Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/28): Berrios Makes His Case... Again!

[Seth Stohs]

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Twins were back in action. Maybe more noteworthy, the GCL Twins were back on the field and completed a game (actually two) for the first time in five days. Certainly more noteworthy, a top prospect showed again that he might be ready to help a Twins team that is now six games under .500 over its last 50 games.All that and more can be found as you work your way through today’s minor league report.

 

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 13, Toledo 2

Box Score

 

Coming into the day, the Red Wings had lost 13 straight games in Ohio (Columbus and Toledo). This game remained scoreless through five innings. However, the Red Wings scored four in the sixth, four in the seventh, two in the eighth and three more in the ninth to get the big win.

 

JO Berrios was on the mound in this game. The right-hander went the first six innings. He gave up one run on five hits. He walked three and struck out eight. He improved to 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA. In his past three starts, he has given up just three runs in 20 innings. Michael Tonkin struck out one over two shutout innings. AJ Achter, an Ohio native, came in and gave up one run in the ninth.

 

The offense definitely came up big in this game and many players contributed. Danny Ortiz led the way. The diminutive outfielder went 3-5 with three doubles and three RBI. He now has 25 doubles on the season. James Beresford went 3-5 with a walk and his 17^th double. Carlos Paulino went 3-5 with a triple. Argenis Diaz was 3-4. Doug Bernier went 2-4 with a walk and his second home run. Reynaldo Rodriguez hit a three-run triple. Nate Hanson had an RBI double in his lone at-bat.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 8, Pensacola 3

Box Score

 

Brett Lee made the start and gave up three runs in the second inning. That was it. The southpaw worked five innings. He gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits. He walked three and struck out one. He recorded his first AA win. Jake Reed came on. He threw two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one. DJ Johnson gave up two hits but no runs in the 8^th inning. JT Chargois struck out one in a scoreless ninth.

 

Shannon Wilkerson was the lead-off man and center fielder. He went 3-4 with a walk and two doubles. Stuart Turner had his second straight three hit game. He was 3-4 with a walk and his ninth double. Levi Michael went 2-4 with his fourth triple. Kennys Vargas went 2-5 and drove in two runs.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 4, Lakeland 3

Box Score

 

The Miracle were in danger of needing to go to extra innings for the 321^st time this season. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Michael Quesada doubled. Tanner Vavra pinch ran for him. With two outs and Vavra still at second, Zach Granite ended the game with a single. However, it was a little more dramatic than that. Granite’s grounder up the middle was fielded by the second baseman who threw late to first. Vavra never slowed down around third and scored from second on an infield hit.

 

Granite went 2-4 in the game. Mitch Garver led the way. He went 2-4 with his second homer of the season, a two-run blast. Jason Kanzler went 2-4 with his fourth triple of the year.

 

Ryan Eades made the start for the Miracle. He gave up two runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out three. Dallas Gallant pitched the seventh inning. He gave up one run on two walks. He struck out two. Nick Burdi pitched the final two innings. He gave up two hits, walked none and struck out two.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, Clinton 3 (10 innings)

Box Score

 

Through nine innings, the top three hitters in the Kernels lineup (Tanner English, Nick Gordon and Edgar Corcino) walked five times. Unfortunately, the Kernels fourth and fifth hitters (Zach Larson and Tyler Kuresa) went 0-8.

 

However, in the tenth, after Tanner English was hit by a pitch and Edgar Corcino walked, Zach Larson came up big with a double. It scored English from second, but Corcino was thrown out at the plate. The team had a 4-3 lead.

 

English led the way and he didn’t even have a hit. He was 0-2, but he walked twice and was hit by a pitch. He also stole his 30^th base of the year. Brian Navarreto went 1-3 with a walk and his seventh double. Rafael Valera went 2-5.

 

Keaton Steele started and gave up no runs in 4.2 innings. He gave up three hits, walked three and struck out one. Mike Theofanopoulos went the next 2.1 innings. He gave up one run on four hits. He walked one and struck out two. Randy LeBlanc worked two innings. He gave up just one hit, but he was charged with two unearned runs which tied the game. With the lead in the 10^th, Cam Booser came on. He walked the first batter he faced, just to get people nervous. He then struck out the next two before getting the final out and his 10^th save.

 

E-TOWN E-NOTES

Elizabethton 4, Johnson City 8

Box Score

 

It’s hard to fathom, but the E-Twins were able to score only four runs despite nine hits and ten walks in this game. They left 13 men on base. Chris Paul went 1-5. He was the only Twins player who reached base less than twice. Travis Blankenhorn went 2-4 with a walk. Kamran Young went 2-4 with a walk and his third double. Manuel Guzman and LaMonte Wade each had two hits. Meanwhile, Dan Kihle, Alex Perez, Amaurys Minier and AJ Murray each walked twice.

 

Miles Nordgren started for the Twins. He gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits. He walked one and struck out five. Logan Lombana came on gave up four runs on six hits (including two home runs) over two innings. He walked two and struck out four. Josh Guyer gave up a run in the ninth.

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

Game 1 – GCL Twins 4, GCL Rays 1

Box Score

 

In this game, the 3-4-5 hitters for the Twins led the way. Those three had all five hits for the team. Brian Olson went 2-2 with a walk. Lewin Diaz hit his fifth double and drove in a run. Jermaine Palacios went 2-3 with his eighth double, first home run and three RBI and is now hitting .422.

 

Jose Martinez started and went the first two innings. He gave up one run on two hits and a walk. He struck out three. Lachlan Wells came on and went the final five innings. He gave up just two hits and didn’t walk a batter. He struck out six.

 

Game 2 – GCL Twins 2, GCL Rays 0

Box Score

 

The Twins were able to complete the sweep and improve to 16-12 on their season.

 

Eduardo del Rosario started and was very good through the first four innings. He hit one, allowed one hit and walked one, but did not allow a run. He struck out nine. John Curtiss struck out three over two perfect innings as he continues his rehab. Johan Quezada picked up his fifth save, striking out one in his perfect inning.

 

19-year-old South African Rowan Ebersohn went 2-3 with his first double. Luis Arraez was 2-3. Bryant Hayman went 1-2 with a walk. Trey Cabbage added his second double.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – JO Berrios, Rochester Red Wings

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Danny Ortiz, Rochester Red Wings

 

 

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Toledo (11:00 am CST) – RHP Michael Bowden

Pensacola @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) – RHP DJ Baxendale

Lakeland @ Ft. Myers (6:05 CST) – LHP Mat Batts

Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (6:30 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge

Johnson City @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) – RHP Andro Cutura

GCL Twins @ GCL Rays (11:00 CST) – TBD

 

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below

 

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[h2oface]

Too bad Tonkin just can't seem to carry over his performance in AAA to the Show. It is really too bad. Every chance he has gotten, he has been blown back down. I would love for it to click, but the clock is ticking faster and faster for him.

[clutterheart]

Lachlan Wells and Blankenhorn are having nice starts to their careers! Last I heard Wells was throwing in the 90s. Is that still true? Are there any reports on his pitches?

[diehardtwinsfan]

I really think Tonkin should just be called up and moved into the mop up role.  I think he can carry that AAA performance over, but I really think he needs time to adjust.  That's something he never really gets at the ML level.

[Seth Stohs]

Tonkin is out of options next year, so they have to find out if he can be a guy that they can count on going forward. 

 

That said, AJ Achter deserves to be up.

[nytwinsfan]

Stuart Turner!!! Keep it up!

[Tibs]

 

Stuart Turner!!! Keep it up!

Turner is hitting .417 over his last 10 games and .318/.387/.424/.811 through 19 games in July.

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

I am a big Johan Quezada fan and am hoping this is the year he puts it all together.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I am a big Johan Quezada fan and am hoping this is the year he puts it all together.

 

I like 98 mph fastballs. They're fun!

[LimestoneBaggy]

Seth, any word on Kolton Kendrick's bad start (small sample), and Trey Vavra?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Seth, any word on Kolton Kendrick's bad start (small sample), and Trey Vavra?

 

He started a few weeks late due to mono, so I'm sure that plays a role. Also, switching to the wood bat and pro life and all that is a thing that players need to adjust to.

[TRex]

 

I like 98 mph fastballs. They're fun!

Hey Seth,

Quezada doesn't have an AaP page, can you tell us a little more about the large (6'6") Dominican? Any idea on how he goes from a 48:38 W:SO(!) in 29 DSL innings last year to 3:10 in 11 innings this year in the GCL?