Article: Twins Minor League Report (8/28): Granite Leads 'Nooga To Victory

[Eric R Pleiss]

The Twins lost their 10th straight on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up one of the worst series we've seen this year, part of one of the worst stretches of Twins baseball we've seen since losing became so popular at 1 Twins Way. In addition to losing the game, the Twins lost Danny Santana to the DL with a sprained shoulder.

 

Transaction Report: The injury to Danny Santana led to a late scratch for Rochester's Logan Schafer as the Twins selected his contract before the Red Wings started on Sunday evening. Why the Twins decided to promote Schafer is a mystery. Let the fans get a good look at players they've never heard about, probably.

 

Anyways, Randy LeBlanc was promoted from Fort Myers to Chattanooga, and to replace LeBlanc, the Miracle received Brian Olson from the GCL Twins (from the other side of the MiLB complex in Fort Myers).Continue reading to find out more detail about Sunday in the Twins farm system:

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Box Score

 

Byron Buxton was 1-5 with four strikeouts and a single. John Ryan Murphy had a nice night at the plate, 3-4 with a strikeout. Adam Walker had a pair of doubles (and a pair of strikeouts) as part of his 2-4 night. Despite what Murphy and Walker did for the Wings, they managed just one run; maybe it was because as a team they struck out 22 times and worked just two walks. That might have something to do with it.

 

Jason Wheeler gave up three runs over seven innings, spreading six hits and three strikeouts. He gave up one home run, but was tagged with the loss despite the quality start because of the flummoxed Red Wings hitters. D. J. Baxendale pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, giving up one hit and striking out a pair of RailRiders.

 

Final: RailRiders 3, Red Wings 1

 

LOOKOUTS LOOK-IN

Mississippi Braves @ Chattanooga

Box Score

 

With a 4-0 lead after four innings, the Lookouts were in good shape, attacking the Braves' starter Sean Newcomb. Aaron Slegers, starting for the Lookouts, went seven innings, gave up two runs on six hits. He struck out six, walked two, and left the game with a lead and an opportunity to pick up a win. But it wasn't meant to be as the Lookouts couldn't push any more runs across the board, and Zack Jones gave up a run in the eight and two more in the ninth to blow the save and the game. Jones' final line was 2.0 innings pitched, three hits, three runs, a walk and three strikeouts. The loss drops him to 2-2.

 

Third baseman Ryan Walker left the game in the fourth inning after being hit in the hand by an errant pitch. He was replaced by Tanner Witt. Zach Granite had another great game with the bat, 3-5 with a double and two runs scored, plus a stolen base (and he was caught stealing). The rest of the Lookouts had just five hits. Twins former first-round pick Levi Michael was 0-2 with a walk and two strike outs and is hitting just .220/.296/.302 as a 25-year old in AA.

 

Final: Braves 5, Lookouts 4

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers @ Jupiter Hammerheads

Box Score

 

The Miracle jumped ahead 2-1 in the seventh and then added three more in the top of the eighth for good measure, taking down the Hammerheads 5-1. Tanner English led off for the Miracle and was 2-5 with a pair of runs scored. Trey Vavra had a pair of hits as well, including a run scored, a walk, and an RBI. Brad Hartong also contributed a pair of singles from the 9th spot in the order.

 

Keaton Steele picked up his seventh win of the year, moving to 7-11 with a 3.66 ERA. He pitched 6.0 innings of five-hit baseball. He gave up just one unearned run, walked one, and struck out four. Nick Anderson picked up a hold with 2.0 innings of hitless relief work, and John Curtiss finished things off with a 1-2-3 ninth.

 

Final: Miracle 5, Hammerheads 1

 

KERNELS KORNER

Cedar Rapids @ Clinton Lumber Kings

Box Score

 

The Kernels won their seventh straight on Sunday afternoon and could clinch a playoff spot as early as Monday evening if things break right for them. On Sunday the Kernels were powered by their pitching staff. Brady Anderson moved to 3-0 with 6.0 innings of four-hit baseball. He walked none, gave up no runs, and struck out four. He was replaced by Logan Lombana who pitched 2.0 innings. Lombana gave up a run on three hits and struck out three. Tom Hackimer earned the save with a clean ninth inning, including a strike out.

 

Nelson Molina was the hero of the day for the Kernels, with a 3-4 game that included a double, a solo home run and two runs scored. Jaylin Davis added a solo home run as well, part of his 2-4 night.

 

Final: Kernels 4, Lumber Kings 1

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton @ Greenville Astros

Box Score

 

Quite a wild back-and-forth game in the Eastern League for the E-Twins and the Greeneville Astros. The E-Twins scored eight runs on nine hits and four walks. They were led by Amaury Minier, who was 2-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Alex Kiriloff was 0-3 before being replaced by Roberty Gonzalez in the bottom of the sixth. The stat sheet reads as a defensive substitution, but Kiriloff is just 4-32 and has just two hits in his last seven games, so read between the lines a bit for the 18-year old.

 

E-Twins starter Ryan Mason lasted just 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one and gave up a solo home run. He was replaced by Alex Robinson, who gave up three runs (all unearned) over 1.2 innings. He struck out three, walked two and gave up ZERO hits. Rough way to let three runs across the plate. Quin Grogan pitched the final three innings, picking up a blown save and the win thanks to some late inning heroics from the bats. Quin gave up two hits, walked no one and struck out five.

 

Final: E-Twins 8, Astros 7

 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Hitter of the Day - Zach Granite - Chattanooga

Pitcher of the Day - Brady Anderson - Cedar Rapids

 

MONDAY'S PROBABLES

 

Rochester - Tyler Duffey (0-0, 1.72)

Chattanooga - Randy LeBlanc (1st AA Start)

Fort Myers - Luke Westphal (2-0, 2.79)

Cedar Rapids - Eduardo Del Rosario (5-2, 3.81)

E-Twins - Clark Beeker (0-0, 1.80)

GCL Twins - Tyler Fox

DSL Twins - TBD

 

Please ask questions and discuss the Sunday games.

 

-ERolf

 

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[Halsey Hall]

I doubt Zach Granite was pitcher of the day..

[wsnydes]

I didn't look at the boxscore, but was Nolan Ryan pitching for S-WB?  Sheesh.

Edited August 29, 2016 by wsnydes

[clutterheart]

Granite is probably in the AFL this year, right?

Outside of him, I am not sure what other position players deserve it.  

[Eric R Pleiss]

 

I doubt Zach Granite was pitcher of the day..

Oops.  I mixed up my pitcher and hitter.  Maybe my guy Seth can go in and make a fix for me.  Good catch.

[Brandon]

If Nooga lost how did Granite lead them to Victory

[twinssouth]

Buxton with 4 strikeouts, 3 the day before and 2 or 3 the prior day and many more before, are they telling him to hit for the fences and the heck with OBP. If not, it won't be long before he hears Zach Granite footsteps.

[james2334]

I looked at the boxscore for s-wb and one guy pitched 4 innings and recorded 12 strikeouts. That's right he struck out the side 4 straight innings. Sheesh. Were the batters wearing blindfolds and trying to use the force to hit the ball?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Oops.  I mixed up my pitcher and hitter.  Maybe my guy Seth can go in and make a fix for me.  Good catch.

 

Updated. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Granite is probably in the AFL this year, right?

Outside of him, I am not sure what other position players deserve it.  

 

I have predicted he would, but I'd also given up on there being a whole lot of rhyme or reason with who goes to the AFL. It's not just top prospects. It's generally guys who need some extra time for whatever reason (play them against good competition, make up time lost for injury, etc.). 

[Seth Stohs]

 

If Nooga lost how did Granite lead them to Victory

 

That's a fair question... I may have to be more willing to edit titles. 

[operation mindcrime]

Is it time to move on from Levi Michael?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Is it time to move on from Levi Michael?

 

I mean, he's a part-timer at AA this year. He becomes a free agent after the 2017 season, so I'd keep him around, unless there is just no playing time. 

[amjgt]

Granite's "effective" OPS is up to 828.

 

(adding SB minus CS to his slugging percentage)