with his potent bat. He has hit .268/.367/.414 (.781) with 31 doubles and eight home runs. The third baseman has been a minor league free agent the last two year and chose to stay with the Twins. Eric Farris – The 28 year-old got time in the big leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers: one game in 2011 and 13 games in 2012. He has one big league hit, a single off Eunario del Rosario. He came to the Twins as a free agent infielder. Last year, he spent a little time in centerfield. This year, he has been the regular Rochester centerfielder all season. In 127 games, he has hit .276/.314/.343 (.657) with 23 doubles and two home runs, while playing very good defense. Reynaldo Rodriguez – The 28 year-old spent all of 2013 in New Britain playing first base. He returned to the Twins this year at a new position, as an outfielder. He has spent time at both corner outfield positions while still getting plenty of time at first base. He did receive a short promotion to AAA Rochester this year where he hit his first AAA home run. He was named an Eastern League Postseason All-Star. He hit .286/.345/.509 (.853) with 37 doubles, two triples and 21 total home runs. When I talked to New Britain hitting coach Chad Allen a month ago, he raved about Rodriguez, talking about his work ethic and his ability to be a good influence on the likes of Kennys Vargas and Eddie Rosario. There are five hitters who are not on the 40-man roster who are deserving of mention. Maybe, just maybe, one of them can get a September call-up to the Twins. Of course, there are challenges for each of them. For Beresford and Bernier, their “competition” for a September call-up could come from Pedro Florimon, who is on the 40-man roster. Aaron Hicks would appear to be a given for promotion in September, which makes it less likely that Eric Farris will get his shot. Deibinson Romero could get called up, but would he play? Trevor Plouffe is the regular third baseman with Eduardo Escobar and Eduardo Nunez capable of playing there. Reynaldo Rodriguez is a hitter and a first baseman/corner outfielder, kind of like Chris Colabello and Chris Parmelee and Chris Herrmann. I didn’t mention the pitchers who are not on the 40-man roster now who could be considered for big league call-ups in September. There are a few. Although he’s struggled in the 2nd half, AJ Achter has put up impressive numbers again in Rochester. Lester Oliveros had a hiccup last night, but he’s been tremendous for the last month or more in Rochester. Alex Meyer certainly is the name that everyone wants to see, although most rumors indicate that he will not be promoted. Some are against promotions of players who may not be part of a long-term plan, who may never be a big league starter. But there are good reasons to give guys like this an opportunity. The Twins have done a terrific job the last several seasons with minor league signings. Casey Fien, Yohan Pino, Jared Burton and Sam Deduno were all signed by the Twins as minor league free agents. Calling up some of these guys would indicate to other six-year minor league free agents that the Twins will reward quality play, even if players are not on the 40-man roster. In general, it’s also nice to know that an organization will reward good players and good teammates if management believes they can help the organization. Will any of these guys get called up for a September with the Twins? Most likely none of them will. Hopefully at least one of them will. In another frustrating season, having a couple of good stories is a good thing. Click here to view the article

The big news in Twins Territory on Friday was the promotion of Trevor May, who will make his MLB debut against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, opposing recent A’s acquisition Jeff Samardzija. The Twins options Chris Colabello after Friday's game to the necessary room for May. Kyle Gibson took the mound for the Twins on Friday in Oakland, and until the fifth inning was continuing to resemble a revelation for their rotation. That’s when Oakland struck for four runs and a nearly insurmountable lead against lefty Scott Kazmir.The Twins would get to him in a big way the seventh, but at that point their five runs on the board were not enough to put them out front. In the ninth inning, Josh Willingham was just feet away from notching a go-ahead home run against his former team and its closer Sean Doolittle, but his blast drifted just foul. He then took a called third strike on the next pitch to end the game. In the minors, one starter flirted with a no-hitter only to end up being one-upped by another who finished a complete-game shutout, and a certain rookie-free-agent/mythical flamethrower made his professional pitching debut with Elizabethton. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 11, Indianapolis 4 Box score Rochester scored single runs in each of the first two innings, then bludgeoned the Indians for six total runs in the fifth and sixth innings, and three more in the ninth en route to the blowout. Six hitters tallied multiple hits, including Doug Bernier (3-5), Chris Herrmann (2-4), Josmil Pinto (2-3), Wilkin Ramirez (2-5), Aaron Hicks (2-5) and Deibinson Romero (3-5). Bernier hit his sixth home run of the season to lead off the game, and Aaron Hicks added a long blast in the second to put the Red Wings in front 2-0. In the fifth, it was a leadoff single from Romero and extra base hits from Herrmann (3B), Pinto (2B), Danny Ortiz (2B), and finally a Ramirez single that scored four runs. Then a string of singles in the sixth scored two more. The Rochester lineup was 8-15 with runners in scoring position on the night. Mark Hamburger made the start, and pitched 6.1 (extra) quality innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks. What gets lost in that overall line is the fact he had a no-hitter intact through six of those innings. It unraveled for him quickly in the seventh however, which led to the Indians' three runs before Stephen Pryor finished the inning. Hamburger struck out just one, but recorded twelve groundouts and four flyouts. In his return to Rochester, Logan Darnell pitched the next 0.2 innings of relief, and surrendered a run after a double, wild pitch and RBI groundout in the eighth. Michael Tonkin finished the final 1.1 innnings, striking out one. The victory brought the Red Wings within one and a half games of the first place Syracuse Chiefs. ROCK CATS REVIEW New Britain 0, Erie 6 Box Score Starter Pat Dean was roughed up for twelve hits and six earned runs in just 3.1 innings, and the Rock Cats were unable to mount any threats against Seawolves pitchers in this one, racking up six hits and going 0-7 on the night with runners in scoring position. Jorge Polanco was 2-4, and Eddie Rosario collected the only extra base hit for New Britain, his fourteenth double of the year in the sixth inning. Alex Wimmers came on for 2.2 innings of relief, allowing one hit while striking out four, and Jim Fuller added two scoreless innings while New Britain limped to the finish in this one. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 4, St. Lucie 0 Box Score Fort Myers was able to collect some retribution for the AA shutout, by doing the same to their High-A opponent, the St. Lucie Mets. Brett Lee was on the mound looking to atone for his last start, in which he lasted just four innings and allowed four runs. He did that and more, pitching a complete game shutout, scattering seven hits and three walks, while striking out four. He also induced three double plays, and none of the St. Lucie hits went for extra bases. The win gives him a 9-3 record on the year in fifteen starts, and lowered his ERA to 1.89, which would rank fourth in the FSL if he had three more innings under his belt, and just ahead of former teammate, Jose Berrios. The Mets actually outhit the Miracle 7-6, but RBI triples from Stuart Turner in the seventh and Max Kepler in the ninth gave Lee all the support he needed. Kepler was 2-3 on the night, while Travis Harrison was 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Byron Buxton rough stretch continued, as he went 0-4 with two strikeouts on the night, and is batting just .171 in his last ten games. In The Sandlot-esque fashion, Jason Kanzler entered the game in the top of the ninth as a pinch runner for Dalton Hicks, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then proceeded to steal third base. He then took home as part of a double-steal with Adam Brett Walker II for the Miracle’s third run of the game. KERNELS NUGGETS Kane County 6, Cedar Rapids 5 Box score Cedar Rapids fell behind early. Starter Stephen Gonsalves had some trouble in the first inning, as leadoff singles from the first two batters, a walk, and a bases clearing double put them in the hole 3-0. They got two back in the second courtesy of sacrifice fly balls from Michael Quesada and Chad Christensen that plated Max Murphy and Logan Wade, but were unable to mount any more offense until the ninth inning. Gonsalves retired nine in a row after the early hiccup, but was able to finish only four innings, allowing the three earned runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out five. In four starts (technically, but really three) with the Kernels, Gonsalves has now pitched sixteen innings with a 2.25 ERA, with sixteen strikeouts compared to just four walks. Chriss Mazza (2 IP, 3 H’s, 2 ER’s 3 K’s) and Hudson Boyd (2 IP, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 1 ER, 2 K’s) combined to pitch the next four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five. Josue Montanez finished the game with a scoreless inning and two K’s. The Kernels mounted a furious comeback in the bottom of the ninth, which included an RBI single from the rehabbing Joe Mauer and a Mitch Garver double that scored Engelb Vielma and Mauer to bring the team to within one. But strikeouts from Alex Swim and Logan Wade with the bases loaded ended the game in losing fashion. Mauer was 3-5 on the night, while Vielma (2-4), Swim (2-5, 2B) and Murphy (2-4, 2B) also collected multiple hits. E-TWINS E-NOTES Danville 0, Elizabethton 7 Box Score 2014 third round draft choice and fireballer, Michael Cederoth made the start for Elizabethton, and was effectively wild in helping them post another shutout, allowing one hit and four walks, while striking out four in 5.2 innings. There was also another (recently) well-publicized fireballer who made his professional debut in this one, and that of course means Sidd Finch, errr.., Brandon Poulson, took the mound in this one. I would say it went well, even though he didn’t strike out like twelve in his one-inning of work. In fact, he didn’t strike out anybody and walked the first batter he faced, but also saw just three batters as he induced a double play and a weak pop-up for his three outs. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what this guy can do! C.K. Irby (1.1 innings) and Cameron Booser (one inning) also pitched scoreless innings, with Irby striking out four and Booser striking out two. The E-Town offense was led by none other than Nick Gordon, who was 3-4 with a double, run scored and RBI to raise his average back to just shy of .300. Brett Doe added a RBI triple to the effort, while leadoff man Jeremias Pineda went 1-3 with two walks and three runs scored. GCL Twins Takes GCL Twins 3, GCL Red Sox 2 Box Score The GCL Twins took this one from the Red Sox at Jet Blue Park, behind a strong start from Josh Guyer, who went five innings and allowed two runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out three. Jhon Silva, Leonel Zazueta (win), and Trevor Hildenberger (save) combined for four innings of scoreless relief, four hits and one walk allowed, with four strikeouts. A Nelson Molina triple scored the first run of the game for the Twins in the third inning, and they added two more in the seventh courtesy of two singles, two sacrifice bunts and an error to head back home across Fort Myers and Daniels Parkway to the Lee County Sports Complex with the victory. DSL Twins Dialed In DSL D-backs 2, DSL Twins 3 Box Score Starter Moises Gomez (4 IP) and “long reliever” for the night, Randolph Perez (5 IP), combined for all nine innings, surrendering just two earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out four apiece. Luis Martinez was 3-4 with two doubles, Emmanuel Morel 2-4 with and run scored, and Roni Tapi added an RBI double in the win. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher – Brett Lee, Fort Myers Miracle (9IP, CG-SO, 7 H’s, 3 BB’s, 4 K’s) Hitter – Doug Bernier, Rochester Red Wings (3-5, 2 R’s, BB, HR, 2 RBI) SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester @ Indianapolis – Alex Meyer (6-4, 3.05 ERA), 6:05PM CST New Britain @ Erie – Taylor Rogers (8-6, 3.92 ERA), 6:05PM CST Fort Myers @ Palm Beach – TBD, 5:35PM CST Kane County @ Cedar Rapids – Lewis Thorpe (2-2, 4.53 ERA), 5:05PM CST Danville @ Elizabethton – Sam Gibbons (3-2, 3.40 ERA), 5:00PM CST GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox – TBD, 9:00AM CST DSL Twins @ DSL D-backs – TBD, 9:30AM CST Click here to view the article

Following the Minnesota Twins impressive series win in New York against the Yankees, GM Terry Ryan shuffled the roster. Down to Rochester go outfielders Oswaldo Arcia and Chris Parmelee, and infielder Eduardo Escobar. The Twins promoted infielder Doug Bernier and catcher/outfielder Chris Herrmann. This means there is one more player to be added to the 25 man roster. I believe it can be assumed that player will be 1B/OF Chris Colabello. The MLB and AAA All-Star breaks are at the same time, so Colabello will be able to participate in the home run contest and then the All-Star game. I assume he'll be promoted following the game. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Three weeks ago, many were touting Oswaldo Arcia as a potential American League Rookie of the Year candidate. However, he has been mired in an extreme slump the last couple weeks and clearly needed this. Parmelee began the season as the team's starting right fielder. He is fourth on the team with eight home runs, but is hitting just .223. His playing time has been fairly sporadic throughout the first half. Escobar got off to a fast start in April, but has not hit at all since. He is still just 24 and really needs to get some playing time in AAA. He was dubbed a utility infielder a year ago by the White Sox. Herrmann hit well in very limited time earlier in the season, but he has not hit at all in Rochester. After an 0-4 on Sunday, he is hitting .227 on the season, with a Escobaric .608 OPS. He can be the third catcher, allowing Doumit to play in right field. And, he can play in the outfield, as well. Bernier is a lesser known name. He is a minor league veteran. The 33 year old is hitting .295/.370/.407 with 23 extra base hits. Bernier went 0-4 in two games in 2008 with the Colorado Rockies, and this is his first time in the big leagues since. Along with the Rockies, he has spent time in the Yankees and Pirates organizations. This is a great story, if nothing else, of a guy not giving up. The Twins like having two infielders on the bench; Jamey Carroll is the other. The team has a spot on the 40 man roster for him. And, assuming the third player promoted is Colabello, I don't think anyone would question that. We hope he can get more consistent playing time in this, his third stint with the team. He has been our choice for Twins minor league player of the month in May and June. Overall with the Red Wings, he is hitting .354/.432/.652 (1.084) with 24 doubles and 24 home runs. He deserves an opportunity. Again, the Red Wings and the Twins begin their All-Star breaks now. The MLB All- Star game is Tuesday night while the AAA game is Wednesday night. Players will be with their second-half teams Thursday. View full article

On Thursday, the Minnesota Twins fell to the Texas Rangers by a score of 2-1. Vance Worley gave up two runs in five innings and the bullpen threw four scoreless innings and kept the team in it. Unfortunately, the Twins’ bats were quiet. Their lone run came on Josh Willingham’s third home run of the year. All four Twins full-season affiliates won on Thursday. Two of the the teams scored double-digit runs. The top two prospects added to their home run totals, while their top pitching prospect was on the mound early in the morning. So much to write about, so let’s get to the Minor League Report for Thursday, April 25! [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK](And be sure to look to adopt another prospect today too!) Rochester Red Wings 10, Syracuse Chiefs 7 Box Score The Red Wings had a 7-2 lead going into the bottom of the 6th inning. Shairon Martis worked the first five innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He walked none and struck out four. Caleb Thielbar entered and gave up five runs on five hits and a walk and was able to record just one out. Daniel Turpen came on and got the final two outs of the sixth and worked a perfect 7th frame as well. Luis Perdomo struck out two in the final two innings. Then, the Wings lost their big lead and their offense responded. They scored one run in each of the 7th, 8th and 9th innings. Doug Bernier led the offense. He was 5-5 with his first double and four RBI. Brian Dinkelman went 4-5 with his first three doubles of the season. Joe Benson went 2-4 with his first triple. He scored four runs and stole his third base. New Britain Rock Cats 4, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 1 Box Score The Rock Cats had an early morning wake up call Thursday. They played a game scheduled to start a 10:35 a.m. Eastern Time. Likely not everyone was awake. The Rock Cats sent Alex Meyer to the mound against the Fisher Cats. The right-hander improved to 2-0 with six solid innings. He gave up one run on eight hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Aaron Thompson replaced him and gave up no runs in the 7th and 8th innings. He yielded three hits. Michael Tonkin recorded his third save with a scoreless ninth. Dan Rohlfing led the offense. He went 3-4. Jhon Goncalves was 2-3 and is now hitting .304 with the Rock Cats. Josmil Pinto was 2-4. Ft. Myers Miracle 5, Charlotte Stone Crabs 3 Box Score DJ Baxendale was the Twins' 10th round pick last summer. He is off to a terrific beginning of his career as a starter with the Miracle. On this night, he improved to 3-0 with six strong innings. He gave up two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five. Dakota Watts entered the game next, making his first appearance of the season. The hard-thrower gave up two hits and a walk but no runs in his inning. Corey Williams recorded a two-inning save (his fifth). He gave up one run on two hits and struck out one. Eddie Rosario led the offense with a 3-4 day. Levi Michael was activated before the game. He batted second and was the DH. He went 2-4 with two triples. Kennys Vargas was 2-4. Miguel Sano launched his eighth home run of the month and of the year. Drew Leachman singled for his first Miracle hit. AJ Pettersen went 2-4 with his fourth double. The double came in the first inning and extended his hitting streak to nine games. Photo courtesy of Rinaldi Photos Cedar Rapids Kernels 16, Great Lakes Loons 7 Box Score It was another offensive explosion for the Kernels. Byron Buxton led the way again. The top pick went 3-5 with a walk, his third and fourth doubles, his third home run and five RBI. Niko Goodrum went 2-4 with two walks and his first home run. Adam Walker was 2-6 with his third double, his third home run and four RBI. Jorge Polanco went 2-4 with a walk and his first triple. Tyler Grimes walked three times. JD Williams was 1-3 with two walks. Travis Harrison hit his eighth double. Brett Lee made the start for Cedar Rapids. The lefty gave up four runs (3 earned) on seven hits and three walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out one. Tyler Jones went the next 2.2 innings. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on three hits. He walked none and struck out two. Matt Tomshaw returned from the disabled list and worked 1.2 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and walked one while striking out two. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. View full article