Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/6): Playoffs Continue Despite Losses

[Seth Stohs]

The Kernels find themselves in familiar territory, losing Game 1 of a Best of Three series at home. They’ll have to win two in a row on the road to keep their season alive. The Miracle had a chance to win their first Florida State League championship in 22 years. They’ll try to wrap that up in Game 4 on Sunday in Daytona.MIRACLE MATTERS

Game 3 - Ft. Myers 7, Daytona 8

Box Score

 

After the Miracle won Game 2 on Friday night in Ft. Myers, the team (and their opponents) made the 210 mile drive north to Daytona where Game 3 was played on Saturday. To make it worse, the Saturday game was delayed over two hours due to rain.

 

When it started, the Miracle sent Brett Lee to the mound. The left-hander gave up five runs on eight hits and four walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out one. DJ Johnson came on to get the final out of the sixth inning and worked a scoreless seventh inning as well.

 

Stuart Turner had a great game. In the first inning, he hit a two run double. He ended the game 4-4 with a walk and three RBI. Niko Goodrum went 1-3 with two walks. Tyler Grimes went 2-4.

 

The game was tied going to the 8^th inning. With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the inning, Aderlin Mejia squibbed a ball down the third base line and there was no play. It gave the Miracle a 6-5 lead.

 

DJ Johnson remained in the game for the bottom of the 8^th. After getting the first out, he gave up a walk and a single before giving up a three-run homer. Johnson finished the inning.

 

With one out in the top of the ninth, Dalton Hicks hit his second home run of the playoffs to cut the deficit to 8-7. However, the Miracle were unable to tack on one more and fell by that score.

 

The two teams will play again on Sunday afternoon and Jackie Robinson Stadium in Daytona.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Game 1 - Cedar Rapids 2, Kane County 5

Box Score

 

The Kernels are going to have to repeat their efforts from the first round if they want to advance to the Midwest League finals. On Saturday night, they lost at home to Kane County and will need to win twice in Geneva, Illinois.

 

Ryan Eades got the start in his first playoff start and despite some control issues was able to limit any damage. He gave up just one run through the first five innings of the game. In the sixth inning, he got the first two outs but then walked the next two batters before Brandon Bixler got out of the sixth frame. Eades finished the day giving up one run on two hits in 5.2 innings. He walked six and struck out four.

 

In the seventh inning, Bixler gave up a hit and a walk, but an error allowed two unearned runs to score. After another walk, Josue Montanez came on and got a strikeout and a force out to end the inning.

 

In the bottom of the seventh frame, Ryan Walker reached on an error and scored on a Tanner English triple. English was stranded there with the Kernels down 3-2. Then in the eighth inning, Montanez gave up one run. Hudson Boyd came on for the ninth inning and served up a solo home run to get to the final score of 5-2.

Tanner English, playing his first game for the Kernels, went 3-5 with the triple. Jonatan Hinojosa and Alex Swim each had two hits. Max Murphy added a double.

 

Game 2 of this Best of 3 series will be at 6:00 on Sunday.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Ryan Eades, Cedar Rapids Kernels

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Stuart Turner, Ft. Myers Miracle

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Ft. Myers @ Daytona (4:35 CST) – TBD

Cedar Rapids @ Kane County (6:00 CST) – John Curtiss

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Saturday games.

 

Click here to view the article

[Eric R Pleiss]

I've been impressed with Eades progress in the 2nd half of 2014.  Had higher expectations for the big guy, but has been consistent and taken ball every five days all year long.  

 

Needs to find a repeatable delivery, hard for a big guy like Eades, but he'll continue to climb the MiLB latter.

[Seth Stohs]

Eades is only 6-2. I don't know that repeatable delivery is as much an issue as it would be for someone who is 6-7 or taller. 

 

Eades had a solid month of August, and limited damage last night. 6 walks is a bit crazy though.

 

I think we all had higher hopes for him as a 2nd round pick out of a college powerhouse like LSU.