Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/23): Walker, Sano, Stewart And ETown's Opener

[Seth Stohs]

Two Twins affiliates had players representing the Twins in their league All-Star games. Adam Brett Walker won the Southern League home run derby before the game with 13 home runs. Four Lookouts batters played and three of their pitchers got into the game. The Cedar Rapids Kernels had three pitchers work in the Midwest League All-Star Game.

 

 

A day after the GCL Twins played their first game of 2015, the Elizabethton Twins made their season debut. They had a couple of big, powerful performances in the game.

 

Continue on to read everything that happened in a busy day in the Minnesota Twins farm system.TRANSACTIONS

 

Following the Midwest League All Star game, Jeff Johnson (The Gazette, Cedar Rapids) announced that the Kernels were to be receiving LHP Brandon Bixler who has been out all year with a hand injury. Also, they will be receiving LHP Luke Westphal from the Miracle.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Pawtucket 5

Box Score

 

The Red Wings managed just four hits and a walk against Pawtucket on Tuesday night and yet still remained in the game. Greg Peavey made his Red Wings debut. He gave up four runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out five without allowing a walk. Ryan O’Rourke came on and walked the one batter he faced. Lester Oliveros came on and gave up a hit to the batter he faced. Caleb Thielbar came in and got out the batter he faced.

 

However, with two outs in the seventh and the bases loaded, the rain came. Just over an hour later, the teams returned to action. Cole Johnson came on and got a line out for the third out of that inning. He gave up two hits and a walk over the final 1.1 innings, striking out one.

 

Wilkin Ramirez and Doug Bernier each hit his sixth double of the season.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Southern League All Star Game

Box Score

 

The Chattanooga Lookouts were well-represented on the Southern League North Division team, which toppled the South Division All Stars by a score of 9-0. Before the game, Adam Brett Walker won the Home Run Derby, launching 13 home runs. Here is how the Twins/Lookouts players did in the game:

• Jose Berrios struck out two in a scoreless second inning. He gave up one hit. He was credited with the win.
• DJ Baxendale pitched a perfect sixth inning.
• Zack Jones got the final two outs of the game, one on a strikeout.
• Miguel Sano batted fourth and played third base. He went 2-5 with a double.
• Adam Brett Walker batted fifth and played left field. He went 1-5.
• Max Kepler batted sixth and played in right field for the first half of the game. He went 0-2 with a walk.
• Jorge Polanco entered the game late as a shortstop. He went 2-2.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 2, Palm Beach 0

Box Score

 

The Miracle managed just seven hits and two runs in this game, but on this day, it was enough thanks to a strong start from Kohl Stewart and nice work by the bullpen.

 

Ryan Walker went 2-4 with his second double and one of the two RBIs. Engelb Vielma, a day after getting three hits on his 21^st birthday, went 2-3 with his fourth double and the other RBI.

 

Kohl Stewart improved to 3-4 and a 3.62 ERA with six shutout innings. He gave up five hits, walked three and struck out five. Corey Williams came on and got four outs, giving up just one hit. DJ Johnson came on and got the final five outs for his first save of the season for the Miracle. He struck out two.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Midwest League All-Star Game

Box Score

 

The West Division lost 5-0 to the East Division in the Midwest League All-Star Game. Three Twins/Kernels pitchers got into the game.

• Felix Jorge – pitched a perfect third inning, with one strikeout.
• Jared Wilson - recorded the first two outs of the 8th inning. One on a strikeout.
• Trevor Hildenberger – got the final out of the 8^th inning on a strikeout.
• Cameron Booser – Got the first out of the 9^th inning, but he left with the bases loaded. The next pitcher allowed all three runs to score, credited to Booser.
• Trey Vavra was also named to the team, but he was unable to play.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 9, Bluefield 5

Box Score

 

Elizabethton opened its season on Tuesday night against the Bluefield Blue Jays. They opened with their first win of the season.

 

Austin Diemer was drafted late in the 2014 draft. He starred in this game, going 3-5 with two home runs and four RBI. Tyler Kuresa went 1-2 with three walks; the one hit was a home run, his first since the first week of the Cedar Rapids season. Rainis Silva went 2-4 with a walk. LaMonte Wade was 2-4 with a walk, a triple and two RBIs. Sean Miller hit a triple in his pro debut.

 

Dereck Rodriguez was given the start for the E-Twins. The right-hander went 5.1 innings and gave up just two runs despite ten hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out four. C.K. Irby went the next 1.2 innings. He gave up three unearned runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out two. Jose Abreu walked one and struck out one in two scoreless innings.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 5, GCL Orioles 1

Box Score

 

In their second game of the season, the GCL Twins picked up a win and a lot of pitchers made their first appearances of the season.

 

Randy Rosario, who had Tommy John surgery last April, started and gave up two hits over three shutout innings. He walked none and struck out five. Callan Pearce came on. He gave up four runs on no hits. Of course, he walked four batters. Hector Lujan walked one and struck out one in his pro debut. Williams Ramirez struck out four over two scoreless innings. Moises Gomez struck out one in a perfect inning. Johan Quezada gave up a hit and a walk, but no runs, in a scoreless ninth inning.

 

Luis Arraez went 3-4 with a double and two RBI. He stole a base as well. Brian Olson went 2-2 with a walk and a double. Roni Tapia was 2-4 with a stolen base. A day after his first pro hit, a triple, Travis Blankenhorn recorded his first double.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Kohl Stewart, Ft. Myers Miracle

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Austin Diemer, Elizabethton Twins

 

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Pawtucket (6:05 CST) – LHP Taylor Rogers

Chattanooga – All Star Break

Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (10:35 CST) - TBD

Cedar Rapids – All Star Break

Elizabethton @ Bluefield (6:05 CST) - TBD

GCL O’s @ GCL Twins (11:00 CST) – TBD

 

 

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

 

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[nater79a]

Heard Adam Eaton's name thrown out as a good MLB comp for LaMonte Wade. Makes some sense...similar skill sets.

[clutterheart]

I like that GCL roster.  There are some real bats in that lineup.

And Luis Arraez looks like he could be could be player!

[Pitz]

Nice to see Blankenhorn with a couple extra base hits to start his pro career. Hopefully we'll be seeing his draft mate Cabbage joining the hit parade soon.

 

GCL does have some intriguing guys to follow.

[brvama]

Maybe I missed it but Kepler was not named as an AS and yet he played. Was he Buxtons replacement?

[Steve Lein]

 

Maybe I missed it but Kepler was not named as an AS and yet he played. Was he Buxtons replacement?

 

Yup!

[Seth Stohs]

 

Heard Adam Eaton's name thrown out as a good MLB comp for LaMonte Wade. Makes some sense...similar skill sets.

 

Interesting name, I'd think. First thought I had was Zach Granite. I know Jeremy's got an intriguing name/comp for him too.

[d-mac]

 

Heard Adam Eaton's name thrown out as a good MLB comp for LaMonte Wade. Makes some sense...similar skill sets.

 

Wow! That would be great. I like Eaton.

[clutterheart]

Wow E-town has an old Roster.  Average age is 22 years old.  Which is even older than last year!  

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Wow E-town has an old Roster.  Average age is 22 years old.  Which is even older than last year!  

 

eeep.

[BoomBoom]

Glad to see each of the Lookout All Stars do what they do best.  Sano needs to play defense like that every game.  He will be that SUPER STAR for sure.  Polanco can just hit.  Kepler did a masterful job of getting on base via the BB and took some decent swings.  Walker could have easily had 3 hits, but was denied on a couple of bang bang plays.  He totaled more home runs than the entire home run derby participants COMBINED.  Berrios was La Machine.  Baxendale threw something like 6 to 8 pitches to get out of his inning (masterful).  Zach Jones showed why he should be the closer of the future (2 up & 2 down).

 

Chattanooga was well represented.  It was fun watching our guys on TV and listening to all the high praise for each.