Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/5): Kernels Kaput

[Seth Stohs]

On Wednesday night, the Ft. Myers Miracle were swept out of the Florida State League playoffs by Charlotte. On Thursday night, the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the best team in the Midwest League in 2013, lost to the Quad Cities River Bandits for the second straight night to end their season. Such is the randomness of a best of three playoff series after a 140 game season.

 

Rochester also lost on Pawtucket on Thursday night. The loss evened the series at a game a piece. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]That turns a best of five series into a best of three series. Unfortunately, after playing the first two games at home, the Red Wings will now head to Rhode Island for the rest of the series.

 

Rochester Red Wings 2, Pawtucket Red Sox 7

Box Score

 

The game started with two scoreless innings. However, Pawtucket got to PJ Walters for two runs in the third inning. That was followed by three unearned runs in the fourth inning. Logan Darnell came in and got the final out of the fourth inning, and then in the fifth inning gave up two unearned runs, though the error was his own.

 

Walters was charged with the five runs (2 earned) in 3.2 innings. He gave up six hits, walked three and struck out two. Darnell gave up the two unearned runs on two hits in 2.1 innings. He didn't walk anyone and struck out four. Edgar Ibarra came on and gave up just one hit over two shutout innings. Shairon Martis struck out one in a 1-2-3 inning.

 

Offensively, the Red Wings did little. They did score two runs off rehabbing starter Clay Buchholz. In fact, they had four hits and walked twice against the Red Sox starter. Unfortunately that was about it. They managed just three more hits the rest of the game.

 

The Red Wings had seven hits in the game. Ray Olmedo had three of, and Eduardo Escobar had two more.

 

What's Next? Lefty Pat Dean will take the mound in Pawtucket on Friday night opposite Steven Wright in Game 3.

 

Cedar Rapids Kernels 2, Quad Cities River Bandits 4

Box Score

 

Four batters into this game, things could not have been going any better for the Kernels. Right-hander Tim Shibuya struck out the side in the top of the 1st inning. Then, Jonathan Murphy led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a solo home run. It was all downhill from there, and the Kernels' season ended with an 88-52 record after being swept by the River Bandits.

 

Download attachment: Jonathan Murphy CR.jpg

Photo by SD Buhr

Shibuya went the first six innings, but he was chanrged with four runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out five. Mason Melotakis came on and threw two scoreless innings. Brian Gilbert threw a perfect ninth.

 

Unfortunately, the Kernels were able to muster only four hits. Murphy's home run was one. The Kernels also had three doubles, one each by Michael Gonzales, Joel Licon and Jorge Polanco. Polanco scored the second run on a ground out by Max Kepler.

 

The game wasn't without controversy. With a runner on in the 4th inning, Adam Walker blasted a ball down the left field line. The ball was called foul, though onlookers (including SD Buhr) are convinced the ball was well fair. A two-run homer in this two-run game proved pretty large!

 

 

For at least two more days, we will have a Minor League Report. As long as the Rochester Red Wings are in the playoffs, we'll continue to post updates. When they're done, a lot of minor league coverage will be set into motion, so be sure to continue checking out Twins Daily for much more Twins minor league coverage throughout the offseason.

 

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