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It’s fair to suggest all of the excitement resonated from the St. Paul Saints today. Not only was Louie Varland making his Major League debut following a quick stop at Triple-A, but the Saints scored a bunch and Mark Contreras was the biggest bat. Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports TRANSACTIONS RHP Louie Varland contract selected by Minnesota Twins RHP Jake Jewell designated for assignment SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 10, Toledo 6 Box Score The Saints got to watch teammate Louie Varland deal in New York this afternoon before Ronny Henriquez took the mound in Toledo. Henriquez was great allowing just two runs on one hit. He walked one but struck out nine. St. Paul started off the scoring with a pair of first inning dingers. Michael Helman launched his 12th of the season before Mark Contreras hit his 14th. In the 2nd inning the good guys kept rolling. First, Andrew Bechtold got his first Triple-A double to drive in Cole Sturgeon, then Elliot Soto ripped a triple to bring home Bechtold. Matt Wallner wound up grounding out, but the ball being put in play allowed Soto to scamper home. Still looking to pile on, Helman grabbed his second hit of the day, a single this time and Soto scored for the second time. After giving back two on a 4th inning Mud Hens homer, the Saints answered a few innings later. Chris Williams grounded out with the baes loaded, but Toledo couldn’t roll a double play and David Banuelos scored. After the Mud Hens got a run back on an Austin Schulfer wild pitch in the 6th inning, Banuelos doubled to bring in Bechtold and wipe it off in the 7th inning. Toledo drew closer in the bottom half, but Contreras was able to smash his second blast of the game in the 8th inning, a two-run shot scoring Matt Wallner, and double up the Mud Hens 10-5. Five different St. Paul hitters had multi-hit nights, which isn’t surprising given the 13 total for the team. Contreras was the lone batter to reach three in the game, however. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 5, NW Arkansas 0 Box Score The Wind Surge turned to Kody Funderburk tonight. He was great going six strong allowing only four hits and a walk. The Wichita starter punched out seven batters. It took no time for Wichita to get runs for their starter. Aaron Sabato started things with his third Double-A two-bagger, this one with the bases loaded, bringing in Edouard Julien, Jair Camargo, and Yunior Severino. Anthony Prato then singled to bring Sabato home and make it 4-0 early. Quietly going about their business through the middle of this one, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. added an insurance run in the 8th inning to score Anthony Prato. Edouard Julien and Prato both recorded three-hit games, and the Wind Surge tallied a total of 14 runs tonight. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, South Bend 4 Box Score It was David Festa tonight for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. After getting behind early, Festa settled in and wound up working 6 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while also striking out three. After getting behind 1-0 after the 1st inning, the Kernels responded with a run of their own in the 3rd inning. Pat Winkel crushed his 9th double to drive in Brooks Lee and knot things up. Unfortunately the lead evaporated in the 5th inning when South Bend added two more. In the 6th inning Cedar Rapids began their comeback. Alerick Soularie drove in Mikey Perez on a ground out and the deficit was only one. After giving it back in the 7th inning, the Kernels erupted for six runs in the eighth inning. Charles Mack crushed his fifth homer of the season to draw back within one before a bases loaded walk of Dylan Neuse scored Seth Gray. Kyler Fedko then drove a single through the left side and watched both Perez and Wille Joe Garry Jr. cross the plate. Before the inning was done, Brooks Lee got into the action with his fourth double, plating both Neuse and Fedko. Both Fedko and Perez had two hits apiece, and six different Cedar Rapids batters combined to tally the eight hits. MUSSEL MATTERS Postponed Game postponed due to inclement weather. Fort Myers and St. Lucie will make it up tomorrow as part of a doubleheader. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K Hitter of the Day – Mark Contreras (St. Paul) - 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR(15) PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 1-2, R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2B #4 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-3 #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-4, R, RBI, BB #12 - Louie Varland (Minnesota) - 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K #13 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 3-4, R #16 - Ronny Henriquez (St. Paul) - 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K #19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, RBI, 2 K THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Toledo (5:35PM CST) - RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson NW Arkansas @ Wichita (7:05PM CST) - RHP Aaron Rozek South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35PM CST) - RHP Travis Adams St. Lucie @ Fort Myers (6:00PM CST) - RHP Marco Raya Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates back and playing. View full article

Ron Gardenhire was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame prior to Saturday night's game. Unfortunately, the Twins fell in extras to the Rangers 4-3. Here are some highlights from that game plus Chris Williams, Kody Funderburk, Jair Camargo, Yunior Severino, Blayne Enlow, Jake Rucker Pat Winkel and more. View full video

Will Holland's speed and power put him in Wind Surge history on Sunday afternoon. Get the latest updates and scores from Sunday's endeavors across the farm! TRANSACTIONS No transactions on Sunday within the organization! SAINTS SENTINEL Columbus 5, St. Paul 3 (10) Box Score Extra innings, man. Per Saints broadcaster and Vice President Sean Aronson, St. Paul has played more extra-inning games than any professional baseball team in their 2022 campaign. In their 17th extra-inning game of the season, the Saints dropped a 5-3 contest to Columbus on Sunday afternoon. St. Paul scored their runs on a pair of solo homers from Mark Contreras (12) and Chris Williams (1) alongside a sac-fly from John Andreoli that scored Caleb Hamilton. St. Paul starter Aaron Sanchez was magnificent, pitching five scoreless innings with striking out four, allowing just three hits and one walk. Sanchez shined in his one appearance with the Twins earlier this summer and it's great to see him continue to shine with St. Paul. Saints' relievers Tyler Thornburg and Jharel Cotton were solid on the day; Thornburg was perfect in the sixth inning, striking one one while Cotton was solid on the back end, pitching 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball between the eighth and ninth innings. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 10, Corpus Christi 4 Box Score The bats were buzzing in Kansas. An inside-the-park homer from Will Holland led the Surge to a dominant win on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium in Wichita. Holland's homer took place in the second inning and was truly a spectacular sight. Holland also tallied an RBI single in the seventh inning and his inside-the-parker was the first in franchise history. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. also had a stellar day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a towering solo home run in the third inning. The Surge were just as electric on the bump; starter Kody Funderburk (W, 8-4) tossed five shutout innings, striking out four and allowing zero walks. Cody (with a C) Lawyerson followed suit with a scoreless sixth inning. Highly-touted prospect Blayne Enlow was effective in relief as well, tossing a scoreless eighth inning. The win continues a hot streak for the Surge. Wichita has one nine of its last ten and 15 of its last 18 games. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 6, Cedar Rapids 5 Box Score A pair of ninth-inning runs from Quad Cities kept the Kernels out of the win column on Sunday afternoon. Despite the loss, there were a myriad of standout performances. Recent first-round pick Brooks Lee continued his impressive debut in pro ball, tallying four singles on the day. Alerick Soularie and Seth Gray each had rock-solid days at the office; Soularie launched a two-run homer along with an RBI single and Gray laced an RBI double along with a single. Starting pitcher Ryan Shreve was excellent, tossing three shutout innings and striking out two while walking none. MUSSEL MATTERS Jupiter 9, Fort Myers 4 Box Score After surrendering four runs in the first inning, Fort Myers mustered together some momentum with a four-run response in the second, all of which came with two outs. Unfortunately, that would be the only noise that the Mussels would make at the plate in a 9-4 loss on Sunday afternoon. Despite the loss, the second-inning frenzy was a beauty. Rubel Cespedes led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and advanced to second on a single from Kal’ai Rosario. Following a pair of fly outs, Daniel Ozoria laced a 3-1 pitch for a single into center to score Cespedes and move Rosario to third. The party started in the next at-bat; with Luis Baez at the plate, Rosario and Ozoria whipped up a double-steal, scoring Rosario and moving Ozoria to second. Ozoria would later score on a passed ball and Baez would eventually cross home as well thanks to a walk. Small ball at its finest. Fort Myers relievers Regi Grace and Anthony Escobar were outstanding for the Mussels. After a rocky two-thirds of an inning from starter Tomas Cleto, Grace went 2 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out four. Escobar followed with two innings of perfect baseball, striking out one. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day: Will Holland (Wichita) - 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K Pitcher of the Day: Kody Funderburk (Wichita) - 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #2 - Brooks Lee (Cedar Rapids) - 4-for-5, R # 7 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 0-for-4, BB, 2 K #9 - Matt Wallner (St. Paul) - 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 3-for-5, R, RBI, K #15 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K #18 - Tanner Schobel (Fort Myers) - 0-for-3, RBI, BB, K #19 - Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI #20 - Kala'i Rosario (Fort Myers) - 2-for-4, R, SB, K MONDAY'S GAMES FCL Twins @ FCL Braves (11:00am CST) DSL Twins @ DSL Nationals (11:00am AST) View full article

There was a myriad of rock-solid starting pitching performances through the month of July across the Twins' farm system. That couldn't be more timely as we enter the dog days of the minor league calendar. Through all the strikeouts, groundouts, and shutouts, here's who we've selected as our Starting Pitchers of the Month. Previous Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Month June Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month: Aaron Rozek May Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month: Steve Hajjar April Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month: John Stankiewicz Honorable Mention III - Kody Funderburk (Double-A Wichita Wind Surge) The definition of steady-eddy development, the lefty from Mesa, AZ had another rock-solid month in July. Through four starts (and an additional long relief appearance), Funderburk touted a 2.57 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and just five walks through 21 innings in July. Funderburk allowed just one run in three of his starts and shutout Northwest Arkansas in 3 2/3 innings of relief following Louie Varland's start on July 29. At 25 years old and coming off an incredible season in Cedar Rapids, Funderburk has found his stride with Double-A Wichita this season. His yearlong 7-4 record, 2.82 ERA, and 1.39 WHIP are rock solid, yet Funderburk's greatest strength is his versatility. A proven success as a starter and as a reliever, Funderburk serves as a the 'jack-of-all-trades yes man' for the Twins organization as they move forward. Honorable Mention II - Aaron Sanchez (Triple-A St. Paul Saints) Once a reliable rock on the MLB pitching scene, Sanchez fell short to unfortunate injuries that led to inconstancies in the mid to late 2010's. Signed to a minor league contract prior to the 2022 season, it looks like Sanchez has found his footing. Called up to the Twins towards the end of July, the 30-year-old cruised to consistency in St. Paul for a majority of the month. Through four starts and 22 2/3 innings, Sanchez recorded 3.18 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in July along with 13 strikeouts. His most impressive stat? Sanchez faced 68 batters in July for the Saints. He walked just one of them. Promoted to Target Field to face the Tigers on August 1, Sanchez dealt, striking out eight Detroit batters through five innings. Unfortunately for Sanchez, the acquisition of Michael Fulmer mean that that space on the roster was needed, resulting in Sanchez being DFA'd. Baseball is a business and it's unfortunate to see Sanchez go after things were seemingly going his way. Regardless of where his next start takes place, he's trending in the right direction. HONORABLE MENTION I - Marco Raya (Low-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels) One of the most prized arms in the Twins organization, the Laredo, TX native continued his dominant 2022 campaign with a stellar July. In four starts and 17 innings, the 19-year-old tallied a 2.65 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while striking out 17 and walking just five batters. A fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, Raya has continued to dazzle with his electric fastball and rock-solid slider, two things that aren't necessarily new for the righty. Long starts are a rarity at the Low-A level and Raya is no exception. All four of his starts in July were five innings or less and his season-long is six innings. That's not a reflection of Raya's performance, but merely a developmental precaution used to mold young, talented arms. The consistency and flare are there and it will be fascinating to see how Raya performs when his innings are increased as he scales the Twins' farm system. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE STARTING PITCHER OF THE MONTH - Mike Paredes (Low-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels) On a team known for it's lights-out pitching, Mike Paredes was an absolute joy to watch through the month of July. Drafted in the 18th round of the 2021 Draft, Paredes has made a name for himself in his first full season of professional baseball. This past month was no exception. Through five games and four starts spanning 26 1/3 innings, Paredes recorded a 4-0 record, 2.05 ERA, and 1.06 WHIP while striking out 15 batters and walking just four. A heavy groundout/flyout pitcher, Parades kept runs off the board, allowing just one run in three of his four starts and allowing just one home run against 79 batters faced. Even on 'off days,' Parades was dominant. Despite giving up seven hits on July 2 against Dunedin, the 22-year-old allowed just one run through six innings to propel the Mussels to victory. Paredes has the potential to be the ultimate Twins pitcher; a consistent workhorse who may not rely heavily on speed and strikeouts, but more so on accuracy and pitch selection. An out's an out no matter how it takes place and Paredes sure knows how to get them. At 22 years old, the Twins have time to work with the San Diego State alum. And while he may not have the name recognition of other arms within the organization, expect Paredes to make more and more noise and he climbs the organization in years to come. View full article

Christian Encarnacion-Strand continued his mammoth season while Kody Funderburk pitched a gem to propel the Wind Surge to victory. TRANSACTIONS INF Spencer Steer reported to Future's Game OF Matt Wallner reported to Future's Game C Caleb Hamilton promoted from Triple-A St. Paul to Minnesota Twins RHP Hunter Wood on 7-Day IL for the Saints. RHP Tyler Palm promoted from High-A Cedar Rapids to Double-A Wichita RHP Alex Scherff placed on IL SAINTS SENTINEL Toledo 7, St. Paul 3 Box Score Jake Cave (2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R) and Jermaine Palacios (2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R) contributed the bulk of the Saints offense and all of their extra-base hits, an effort that was ultimately not enough to best the Mud Hens. Miguel Sanó finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Aaron Sanchez started for St. Paul and allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings. Ian Hamilton and Juan Minaya pitched the final 3 1/3 innings and combined to surrender three runs. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 9, Arkansas 2 Box Score It’s Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s world and we’re all just living in it. The Twins’ best power bat in the minors continued his incredible season with a two, home run performance in only his second Double-A game. He now has 26 to go along with 26 doubles and a .996 OPS in 98 career Minor League games. But his bat wasn’t the only one lighting up the night sky in Wichita Friday evening. Chris Williams (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB) also launched two home runs—his 14th and 15th of the season—while DeShawn Keirsey Jr. (4-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R) *only* hit one. In total, the Wind Surge erupted for 12 hits with seven going for extra bases. On the mound, lefty Kody Funderburk did more than enough. He pitched six innings and struck out eight while surrendering only one run and allowing five Travelers to reach base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 4, Beloit 2 Box Score Aaron Sabato’s 10th home run of the season could not have come at a better time. The solo shot gave the Kernels a 3-2 lead in the top of the 8th inning, a lead they would ultimately not surrender. He finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Seth Gray drove in two runs and finished 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Sean Mooney was lights out on the mound after the first inning when he allowed two runs after Cedar Rapids scored two of their own in the top of the frame. Mooney finished with nine strikeouts and zero walks. Miguel Rodriguez and Bobby Milacki allowed only one Sky Carp batter to reach base in four innings of relief. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Clearwater 1 Box Score Fort Myers 7, Clearwater 4 Box Score The Might Mussels came away with two victories over the Threshers in Fort Myers Friday. They took Game 1 behind the bats of Carlos Aguiar (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R), Noah Cardenas (2-for-3, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 R), and Rubel Cespedes (1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R). Marco Raya and Malik Barrington combined to strike out seven and walk five, but the duo allowed only a single run and no extra-base hits. During the second game, it was the bats of Misael Urbina (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB, R), Noah Miller (3-for-3, BB, R), Mikey Perez (2-for-3, 2 2B, RBI, R), and Keoni Cavaco (1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R) that pushed Fort Myers over Clearwater. The Mighty Mussels pitching staff once again struggled with walks—they allowed six compared to seven strikeouts—but they were able to limit the damage thanks to only one of the Threshers’ six hits going for extra bases (a double). COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Red Sox 9, FCL Twins 3 Box Score It was a difficult day at the plate and on the mound for the FCL Twins. Only one batter—Alexander Peña (2-for-3, BB)—registered multiple hits, both being singles. Danny De Andrade (1-for-4) and Breilin Ramirez (1-for-4, RBI, R) each contributed doubles. Juan Nuñez started on the bump and struck out eight batters across four innings of work. However, he was saddled with the loss after surrendering three runs, two of them earned. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Angels 5, DSL Twins 3 Box Score Bryan Acuña (2-for-3, BB, R), José Rodriguez (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI), and Yasser Mercedes (1-for-4, 3B, R) provided the thump for the DSL Twins lineup Friday afternoon, but it wasn’t enough to cover the DSL Angels and their 12 hits. Christian Jimenez, Eduardo Soriano, and Juan Mercedes struck out seven combined and did not allow a walk, but ultimately weren’t able to overcome the Angles’ lineup. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Kody Funderburk (Wichita): 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita): 2-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 R PROSPECT SUMMARY We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed: #8 - Noah Miller (Fort Myers) - 3-for-6, BB, R #9 - Marco Raya (Fort Myers) - 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K #15 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-for-4, R #16 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Wichita) - 2-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 R SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs. Toledo (7:07 PM CST) - RHP Mario Sanchez (4-3, 3.24 ERA) Wichita vs. Arkansas (6:05 PM CST) - RHP Daniel Gossett (1-1, 2.22 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (6:35 PM CST) - LHP Brent Headrick (7-2, 2.39 ERA) Fort Myers vs. Clearwater (6:00 PM CST) - RHP Pierson Ohl (4-4, 4.42 ERA) View full article

The Minnesota Twins fell to the White Sox, allowing Chicago to get back to .500. It was a game that felt a little too familiar ... Down in the minors Chris Williams hit two home runs for the second straight game and Christian Encarnacion-Strand thought it looked like fun, so he decided to mash two taters himself. Also highlighted tonight are Aaron Sabato, Kody Funderburk and Sean Mooney. View full video

There was no lack of excitement across the farm on the Sunday before the Fourth of July. Check out all the fireworks from across the Twins Minor League organization! SAINTS SENTINAL St. Paul 10, Omaha 2 Box Score In front of a season-high crown the St. Paul Saints turned on the bats in a 10-2 beatdown over division foe Omaha. The Saints' approach at the plate was versatile, using three doubles, six singles, and a Tim Beckham homer to plate the most runs scored since a June 19th extra-innings victory over Columbus. The offense wasn't the only storyline; starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez (W, 3-0) was dominant, tossing six innings of one-run, three-hit baseball while striking out two. For the third time this season, Sanchez didn't allow a single walk. The bullpen trio of Jake Petricka, Hunter Wood, and Ian Hamilton was equally impressive, pitching a combined three innings of no-hit ball while striking out three. Beckham, Mark Contreras, Jose Godoy, and Braden Bishop all tallied multi-hit games for the Saints and combined for nine of ten hits recorded by the team. Contreras is off to a hot start in July, hitting safely in all three games with two doubles, a homer, and four RBI. Emerging as the face of the Saints' offense, Contreras is slashing .244/.340/.434 (.744) on the season with 13 doubles, eight homers, and 34 RBI. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 10, Springfield 9 Box Score There have been a number of mountains and unfortunately some valleys for the Wind Surge in a 2022 season filled with highs and lows. Winning extra-inning games isn't one of those lows. Following a two-hour rain delay, the Surge used a Kyle Schmidt two-run homer in the eighth inning to secure the win in a game that was scheduled for seven innings. The win now puts the Surge at 6-2 in extra-inning games in the 2022 season. Assigned to Wichita on June 17 from High-A Cedar Rapids, Schmidt punched a 3-2 pitch over the left-center field wall to score Edouard Julien from second and give the Surge a 10-8 lead. The blast was Schmidt's first at the Double-A level. Anthony Prato and Kevin Merrell gave the Surge an early lead with back-to-back homers in the second inning to give Wichita a 3-0 lead. Chris Williams also homered, punching a fourth-inning fastball over the left-field wall for his eighth home run of the season. Prato had the strongest day at the plate for the Wind Surge, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a single along with his home run. Starting pitcher Kody Funderburk allowed four runs on four hits with a walk while striking out three through 3 1/3 innings. And while it wasn't his strongest outing, Funderburk still outs a 3.06 ERA and 1.46 WHIP on the year through 19 games and five starts. KERNELS NUGGETS Wisconsin 5, Cedar Rapids 4 Box Score Despite a four-hit game from Alerick Soularie the Kernels dropped a one-run contest to the Timber Rattlers on Sunday afternoon. The Kernels have now lost five in a row. An honorable mention recipient for our Minor League Hitter of the Month, Soularie punched four singles and stole a base in the series finale against Wisconsin. Soularie is heating up as of recent and is now slashing .217/.315/.371 (.701) on the season. After a rough start from Pierce Banks, reliever Tyler Palm settled in, pitching three innings of no-run, one-hit ball while striking out for and walking one. Matthew Swain followed Palm and was solid, but gave up a pair of two-out hits in the eighth inning that allowed the Timber Rattlers to take the lead. In addition to Soularie, Kyler Fedko and Wander Javier tallied multi-game hits. Will Holland recorded his fifth homer of the season when he launched a three-run bomb over the left-field wall in the third inning. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers, Dunedin POSTPONED Sunday's tilt against the Blue Jays was postponed due to severe weather and will be made up as part of a double-header when the two teams face off in a July 22-24 series. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day: Alerick Soularie (Cedar Rapids) - 4-for-5, SB Pitcher of the Day: Aaron Sanchez (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, R, 2 K PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the new Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Tuesday. With the turning of the calendar to July, Twins Daily has updated its Top 20 Prospect rankings. #6 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 1-for-4, 2 R, BB #12 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 0-for-2, RBI, BB, K #14 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 2-for-5, R SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (6:40 PM CST) - RHP Josh Winder (0-0, 4.50 ERA) Amarillo @ Wichita (6:35 PM CST) - RHP Daniel Gossett (0-1, 2.03 ERA) Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - TBD Fort Myers @ Tampa (5:30 PM CST) - TBD View full article

Outfielder Matt Wallner hit another home run, Kody Funderburk picked up another win, and Evan Sisk continued his turnaround during Week 5 of Arizona Fall League play for Minnesota Twins prospects. One of their pitchers also got to play in the Fall Stars Game, in which their AFL East team won. Week 5 was the first of the season where the Scottsdale Scorpions put together a winning record, with three wins compared to two losses. Going into the last week of play their record sits at 11-16, good for second in the East division standing, 3.5 games behind Mesa. Matt Wallner: 4 games, 5-for-13, 2 R, 2B, HR (5), 2 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K; .276/.386/.569 (.955 OPS, leads team) overall. The power hitting lefty was back to full participation in Week 5, getting the start in four games. He came out hot in Monday’s 11-10 loss against the Mesa Solar Sox, getting the nod at designated hitter and batting sixth. He drew a walk in the first inning that loaded the bases, and the hitter after him delivered a two-run single for an early 3-0 lead for the Scorpions. Leading off the third, Wallner clubbed his fifth home run of the AFL season the opposite way into left-center to kick start an inning where his team batted around. That of course means Wallner came up again, and in addition to starting it, he also finished the scoring in their six-run barrage with an RBI double that made it 10-0 Scottsdale. Unfortunately for them, that was the end of their scoring on the game, and the Solar Sox came scorching back with 11 runs of their own the rest of the way to steal a victory. Wallner was also hit by another pitch in the 5th inning, meaning he reached base four times on the day in six plate appearances. He was back in action for Tuesday’s 2-1 victory at home versus the Surprise Saguaros, taking left field and again batting sixth. With his team down 1-0 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Wallner led off their last at-bat with a line drive single into right field on the first pitch he saw. Teammate Kole Cottam followed his lead, and took the very next pitch deep to right center, giving the Scorpions a walk-off win after being held to just three hits as a team before the ninth. After a day off Wallner was moved up in the lineup for Thursday’s 4-0 loss to the Peoria Javelinas, batting third and playing in right field. His team again had some trouble collecting hits, but he had one of their four on the game with a single in the sixth inning. He also drew a walk in this one, and had two strikeouts in his other plate appearance to finish 1-for-3. In the team's final game of the week on Friday, Wallner was again in right field and batting fifth for their 4-2 win over the Glendale Desert Dogs in a seven inning affair. He extended his hitting streak to five games with a single in the third inning but ended up stranded at second base. His team was already up 4-0 and was more than enough the rest of the way for the Scorpions. He ended the game 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, but otherwise had another strong week and currently tied for the team lead with five home runs, and leads the squad with 14 RBI and a .955 OPS on the AFL season. Zach Featherstone: 2 appearances, 1.2 IP, H, ER, 3 BB, K; 9.00 ERA, 2.44 WHIP, 12 K, 9 BB, 9 2/3 IP overall. Featherstone made his first appearance of the week to start the fifth inning in Wednesday’s 6-1 win over the Salt River Rafters. He was credited with his second hold of the AFL season as he delivered a scoreless frame. He struck out the first hitter he faced before allowing a walk, but a groundout and caught stealing attempt erased any threat. 12 of his 21 pitches in the inning went for strikes, including four swinging. In their win against Glendale on Friday, Featherstone was brought into the game with one out in the sixth inning and a runner on second base. A walk to the first hitter he faced this time came back to bite him. With two runners on and two outs a batter later, he had an epic 12-pitch battle he ultimately ended up losing after the hitter fouled off six different pitches. The two-run double that resulted made the final score of 4-2. After another walk triggered a mound visit, Featherstone finally put an end to the threat by getting a pop out to the infield to keep his team in front. Andrew Bechtold: 2 games, 1-for-9, R, 6 K; .214/.313/.286 (.598 OPS) overall. Bechtold was the catcher for the first game of the week for Scottsdale on Monday, and batting eighth in the lineup. In their six-run third inning that Wallner led off with a bomb, Bechtold later delivered a loud and long single before trotting around the bases on another home run from teammate Jordan Qasar. He’d finish the game 1-for-5 with three strikeouts as the Scorpions collapsed after jumping out to a big lead early. In their shutout loss to the Peoria Javelinas on Thursday, Bechtold batted cleanup playing first base, and finished 0-for-4 with another three strikeouts. In a game where his team had just four hits it’s a little hard to feel bad about such a performance, then you also take a look at how other players did and come to the conclusion it was just one of those days. Maybe there was a bad glare around the batter's eye as despite the win, Peoria’s leadoff hitter was 0-for-5 with five K’s for the infamous “platinum sombrero,” another who was 0-for-4 with the “golden” variety (4 K’s), and finally another who matched Bechtold with the boring regular sombrero. All in all the teams combined to strike out 27 times in the game, or exactly half the outs recorded. Yikes. Kody Funderburk: 1 start, W, 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K; 6.11 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 22 K, 6 BB, 17 2/3 IP overall. After a two-win Week 4 Funderburk continued his rebound from a bit of a rough start with another win in his lone start of Week 5. He got the nod in Friday’s scheduled seven inning game, and completed a perfect first three innings, retiring all nine hitters he faced. He picked up a strikeout in each inning and needed just forty pitches in his time on the mound. 26 of those pitches went for strikes, and included five of the swinging variety. That’s three straight wins for the left-handed starting pitcher and in that time he’s allowed four runs on eleven hits, walked only one, and struck out 15 batters in 10 2/3 IP. His ERA is down from above 10 to 6.11, and his WHIP down nearly a whole point to 1.75, in that timeframe, coming on strong for the Scorpions starting staff as the end of the season approaches. He is second on the team in innings pitched and strikeouts in AFL play. Michael Helman: 2 games, 0-for-4, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 SB; .234/.368/.277 (.649 OPS) overall. Like Bechtold, Helman saw action in only two of the five games one week, getting the start in Wednesday’s and Friday’s wins. Batting leadoff and playing center field in their 6-1 win over Salt River, Helman reached base in three of five plate appearances. He picked up an RBI in the second inning when his bases loaded ground ball to short ended with no out being recorded for a fielder’s choice play. He drew a walk in the fifth inning and came around to score on a single that gave the Scorpions a 2-0 lead. He added another base on balls in the sixth and finished the game 0-for-3 with a run scored. In Friday’s win over Glendale, Helman was inverted to ninth in the lineup, and this time playing left field. He was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance, and subsequently stole second base, ending up on third when the throw went into center field. He scored on a sacrifice fly from the next batter to give them a 4-0 lead at the time. He led off the fourth inning with a walk and as he has done so far in the season, took off for second base again, picking up another stolen base. This is the third time in AFL play he has stolen two bases in a game and his six total steals lead the team and is tied for third in the league. He’d end this game 0-for-1 with a run scored, walk, and strikeout. Cody Laweryson: 2 appearances (including Fall Stars Game), 2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 5 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 2 K; 4.15 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 17 K, 7 BB, 13 IP overall. Laweryson pitched in two games on the week, though only one of those was with the rest of his Twins teammates as he was their only selection to play in the Fall Stars Game on Saturday. In Monday’s game where Scottsdale blew a 10-run lead, Laweryson unfortunately got charged with the loss. He began his outing in the fifth inning with the score 10-6, and he delivered a scoreless frame on 12 pitches, picking up a strikeout in the process. A leadoff single was erased when he got an inning-ending double play ball. Back out for the sixth inning, it then went downhill for him and the Scorpions. A single and two walks loaded the bases with one out, before he gave up a grand slam that tied the game at 10. Another walk put an end to his day, and that runner later came around to score on an error to complete the epic comeback for the Solar Sox. In 1 1/3 innings pitched, Laweryson was charged with five runs (four earned) on three hits and three walks. It was a different story in Saturday’s Fall Stars Game, where Laweryson got the invite after piling up strikeouts and in the season’s first half. With his East squad up 5-2, he got the ball to start the fifth inning and set the opposition down in order. He was credited with a hold and punctuated his outing with a swinging strikeout to end the inning. The East team won the game 6-5 powered by home runs from the game’s MVP JJ Bleday of the Miami Marlins, and Hunter Bishop from the San Francisco Giants. Evan Sisk: 2 appearances, 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K; 7.45 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 12 K, 7 BB, 9 2/3 IP overall. The left-handed Sisk made his first appearance of the week in Tuesday’s walk-off win against Surprise, called upon for the seventh inning with his team down 1-0. He delivered a one-two-three outing, striking out one and getting a pair of ground balls on fifteen pitches. Continuing his surge in AFL play Sisk was next called upon as a fireman in their shutout loss to Peoria on Thursday. After two runs had already scored in the inning, Sisk entered the game with two outs and runners on the corners in the sixth. He ended the rally with a big strikeout to keep the score at 3-0, then also delivered a scoreless seventh, allowing just a single before striking out his last hitter on three pitches. In his last five appearances, Sisk has pitched a total of 5 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up just one hit, walking none, and striking out seven. Check back every week to see how Minnesota Twins prospects have played during the AFL season, and please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who are there! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

With the power-hitting Matt Wallner sitting out the first half of the week after being hit in the face by a pitch last Thursday, it was a trio of Minnesota Twins pitchers who shined in Week 4 of the Arizona Fall League season. A starting pitcher even picked up two of their team’s three wins on the week. Overall the Scottsdale Scorpions had their first .500 or better record over their six games, going 3-3 while facing the same team three days in a row to close it out. They’ll look to continue that upward trend as a squad in Week 5. Matt Wallner: 2 games, 1-for-9, 2B, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 4 K; .269/.381/.596 (.977 OPS) overall. Wallner didn’t see his first action of the week until Thursday, in the Scorpions 6-0 loss to the Peoria Javelinas, as he recovered from being hit in the face by a pitch last week. He batted sixth in the lineup and played left field in the game. He flew out to center field in the second inning, was called out on strikes in the fifth and eighth innings, and grounded out in the ninth for the final out of the contest to finish 0-for-4. On defense, he collected an outfield assist by cutting down a runner at second base trying to stretch a single into a double. There were few opportunities for Scottsdale in the game, as they finished just 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and left only six men on base as a team. His second game of the week came in Saturday’s 11-7 win over Peoria, where he was the cleanup hitter and on the other side of the outfield in right. He got the Scorpions started with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at two. It was his first double of the AFL season. Zach Featherstone: 2 appearances, 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; 9.82 ERA, 2.45 WHIP 7 1/3 IP) overall. The left-hander made two relief appearances on the week with the first of those coming in Monday’s 8-3 win over the Surprise Saguaros. With his team out front by five runs, he was summoned to finish the game for the Scorpions in the ninth. He walked the first man he faced in the frame but then got two quick outs, including a strikeout, before a single and another walk loaded the bases to make it a little interesting. But he recovered on the next hitter, getting a fly out to finish the game in the win column for Scottsdale. His second outing of the week was in Friday’s 12-1 loss to the Javelinas. With the score 3-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Featherstone got the call as the second reliever of the game for the Scorpions. A pair of one-out singles put runners on base before he allowed a three-run home run to Jose Cabellero that broke the game open for Peoria. He then retired the next two hitters he faced, including a strikeout to end his inning, but the homerun he allowed was a bit of a catalyst for Peoria as they scored six more runs in the final two innings. Andrew Bechtold: 3 games, 3-for-13, 2B, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB, 5 K; .231/.333/.308 (.641 OPS) overall. Bechtold played in three games last week, playing a different position on the field in each as he continues to display his versatility around the infield. In Tuesday’s 10-9 win in extra-innings over Salt River Bechtold batted seventh and served as the catcher. Though he finished 0-for-5 in this one, his RBI groundout in a four-run eighth inning helped the Scorpions take a 9-8 lead going into the final frame. As the catcher, he also threw a runner out at second base on a steal attempt in the seventh inning after the Rafters had taken an 8-4 lead with a two-run home run. Bechtold was at first base and batting cleanup in Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to Mesa, where he finished his day 1-for-4 with a pair of RBI’s. With the score tied at one in the third inning, Bechtold came to the plate with runners on second and third, and drove an 0-2 pitch into center field for a two-run single and 3-1 lead for his team. His other at-bats included a fly out and two strikeouts, and on defense he had a throwing error attempting to deliver the ball to the pitcher covering first base. The final action of the week for Bechtold came in the Scorpions 11-7 win on Saturday against Peoria, where he was back to batting seventh but on the other side of the diamond at third base. He drew a walk to lead off the second inning and scored Scottsdale’s first run of the inning three batters later that gave them a 3-2 lead. In the third inning his one-out double got a rally started and trotted home again on a three-run home run from teammate Will Wilson. Bechtold then capped the Scorpions scoring on the game with a two-run single in the eighth inning that was too hot to handle for the shortstop, as he could only deflect the ball into center field. He finished 2-for-4 with his fourth double, walk, two runs scored, and two RBI for a strong finish to his week. Kody Funderburk: 2 starts, 7 2/3 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, BB, 12 K; 7.36 ERA, 2.11 WHIP (14 2/3 IP) overall. Funderburk was tabbed for two starts on the week, and he collected the win in both of them, evening his win-loss record in AFL play to 2-2. In his 3 2/3 IP in Monday’s 8-3 win over Surprise, Funderburk was charged with two runs on seven hits and one walk, while striking out six Saguaros. As you can tell from that pitching line, he dealt with a lot of baserunners, but was able to limit some of the damage with big strikeouts. In the first frame, a single and a walk put multiple runners on base, but he bore down and struck out two hitters to end the threat. In the second he allowed one run after a double and an RBI single, but after another single he got another strikeout to keep the Saguaros tally at just one. In the third inning it was a one-out triple that led to another run, but he got the other three hitters he faced out, including another K to end the inning. In the fourth he got two quick strikeouts before a pair of singles ended his outing, but it was enough to be awarded the win by AFL/exhibition rules and encouraging outing compared to his first few weeks. He continued that upward trajectory in Saturday’s 11-7 win over the Peoria Javelinas, striking out another six hitters while this time finishing four innings. In all he allowed two runs on four hits and walked none. The Javelinas got to him early with a pair of runs in the first on three hits, but he got out of the jam by picking off a runner at first base. He allowed only a single in the second inning, then the third and fourth frames were both of the one-two-three variety, including two strikeouts in each. When his day was done his team was up 8-2 and the win would again be his. Michael Helman: 4 games, 5-for-15, 2B, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 SB; .256/.347/.302 (.649 OPS) overall. Helman saw the most action of any Twins player this week, playing in four games and collecting five hits in total. On Monday, his 2-for-5 effort came out of the leadoff spot in the batting order while he played center field. He doubled to lead off the third inning, stole third base, and then scampered home on another double for a 3-1 lead. In the fourth, he singled and stole second base before being left stranded after two runs had already scored. The double was his second of the AFL season and is the second time he’s stolen two bases in a game thus far. Back in action again on Thursday against Peoria, Helman was flipped in the order to batting ninth, and was back roaming center field. Though his team was shutout in the game, Helman collected two of their seven total hits with singles in each of the sixth and eighth innings, finishing 2-for-3 on the day. He played for a third day in a row on Friday, again against Peoria in another blowout loss. He again batted ninth and played center field, closing his week with an 0-for-3 effort. His plate appearances included a ground out to first, pop out to short, and fly out to right field as the Scorpions had only five hits and three walks in the game as a team. On defense he also had a throwing error trying to gun down a runner at home in the seventh inning. Cody Laweryson: 1 appearance, 2 2/3 IP, H, ER, BB, 3 K; 4.15 ERA, 1.23 WHIP (13 IP) overall. After impressing in the the first half of the AFL season Laweryson saw action in just one game during Week 4, though he did go multiple frames. His lone appearance came in Thursday’s shutout loss to the Javelinas and he was summoned in the middle of the second inning after four consecutive walks had led to one run and the bases were still loaded. He got a ground ball that should have ended the threat there, but a throwing error from the shortstop allowed one more run to score and extended the inning. On his next pitch he got another groundball and this time the shortstop didn’t misfire. Laweryson went on to retire seven men in a row, including three strikeouts through the third and fourth innings. He even came out for the fifth, but a leadoff walk and ground out put an end to his day after 44 pitches. Overall he struck out three, including two in the fourth inning, in his 2 2/3 innings pitched. He was charged with an earned run as the next reliever gave up an RBI double to the first hitter he faced that made the score 5-0 Peoria. Evan Sisk: 2 appearances, 2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K; 8.64 ERA, 1.56 WHIP (8 1/3 IP) overall. Sisk saw action in two of the Scorpions wins on the week, pitching middle innings in both Tuesday’s and Saturday’s games. In the first, he was called in from the bullpen with two outs in the fifth inning after a bases-clearing double. He got his batter to fly out to right field to end the inning without any further damage. Back out for the sixth he retired the side in order, including a strikeout to punctuate his perfect outing. In the second game on Saturday, Sisk was brought on to start the seventh inning, and needed just 11 pitches to retire the side. He got two groundballs and a strikeout to complete a perfect week and lower both his ERA and WHIP on the AFL season substantially. After a rough introduction to the AFL, Sisk has retired all ten hitters he has faced in his last three outings, including four of them via strikeout. Check back every week to see how Minnesota Twins prospects have played during the AFL season, and please feel free to ask questions about the AFL and the players who are there! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

After a one-year hiatus, the Arizona Fall League is back. This league combines some of baseball’s best prospects, so who are Minnesota’s top five prospects heading to the AFL? The Arizona Fall League started in 1992 as an off-season league where some of baseball’s best up-and-coming prospects can take the field together. Six teams make up the AFL, and each club plays a 30-game schedule. According to MLB.com, “Nearly 60 percent of all AFL players make a Major League roster, with the league boasting 321 All-Stars, 21 MVPs, six Cy Young Award winners, eight World Series MVPs, 103 Silver Sluggers, 96 Gold Gloves and 32 Rookies of the Year.” Will any of the names mentioned below be able to add to the accolades mentioned above? Here are the top five Twins prospects heading to the 2021 Arizona Fall League: 5. Michael Helman, 2B/OF 2021 Stats: .246/.336/.462 (.798), 19 HR, 21 2B, 4 3B, 87 K, 51 BB (111 G) Helman ended the 2019 season at High-A, and he spent all of 2021 at the same level. He was over 2.5 years older than the average age of the competition at that level. During the 2021 season, he was among the organization leaders in homers. He is listed as a second baseman on the AFL rosters, even though he primarily played in the outfield this season. This might be an opportunity to get him more reps in the infield. 4. Kody Funderburk, LHP 2021 Stats: 2.55 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 82 K, 28 BB (67.0 IP) Minnesota selected Funderburk with their 15th round pick back in 2018. During the 2019 season, he struggled at Low-A as he posted a 4.68 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in 13 appearances (10 starts). Funderburk posted strong numbers between High- and Double-A this season while being used as a starter and a reliever. He has only pitched 155 innings as a professional, so this is likely an opportunity for him to get more innings under his belt. 3. Zach Featherstone, LHP 2021 Stats: 2.13 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 93 K, 42 BB (55.0 IP) Entering 2021, Featherstone was limited to 18 1/3 innings since the Twins drafted him as a position player in 2016. None of those innings came above the rookie leagues. Minnesota pushed him to High-A this season, where the 25-year old was 1.7 years older than the average age of the competition. Featherstone posted an eye-popping 15.2 K/9 out of the bullpen this season. Unfortunately, he also walked nearly seven batters per nine. This is likely an opportunity to get Featherstone some more innings so he can work on his control. 2. Andrew Bechtold, 3B 2021 Stats: .239/.328/.459 (.786), 18 HR, 23 2B, 131 K, 45 BB (99 Games) Originally, Bechtold was a fifth-round pick by the Twins back in 2017. His college experience at Maryland helped him post an .829 OPS at Elizabethton. He struggled in 2018 at Low-A as his OPS dropped by 236 points. The Twins sent him back to Low-A in 2019, and he split time between Low- and High-A with a .738 OPS. Like Helman, he was among the organization leaders in homers this season. Defensively, he continues to play at third base with some time at first. 1. Matt Wallner, OF 2021 Stats: .265/.350/.504 (.854), 15 HR, 14 2B, 2 3B, 100 K, 28 BB (68 Games) Wallner strikes out a bunch, but he has light-tower power, which puts him at the top of this list. He came in as the organization’s 12th best prospect in the most recent Twins Daily prospect rankings. A broken hamate bone limited him to 68 games, so sending him to the AFL to recoup some last at-bats makes sense. In a third of his plate appearances this season, he struck out, so that will be something to watch in Arizona. How would you rank these players? What will you be looking for in the AFL? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

In a wild game, the Cedar Rapids Kernels used five home runs to pull within a game of a playoff berth. Read more about that and the other affiliates in tonight's Minor League Report! 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! 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Welcome to the final Sunday of the minor league season. Granted multiple affiliates of the Twins could be playing postseason. However, there is still work to get done in the regular season and rosters took on a very different feel after September call-ups were made on Sunday. Can the higher levels of the minor league’s survive without some of their key players? You will have to read on to find out.AWARDS The Twins announced their weekly Hitter and Pitcher of the Week Hitter of the Week: Zander Wiel, RochesterIn seven games for the Red Wings, Wiel hit .370 (10-for-27) with four doubles, three home runs, seven RBI, three walks and a 1.271 OPS. Wiel was selected in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt University.Pitcher of the Week: Cody Laweryson, ElizabethtonLaweryson made the start on Monday vs. Greeneville, pitching 6.0 shutout innings with three hits allowed, no walks and 15 strikeouts. He was selected out fo the 14th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of Main at Orono. TRANSACTIONS OF Ian Miller had contracted selected by Minnesota. RHP Brusdar Graterol had contracted selected by Minnesota. RHP Zack Littell recalled by Minnesota. RHP Kohl Stewart recalled by Minnesota LHP Devin Smeltzer recalled by Minnesota LHP Lewis Thorpe recalled by Minnesota. C Willians Astudillo ended MLB rehab assignment and returned to Minnesota. RHP Sean Poppen returned from rehab assignment, recalled by Minnesota, and placed on the MLB 60-day Injured List. INF Yeltsin Encarnacion transferred from Ft. Myers to Rochester. RHP Alex Schick transferred from Cedar Rapids to Rochester. LHP Denny Bentley transferred from Elizabethton to Rochester. LHP Jeremy Bleich reinstated from the IL with Rochester. INF Anthony Prato promoted from Elizabethton to Cedar Rapids OF Byron Buxton has ended his rehab assignment with the Kernels RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 3, Syracuse 7 (Final- 9 Innings, Rain) Box Score Rochester scored three runs in the seventh inning to tie the game before allowing four runs in the eighth inning to relinquish their advantage. In the seventh inning, Rochester plated three runs thanks to a double from Alejandro De Aza. Wilin Rosario would score in the next at-bat thanks to a wild pitch. Rochester tied the game at 3-3, but the bullpen saw that lead evaporate. With all of the roster shuffling, Preston Guilmet started and was asked to record only nine outs. He allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Denny Pentley took over and didn’t allow a hit in two innings of work. He struck out two and walked one. Ryan O’Rourke coughed up two of the late-inning runs and Jeremy Bleich also added another two runs allowed as Syracuse stretched their lead to 7-3. BLUE WAHOO BITES Pensacola 7, Montgomery 11 Box Score Pensacola’s potent offense tried to mount a late-inning comeback, but it wasn’t enough with the hole the pitching staff had dug. Charlie Barnes struggled through five innings for his fourth loss of the year at Double-A. He surrendered seven runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks. The bullpen didn’t exactly help the situation for Barnes. Jonathan Cheshire did fine in his one inning of work. He didn’t allow any runs and he walked one and struck out one. Stephen Gonsalves struggled with three earned runs on two hits with the biggest hit being a home run. Alex Phillips didn’t stop the bleeding as he surrendered one run on two hits to end the eighth inning. Pensacola has already clinched a playoff spot, but the bullpen is going to need to have better outings if the club wants to find success in the postseason. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Beloit 1 Box Score Cedar Rapids plated four runs in the third inning and that turned out to be enough against the Beloit lineup that went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Kody Funderburk scattered five hits and allowed one earned run for his first Midwest League win. He struck out eight and walked two to lower his ERA to 4.68. Rickey Ramirez pitched the final three frames and limited the Snappers to two hits. He walked two and struck out one without allowing a run. Matt Wallner had the only extra-base hit of the night for the Kernels. He collected his third double since being promoted and drove in a run. In the third inning, Trevor Casanova was hit by a pitch before a Daniel Ozoria single moved him into scoring position. Gabe Snyder drove in the first run of the game before Wallner’s important double. A passed ball and a Seth Gray single plated enough runs to put the Kernels in the driver’s seat. The Midwest League playoffs begin on Wednesday night as Cedar Rapids hosts the Quad Cities River Bandits. First pitch on September 4 begins at 6:35 p.m. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY TD Pitcher of the Day- Kody Funderburk, Cedar Rapids (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB) TD Hitter of the Day- Ryan Costello, Pensacola (2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, R, BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed: #1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) – 0-5, 2 K #2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) – Did not play #3 - Brusdar Graterol (Minnesota) – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, K, 0 BB #4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) – 2-4, 2 R, K #5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) – 2-5, R, K #13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) – 1-4 #14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) – 2-5, 2B, 2 R #15 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 K #20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) – 2-5, R, K MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester vs. Syracuse (12:05 CST) – TBD Pensacola @ Montgomery (12:05 CST) – RHP Bailey Ober (8-0, 0.71 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (2:00 CST) – RHP Luis Rijo (5-8, 2.86 ERA) Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday’s games. 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