Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/23): Berrios Pitches Into The Eighth

[Eric R Pleiss]

The Twins finally won a game thanks to a three-run dinger from Trevor Plouffe and a spectacular eight-inning start from Ervin Santana. The Twins return home this weekend to face a red-hot Yankees team.RED WINGS REPORT

Gwinnett Braves @ Rochester Red Wings

Box Score

 

Jose Berrios earned his first Triple-A win with a seven-plus inning start. He gave up just four hits, struck out one and walked two. Berrios faced two batters in the eighth, giving up a single and hitting a batter before being lifted for Caleb Thielbar. The Red Wings used four pitchers to get through the eighth inning: Berrios, Thielbar for a third, Alex Meyer for a third and Aaron Thompson for a third. A.J. Achter pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the game.

 

Eric Farris picked up yet another hit for the Red Wings,and now has hits in eleven of his last twelve games. Reynaldo Rodriguez led the way with a 3-4 afternoon including a double and an RBI. Jemese Beresford was 2-4 with an RBI of his own. Danny Ortiz provided the rest of the Red Wings runs on a two-run shot in the sixth inning.

 

The Red Wings lead the International League North Division at 53-46, a half-game ahead of second place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Wings head out on the road for 18 of their next 21 games, where they've played below .500 ball so far this year.

 

Final: Braves 0, Red Wings 4

 

 

LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN

Tennessee Smokies @ Chattanooga Lookouts

Box Score

 

Lookouts starter D.J. Baxendale had one of his best starts of the year on Thursday night. In front of the home crowd at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Baxendale threw seven innings of two-hit, one-run baseball. Baxendale walked five and struck out three. The lone run he gave up came in the top of the first after he had given up a lead-off walk to start the game. Unfortunately for Baxendale, Jake Reed showed up in the eighth inning and things went haywire. Reed gave up three runs on four hits and a walk before getting out of the inning. After the damage was done in the eighth, the Lookouts turned to another D.J., this time D.J. Johnson, in the ninth to finish the game. Johnson faced the minimum and struck out two.

 

After Baxendale gave up the run in the first the Lookouts came right back and evened the score on a Max Kepler single that scored Levi Michael who had doubled at the start of the game for the Lookouts. After those two hits in the first, the Lookouts had eight more, but stranded ten men and could not take advantage of their opportunities. Levi Michael was 2-5, including that leadoff double. Travis Harrison was 2-4 with a double of his own. Kennys Vargas was 0-4 with four strike- outs and now has eleven strikeouts in his last four games to go along with just two hits.

 

Final: Smokies 4, Lookouts 1

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers @ Tampa Yankees

Box Score

 

Jason Kanzler hit his seventh home run of the year in the seventh inning as the Fort Myers Miracle defeated the Tampa Yankees 7-5. Kanzler was 1-4 on the evening. Ryan Walker was 2-4 with a walk and an RBI, and Mitch Garver was 2-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Logan Wade also had a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored.

 

Mat Batts came into Thursday's game with a 1.66 ERA and after he gave up three earned runs in just over five innings (5.1), he left with his ERA a third of a run higher at 1.96. Batts struck out six and walked just two, but he gave up six hits (five singles and a double). Batts was replaced by Nick Burdi who threw a wild pitch, allowing a run to score to even the game at 3-3. The wild pitch earned Burdi a blown save, but the Miracle went out and put up a four spot in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh Burdi picked up a pair of strike outs, threw another wild pitch, and escaped a two-on, two-out jam by inducing a ground ball to second. Todd Van Steensel pitched the eighth and ninth, giving up a run on three hits. He also struck out two.

 

Final: Miracle 7, Yankees 4

 

 

KERNELS KORNER

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers @ Cedar Rapids

Box Score

 

Kernels' starter Zach Tillery faced twenty batters but didn't make it out of the fourth inning, lifted after just 3.2 innings. He gave up nine hits and five runs, all earned. He struck out one batter and did not walk anyone. Michael Theofanopoulos, owner of the longest name in the history of the world, earned a victory with 3.1 scoreless innings in relief. He walked two and struck out four. Jared Wilson earned his first save of the year, the two inning variety, with a pair of scoreless innings on an 80 degree night in Cedar Rapids.

 

Brian Navarreto led the Kernels with three hits on a 3-4 night that included a double and a strikeout. Navarreto had the misfortune of hitting at the bottom of the lineup, so despite an extra base hit and a pair of singles, he did not have an RBI or a run scored. Nick Gordon was 2-3 with a double, two walks, an RBI and a run scored. Tanner English hit his fifth home run of the year, his only hit on the night.

 

Final: Timber Rattlers 5, Kernels 6

 

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Princeton Rays @ Elizabethton

Box Score

 

Trailing 1-0 headed to the bottom of the ninth inning, with just three hits so far in the game, the E-Town Twins rallied for a pair of runs for a walk-off victory. Down to their last out with no one on base, the Twins' Travis Blankenhorn walked and was replaced by a pinch runner, Manuel Guzman. Pinch hitter Amaurys Minier then doubled home Guzman to even the score at one. After a pitching change, Ariel Montesino singled on a ground ball to right. With two outs Minier was running on contact and came home to score the winning run!

 

Those ninth inning theatrics occurred after a strong pitching performance from the Twins' starter Andro Cutura who went six innings, gave up four hits, walked three and struck out three. He was replaced by C.K. Irby who pitched two innings, giving up a run on three hits, but all six outs he recorded were via strikeout. Onesimo Hernandez pitched the top of the ninth and was credited with the win for a scoreless inning of relief

 

Final: Rays 1, Twins 2

 

GCL TWINS NOTES

GCL Twins @ GCL Orioles

Box Score

 

Williams Ramirez continues his domination of the Gulf Coast League. The right-hander gave up just one hit over 5.1 shutout innings. He walked two and struck out seven. It is his third straight start where he has worked at least five innings and give up no runs on just one hit. He is now 3-0 with a 0.34 ERA with the GCL Twins this year. He will turn 23 in early August, nearly two years older than the average GCL player.

 

Stephen Pryor came in and gave up an unearned run on two hits and a walk in 1.2 innings. He struck out four. He has now pitched 9.2 innings over seven rehab appearances in the GCL. One would think he needs to be assigned to a full-season affiliate soon. Max Cordy struck out two in a perfect inning.

 

The Twins managed just three hits in this game. Dalton Hicks appears ready to head back to Chattanooga. In his rehab game, he went 1-2 with two walks and his third double.

 

Final: Orioles 1, Twins 0

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Pitcher of the Day - J.O. Berrios, Rochester Red Wings

Hitter of the Day - Nick Gordon, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

 

FRIDAY'S PROBABLES

 

Rochester @ Columbus Clippers - Greg Peavey (1-4, 4.68) vs. Will Roberts

 

Chattanooga @ Tennessee Smokies - Jason Wheeler (1-1, 3.09) vs. Ryan Williams

 

Tampa Yankees @ Fort Myers - Dietrich Enns vs. Kohl Stewart (4-5, 3.26)

 

Beloit Snappers @ Cedar Rapids - Joey Wagman vs. Randy Rosario (1-1, 1.15)

 

Elizabethton @ Kingsport Mets - Samuel Clay (0-1, 5.68) vs. Darwin Ramos

 

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[70charger]

Mat Batts came into Thursday's game with a 1.66 ERA and after he gave up three earned runs in just over five innings (5.1), he left with his ERA a third of a run higher at 1.96.

 

 

 

Cut him!

 

Seriously though, I expected a bit of a struggle post promotion, but it really looks like he's taken well to high A. Good for him.

[Seth Stohs]

I think Mat Batts is right up there with Gonsalves, Hu and Duffey as the top starting pitchers this year, and of those names, his is probably the most surprising. But, maybe it shouldn't be. He was successful in D1. He's left-handed, and he's got a very deceptive delivery. It'll be interesting to see how he does in AA!

[dbminn]

Nick Gordon is slashing .333/.378/.449 in July. Nice to see.

[Seth Stohs]

And since May 22 (47 games), he is hitting .301/.381/.382 (.763). He just had one bad month and has been pretty good since then. He's got a great swing and a good approach at the plate. I just think he needs to add his man muscles and he'll develop some good pop.

[Mike Sixel]

I liked the pick, still like the pick.......Gordon will play SS in the majors, and play it well. It just might take a bit too long for this team over the next 2 years.....

[Badsmerf]

I hope you're right Seth. Seems like he is starting to click a little. A strong second half would be huge for him and the twins.

 

More than anything it looks like his approach is improving. He doesn't have to hit a bunch of extra base hits if he can just get on base a lot. But, adding 20 pounds of muscle in the next few years will have a dramatic difference.

[sane]

ABW now at 84 RBI in 93 games= 146 RBI in 162 games.

[Sweetwater]

Love Gordon. He will prove to be the right pick.

[Mike Sixel]

Love Gordon. He will prove to be the right pick.

Perhaps, but how much better is next year's team with Turner? How many years will they stink at SS while waiting?