Article: Twins Minor League Report (7/3): Berrios, Stewart Dominate

[Seth Stohs]

Happy Independence Day to you and your families! Enjoy the day and be safe!

 

On the 3rd, some of the top Twins pitching prospects were on the mound, and they didn’t disappoint. Check out what else happened in Sunday’s Twins Minor League Report.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 5, Syracuse 2

Box Score

 

It appears the Jose Berrios has completely turned things around for his 2016, and on Sunday he put together arguably his best start of the season. The right-hander went all nine innings and needed just 87 pitches. An impressive 67 of those pitches were strikes. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits. He walked none and struck out seven. He is now 3-1 with a 0.60 ERA with a strikeout per inning in his last four starts.

 

The offense used some power to generate its runs. Kennys Vargas hit his 14th homer. Tommy Field hit his fifth Red Wings homer. Adam Brett Walker added his 16th home run. Logan Schafer went 2-5.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 5, Pensacola 0

Box Score

 

Kohl Stewart started for the Lookouts and had his best AA start. The right-hander went seven shutout innings. He gave up just four hits, walked two and struck out seven. Mason Melotakis threw a perfect eighth inning. Then Jake Reed came in and struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth inning.

 

Ryan Walker went 2-5 with his second double and two RBI. Dalton Hicks was 2-5 and added his 17th double. Shannon Wilkerson was 1-3 with a walk.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 7, Jupiter 0

Box Score

 

This is the point in the season where it will be interesting to see how the Twins handle Tyler Jay and his workload. He was skipped in his last start. In this game he worked just four innings (and threw 62 pitches, 46 strikes). He gave up four hits and a walk without allowing a run. He struck out two.

 

Brandon Peterson walked two and struck out three over the next two scoreless innings. Luke Bard gave up a hit and walked one over two scoreless innings. Todd Van Steensel gave up two hits but no runs in the ninth.

 

Trey Vavra went 2-4 with an RBI. TJ White was also 2-4 and is now hitting .309 with the Miracle. LaMonte Wade added a two-run double.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 1, Beloit 8

Box Score

 

Dereck Rodriguez was back on the hill for the Kernels. He gave up four runs on four hits over 6.1 innings. He walked two and struck out a season-high 10 batters. When he left the game with one out in the 7th inning, he had given up three runs (two of them in the 7th). Williams Ramirez came in and things went further south. He gave up the inherited run and four more runs on three hits and three walks before getting the two outs. Cam Booser gave up a hit and walked two in a scoreless inning. He struck out two.

 

JJ Fernandez went 2-3 with his 17th double. Rainis Silva added an RBI single.

 

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 6, Bluefield 8

Box Score

 

Sean Poppen made his second start of the season. He gave up two runs on four hits over four innings. He walked two and struck out four. Austin Tribby entered and was charged with three runs on two hits and three walks in just 1.2 innings. Max Cordy went the next 1.2 innings. He gave up one run on four hits and a walk while striking out two. Colton Davis was able to give three innings. He gave up two runs on one hit and three walks while striking out four. Hector Lujan got the final two outs, one on a strikeout.

 

Travis Blankenhorn went 2-6 in the game with his fourth home run and four runs driven in. Caleb Hamilton went 2-5 with his first double.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins

Box Score

 

The GCL Twins do not play on Sundays.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

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

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Travis Blankenhorn, Elizabethton Twins

 

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Buffalo @ Rochester (6:05 CST) - LHP Logan Darnell

Birmingham @ Chattanooga (5:15 CST) - LHP David Hurlbut

Ft. Myers @ St. Lucie (5:30 CST) - RHP Fernando Romero

Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (5:05 CST) – LHP Sam Clay

Bluefield @ Elizabethton (6:00 CST) - RHP Jose Martinez

GCL Rays @ GCL Twins (9:00am CST) - RHP Brady Anderson

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Sunday's games.

 

Click here to view the article

[roger]

Seth, do you see Jay moving to the bullpen to keep him pitching while conserving innings?  If so, do you see him moving up to Chattanooga?  Enjoy your holiday!

[dbminn]

A great day for the Twins' top pitching prospects. Hopefully, Berrios is up by the end of July.

 

What is the expected innings limit for Jay this year?

[gunnarthor]

Have to think Berrios is up after the break.  Also really nice to see Stewart adjust to AA hitters. 

[beckmt]

More likely to see Berrios up after the break and Milone DFAed.

[nyazbeck]

Berrios should make his next start Friday for Rochester if all goes well he should be brought up then

[tobi0040]

No reason Berrios should throw another pitch down there. And barring multiple 2 inning starts he should finish out the year with the Twins.

[Major League Ready]

It would sure be nice if something went right and Nolasco and/or Santana are great this month and one of them is traded by the deadline.  For that matter, it would be just fine if they both got traded.  Berrios would be here to stay. 

 

As long as I am wishing, let's hope they get a nice return on Nunez and Polanco gets a chance.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Seth, do you see Jay moving to the bullpen to keep him pitching while conserving innings?  If so, do you see him moving up to Chattanooga?  Enjoy your holiday!

 

That's kind of been my thought all along, that they would likely have him start until they think he's far enough and then move him up to Chattanooga to pitch out of the bullpen. That could still happen. Or, they could have him skip another start or something, or limit his pitches, stuff like that.