Article: Twins Minor League Report (8/26): Big Night For Big Home Runs

[Seth Stohs]

A long road to the big leagues finally led Alex Wimmers to the big leagues. On Thursday afternoon, he got The Call. On Friday night in Toronto he struck out two in a perfect first big league innings. It’s a good reminder for all of the Twins minor leaguers not to give up on their dreams as long as they can hang on.

 

Byron Buxton kept a streak alive. Alex Kirilloff broke out of his first pro slump. There was a grand slam, and a walk-off home run. And there was a lot of strong starting pitching. It was a full, exciting day throughout the Twins minor league system. Continue reading for all the details.RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 7, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 1

Box Score

 

Adalberto Mejia may be shut down, but if Friday was his final start, he went out with a good one. The left-hander acquired from the Giants for Eduardo Nunez gave up just one run in seven innings. He allowed seven hits, walked none and struck out five. Neil Ramirez worked the final two innings and gave up just one hit. He struck out four.

 

Byron Buxton got things going in a big way. He went 2-5 and hit a three-run homer. It was his tenth homer for the Red Wings this season. It was also his third straight game with a home run. (Should I mention he also struck out three times?) Wilfredo Tovar went 3-4. Leonardo Reginnato - who was named to Brazil’s WBC-Qualifier team on Friday - went 2-4 with his second Red Wings double. Mitch Garver went 2-4, and Adam Brett Walker went 2-5. Kennys Vargas added his 15th double.

 

The Red Wings are now 75-59 and in third place in the division. However they are 3.5 games back of Lehigh Valley for the one wild card spot up for grabs.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 4, Jacksonville 2

Box Score

 

Felix Jorge put together arguably his best start since joining the Lookouts. The right-hander went seven innings and gave up just two runs on six hits. He walked none and struck out three. Luke Bard gave up one hit in a scoreless eighth inning. He struck out one. Zack Jones recorded his second save and dropped his ERA to 1.80 with a one-hit, scoreless ninth frame.

 

Niko Goodrum went 2-5 with his seventh double. Stuart Turner went 2-4. Edgar Corcino and Engelb Vielma each went 1-3 with a walk. Vielma was also hit by a pitch. So was Travis Harrison who was 1-2 with a walk.

 

Before the game, the team announced that Mason Melotakis came off of the disabled list. To make room, OF Shannon Wilkerson was released.

 

The Lookouts are now 69-61 overall. They are 33-25 in the second half, 2.0 games behind Montgomery, and 2.5 games behind Jackson.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Jupiter 4

Box Score

 

Dereck Rodriguez has become an innings-eater with the Miracle. On this night, he gave up four runs (three earned) on nine hits in seven innings. He walked none and struck out just one. John Curtiss worked a perfect eighth inning.

 

Tanner English led the offense by going 3-4. Joe Maloney added his 16th double. Trey Vavra and Alex Perez each had an RBI single.

 

The Miracle are now 66-64 overall. In the second half, they are 32-29, two games behind Jupiter and 1.5 games behind St. Lucie in the FSL South Division.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 9, Clinton 5

Box Score

 

The Kernels had a terrific night with the bats, but Tyler Beardsley recorded his first Midwest League win. He gave up two runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

 

Zander Wiel went 3-5 with his 15th home run. Travis Blankenhorn was 3-5 with his fifth Kernels double. Jaylin Davis went 3-4 with a walk and his sixth home run. JJ Fernandez was 2-5 with his 25th double.

 

Overall, the Kernels are 73-57. In the 2nd half, they are 37-24 which is six games behind Clinton. However, since Clinton also won the first half, the Kernels have a five game lead over Burlington for a second-half playoff berth. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is five.

 

UPDATE - Please read SD Buhr's comment below for the Kernels actual playoff scenario... I forgot the Midwest League's playoff rules.

 

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 7, Burlington 6

Box Score

 

Mitchell Kranson was the Twins ninth-round pick this June out of California. On Friday night, he sent E-Twins fans home happy. He led off the bottom of the ninth with his fourth home run, a walk-off, to give the E-Twins the win.

 

Alex Kiriloff kept the Twins close early in the game. He had a two-run triple (his first pro triple), and a two-run homer (his seventh homer). Shane Carrier went 2-4 in the game.

 

Miguel De Jesus worked the first four innings. He gave up two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out three. Hector Lujan gave up three runs on five hits over the next 3.1 innings. He struck out two. Patrick McGuff got the final two outs of the eighth inning. He gave up a run in the ninth which tied the game at six and set up the Kranson heroics.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 5, GCL Reds 4

Box Score

 

Sometimes all a team needs is one big inning, and that’s what happened for the Twins on Friday afternoon. A five-run, seventh inning was enough to give them the win. The big hit came off the bat of Lean Marrero. Following a bases-loaded walk by Aaron Whitefield, Marrero hit his second homer of the year. The grand slam gave the Twins a lead they were able to hang on to.

 

Jorge Munoz went 2-3 with a walk. Zach Featherstone was also 2-3 with a walk and his fifth double.

 

Jordan Balazovic was on the mound for the Twins. He gave up only an unearned run over the first five innings. He gave up four hits, walked one and struck out one. Callan Pearce gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in 1.1 innings. Onas Farfan came on and struck out three over 2.2 scoreless, hitless innings. He did hit one batter.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Adalberto Mejia, Rochester Red Wings

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Jaylin Davis, Cedar Rapids Kernels

 

 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Scranton/Wilkes Barre (6:05 CST) - LHP Nick Greenwood

Mississippi @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - LHP Stephen Gonsalves

Ft. Myers @ Jupiter (4:30 CST) - LHP Sam Clay

Cedar Rapids @ Clinton (6:30 CST) – RHP Sam Gibbons

Elizabethton @ Greeneville (5:00 CST) - TBD

GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox - LHP Taylor Clemensia

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

 

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[Bob Sacamento]

The matchup this AM for the GCL Twins is Taylor Clemensia against the BoSox 1st rounder and regarded as the best pitcher in the draft, Jason Groome.

[operation mindcrime]

I'm glad Milwaukee returned Zach Jones!

[Guest]

Because the MWL takes the top two teams in each division’s standings in each half of the season into the playoffs, calculating magic numbers is a little more complicated

 

The Kernels’ Magic Number for a second half playoff spot is actually 4, rather than 5 (the Magic Number for getting the top seed in the second half is 5). Peoria finished 1st and Clinton 2nd in the West Division first half standings. So, as you mentioned, even though Clinton has a huge lead in the second half standings, the Kernels are actually in line now to get the top seed in the second half.

 

There’s a pretty decent chance that Cedar Rapids will clinch a playoff spot during their current commuter series at Clinton that runs through Monday. Frankly, the Kernels’ season this year has been pretty impressive, considering the higher-than-normal roster turnover and relatively low numbers of reputed “top prospects” with the team.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I'm glad Milwaukee returned Zach Jones!

 

He's finally healthy, and he's pitching very well.

[Bob Sacamento]

Notes from the Spring Training complex,  Lewis Thorpe throw off the mound yesterday he's lost a substantial amount of weight (15-20lb) while having mono.  Vadim Balan also threw off the mound as well, he's missed time due a back injury- he's the first player signed out of Moldova.  Look for both to pitch in Instructionals which starts September 14th.

[h2oface]

Nunez traded for a pitcher that is supposedly MLB ready, but needs to be shut down in a month and miss a September tryout even? I must have slept through the reason. Damn.