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Rains were again a factor on Friday night. The games in Ft. Myers and Cedar Rapids were delayed by rain. In fact, Cedar Rapids was actually postponed and will play a doubleheader on Saturday. The game in Chattanooga experienced a mid-game rain delay as well. Could Rochester pitchers toss their third straight shutout? Which minor leaguer got on base all five times he came to the plate? Which Australian has multi-hit games in in four of his last eight games. Which 2015 draft pick has 25 walks and just nine strikeouts in August?It was a busy night in the Twins farm system. Check out all the game stories and highlights below. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester 2, Syracuse 9 Box Score The Red Wings had shut out Syracuse in the two previous games. JO Berrios struck out 12 in seven shutout innings in Syracuse on Wednesday night. On Thursday night, Michael Bowden struck out nine in seven shutout innings. On Friday, it was Taylor Rogers’ turn. It didn’t go so well. Three batters into the game, Syracuse scored, and they kept on doing just that. Rogers went just 2.1 innings. He was charged with seven runs (six earned) on seven hits (two homers) and a walk. He struck out two. Tim Shibuya came on and gave up one run on four hits in three innings. He struck out four. Next up was Alex Meyer. He was charged with an unearned run on three hits over 2.2 innings. He struck out four without issuing a walk. Cole Johnson gave up a hit and a walk in the ninth, but he did not allow a run. Danny Santana was the only Red Wings player with more than one hit. He was 2-4, and the team had just four hits on the game. Xavier Avery knocked in two runs with his 21st double. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 5, Birmingham 0 Box Score The offense provided plenty of runs, but the pitching got the job done with a shutout performance. Jason Wheeler went the first 6.1 innings. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out four. The game was delayed after the fifth inning due to rain, but Wheeler returned. Nick Burdi came on with one out in the seventh. He finished that inning and two more to earn his second Lookouts save. He went 2.2 innings and gave up no hits, walked two and struck out two. Shannon Wilkerson continued to be an instigator for the Lookouts offense. He went 3-3 with two walks in this game. In the third, the Lookouts got back-to-back singles from Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler to give them a 2-0 lead. That same duo contributed again in the seventh inning. Polanco singled in a run before Kepler gave the team a 4-0 lead with a sacrifice fly. Along with Polanco, Travis Harrison also had two hits. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 5 (11 innings) Box Score As has been the case about two dozen times this year, the Miracle needed extra frames to decide this game. Mat Batts started the game and was back on track. The southpaw gave up two runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out two and he walked none. Todd Van Steensel gave up a hit and a walk, but no runs in the seventh. Tyler Jay struck out one in a scoreless eighth inning. It was his fifth straight inning without allowing a run. Alex Muren pitched a scoreless ninth. However, when the game went to the tenth, Muren was charged with an unearned run. Brian Gilbert got the 11th inning. He gave up two runs on one walk and one hit. Logan Wade led the offense. He went 4-5 with his 19th double. He drove in the game-tying run in the 10th inning. He also stole his third base. Engelb Vielma went 3-4 with a walk. He stole his 32nd base. Ryan Walker went 2-5. Chad Christensen went 2-5 and stole his 21st base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids, Kane County Box Score Rain and lightning caused this game to be postponed. They will play two games on Saturday evening. E-TOWN E-NOTES Elizabethton 6, Kingsport 9 (10 innings) Box Score The Twins had plenty of offense and they held the lead late, but they were unable to hold it and fell in extra innings. LaMonte Wade continues to hit well. He went 2-5 with his ninth home run. In August, he has walked 25 times while striking out just nine times. And in this game, he also threw out a runner at home. Brian Olson went 2-4 with a walk and his second home run. He’s now hitting .372 in his time with the Twins. Amaurys Minier went 2-4 with a walk and his ninth double. Jermaine Palacios went 2-5. Lewin Diaz has just six hits with the E-Twins in about 40 plate appearances, but on Friday, he hit his third home run. Onesimo Hernandez started and gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six. Jose Abreu gave up one run on two hits in 1.1 innings. He struck out three. Kuo Hua Lo, who has been terrific this season as the team’s closer, gave up two runs on five hits. He gave up a home run in the eighth and game-tying homer in the ninth. Alex Robinson started the tenth inning. He was charged with three runs on two hits and three walks and recorded just two outs. Josh Guyer came on and walked one runner in before getting a strikeout to end the inning. In the game, Christian Cavaness, signed last month as a non-drafted from agent, led off and played center field. GCL TWINS TAKES GCL Twins 0, GCL Red Sox 1 Box Score The season is coming to a close. The team is scheduled to play just one more game, on Saturday, before these players get to travel home. Though they received very good pitching, the hitters looked like they were ready for the season to be over. The Twins had just four hits in the game. Ariel Montesino went 2-4. He stole his third base. Roberto Gonzalez and Kolton Kendrick each walked twice in the game. Gonzalez stole his eighth base of the season and tells me his knee continues to feel better. On the mound, seventh round pick Jovani Moran started and threw five innings. He gave up one run on four hits. He walked one and struck out three. He got seven grounders to just two fly outs. Miguel Gonzalez came in and threw four shutout innings. He didn’t give up any hits, walked one and struck out five. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Miguel Gonzalez, GCL Twins Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Shannon Wilkerson, Chattanooga Lookouts SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Pawtucket @ Rochester (6:05 CST) – LHP Logan Darnell Tennessee @ Chattanooga (6:30 CST) – LHP David Hurlbut Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (5:05 CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves Kane County @ Cedar Rapids (DH @ 5:35 CST) – RHP Randy LeBlanc, RHP Sam Gibbons Kingsport @ Elizabethton (5:00 CST) – RHP Miles Nordgren GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox (9:00) – TBD (final game of their season) Feel free to leave any questions or comments below Click here to view the article

Earlier in the week, we announced Jermaine Palacios as our Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month. Then we named Mat Batts the Twins Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month. Today, we’ve got the top performances of relief pitchers in July. We’re posting this a little later than usual, but it’s important to recognize these guys who are often overlooked. Four relievers didn’t give up an earned run all month. A few others had ERAs below one and more than a strikeout per nine innings. This was a difficult decision, so be sure to make your picks in the comments.There were many terrific bullpen performances in June. I’ve ranked the top five, but before getting to them, here are some pitchers who deserve honorable mention. RHP Mark Hamburger – Rochester Red Wings – 10 G, 12.1 IP, 1-0, 1.10 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 8 H, 1 BB, 10 KRHP Matt Summers – Ft. Myers/Chattanooga – 9 G, 16.0 IP, 1-0, 0.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 11 H, 4 BB, 9 KRHP Kuo Hua Lo – Elizabethton Twins – 8 G, 14.2 IP, 1-1, 3-Saves, 1.23 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 5 H, 2 BB, 15 KThe Top 5 Twins Relievers for July 2015Number 5 – GCL Twins – Johan Quezada – 8 G, 9.1 IP, 2-0, 3 saves, 0.00 ERA, 0.54 WHIP, 2 H, 3 BB, 8 K Quezada signed with the Twins late in 2012. He spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and in 43.1 innings, he walked 74 and struck out 50. The 6-6, 20 year old from the Dominican is certainly showing good control so far in 2015. He’s also showing a fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. Overall, he is 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP. In 15.2 innings, he has walked five and struck out 16. He’s a project, but a project with a very strong arm. That explains why hitters hit just .065/.147/.065 (.212) against him. Number 4 – GCL Twins – Miguel Gonzalez – 6 G, 13.2 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 6 H, 3 BB, 14 K Gonzalez signed with the Twins in 2011 out of the Dominican. He spent a season in the DSL. He pitched in 20 games out of the bullpen in the GCL in 2013 and posted a 1.05 ERA in 25.2 innings (9 BB, 33 K). However, after moving into a starting role in 2014 (also in the GCL), he was injured after just 13.1 innings. He returned this year, back to the bullpen. Overall, in 21 innings, he is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He has four walks and 23 strikeouts. In July, opponents hit just .128/.196/.255 (.451) off of him. Most important, the 20 year old is healthy. Number 3 – Ft. Myers Miracle – Nick Burdi – 10 G, 16.1 IP, 2-1, 2 Saves, 1.10 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 10 H, 0 BB, 23 K The 22-year-old was the Twins 24th round pick in 2011, and after three years at Louisville, he was the Twins 2nd round pick a year ago. He struck out 38 batters in 20.1 innings in 2014 between Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers. He began this season in Chattanooga where he went 3-4 with a 5.93 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP in 30.1 innings. He was demoted to the Miracle, and his first month there was terrific. He had a rough one this week, but he could be ready to move back up to the Lookouts soon. In July, opponents hit just .182/.175/.255 (.430) against him. Number 2 – Rochester Red Wings – Michael Tonkin – 8 G, 15.0 IP, 2-0, 1 save, 0.00 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, 6 H, 2 BB, 19 K Tonkin should get frequent flyer miles. He could probably travel for free all offseason just because he has gone back and forth from Rochester to the Twins literally a dozen times in the last three years. He will be out of options in 2016, so the Twins could have a difficult decision to make. He was demoted by the Twins late in June, and as you’d hope, he responded well with a great month in July. Overall with the Red Wings, he is 2-1 with nine saves. He has a 1.39 ERA, a WHIP of 0.77 and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings. In the month, batters hit just .120/.154/.120 (.274) against him. It would be interesting to see what he could do in a full season (or even just a full half-season) with the Twins! And the Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month is: Cedar Rapids/Ft. Myers – Trevor Hildenberger – 9 G, 11.0 IP, 0-0, 6 Saves, 0.00 ERA, 0.55 WHIP, 6 H, 0 BB, 16 K Hildenberger was our choice for Relief Pitcher of the Month in May, and he has earned it again in July. The 24 year old, drafted a year ago out of Cal-Berkeley, finally got the promotion he deserved. He made six appearances for the Kernels in July and earned a save in each of those games. He moved up to Ft. Myers and debuted with them on July 22nd. He began his tenure with the Miracle by giving up no runs on just four hits over 6.2 innings (four games). He struck out 11 and walked none. Last night, he gave up two runs on three hits in an inning. He has now pitched in 33 games this season. He has given up a run in just four of them. He has walked a batter in just five of those games. Hildenberger has a very interesting, deceptive delivery. In July, opponents hit just .182/.200/.250 (.450) against him. So what do you think? Honestly, let me know how you would rank them. I’ve ranked the top five bullpen arms in the Twins organization in July, in my opinion, but I welcome your comments as well. Click here to view the article