Article: Twins Minor League Report (9/2):Slegers Shuts Down Jackson

[Seth Stohs]

Rain was the story in Ft. Myers as both the GCL’s final regular season game and the Miracle game were postponed. Elizabethton had the day off to prepare for their playoff series. Their regular season ended with a record above .500 for the 28th straight season. The Red Wings came into the night needing to win out for a shot at the playoffs. The Lookouts are hanging on to some hope, and the Kernels needed to work some overtime.Find out everything that happened in the Twins minor league system on Friday night.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 1, Lehigh Valley 7

Box Score

 

The Red Wings came into the final weekend needing to win all four remaining games. The drama of a playoff run ended quickly. The Red Wings were down 5-0 before they even came to bat in the bottom of the first inning.

 

Lefty Jason Wheeler, who has been the Red Wings most consistent starter all season, was able to record only one out. He gave up five runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter. DJ Baxendale came on and went 4.2 innings. He gave up one run on three hits. He struck out six without issuing a walk. Neil Ramirez struck out four in 1.2 scoreless innings. Jake Reed gave up one run on two hits in 1.1 innings. Alan Busenitz struck out two in a perfect ninth inning.

 

One bad inning of pitching isn’t all that hurt the Red Wings on this night. Phillies prospect Ben Lively threw six perfect innings. Joely Rodriguez came on and threw two more no-hit innings, though he walked two. In the ninth, Elvis Araujo got the first two outs, but then he walked James Beresford. Beresford took second on defensive indifference and scored on a Reynaldo Rodriguez single to end the no-hitter and the shutout.

 

Unfortunately the Red Wings playoff hopes also ended on Friday night. It will be the first time in their history that they have won 80 or more games and not made the playoffs.

 

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 5, Jackson 0

Box Score

 

It all starts with pitching, and Aaron Slegers put together another terrific start. Slegers threw seven shutout innings. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He gave up four hits, walked two and struck out seven. Mason Melotakis and Brandon Peterson each worked a scoreless inning in relief.

 

Niko Goodrum went 3-4 with his ninth double. Dalton Hicks went 2-4 with his 26th double. Travis Harrison wente 2-4 with a walk and his 22nd double. Edgar Corcino contributed his sixth triple.

 

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers , Bradenton

Box Score

 

The doubleheader was postponed due to rain. They teams will try to play a doubleheader on Saturday.

 

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 5, Wisconsin 4 (16 innings)

Box Score

 

It started out like any other game. A nice 7:00 start time. The score was 4-4 after four innings. And that's where it remained until Nelson Molina again played hero for the Kernels and an unlikely pitcher got his first win of the season. Five hours and 27 minutes after it began, the Kernels ended the game as the winner.

 

Tyler Beardsley started. He threw three no-hit innings but struggled after that. He ended the day having given up four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out two. Michael Cederoth went the next 2.1 innings and gave up only one hit. He struck out two. Anthony McIver struck out four over three shutout innings. He gave up two hits and walked one. Max Cordy threw three shutout innings. He gave up two hits, walked two and struck out five. Colton Davis came on for his first Midwest League appearance. He worked a scoreless 14th inning. And then the fun began. Jake Mauer turned to his backup catcher, Kevin Garcia, and he was good. In two perfect innings, he struck out two and became the winning pitcher.

 

In the top of the 16th, Zander Wiel singled with two outs. It was followed by a Nelson Molina triple.

 

Way back in the second inning, JJ Fernandez hit a solo home run to put the Kernels on the board. It was his ninth of the season. In the 4th inning, Zander Wiel's 16th home run gave the team two additional runs. Manuel Guzman singled in the third run that inning and fourth of the game.

 

Wiel and Fernandez each went 3-8 in the game. Brandon Lopez was also 3-8. Molina went 2-6. The triple was his third of the season.

 

 

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton

Box Score

 

The E-Twins final regular season game was scheduled for Thursday night, but it got rained out. They had Friday off in preparation for their three-game playoff series against Johnson City.

 

 

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins, GCL Red Sox

Box Score

 

Rains remained in Southwest Florida and caused this all-important GCL matchup to be delayed until today (Saturday). It will be the final game of the regular season. The Red Sox and Twins are tied at 32-28. The winner will advance to the playoffs and play the Cardinals on Sunday. The loser will be done for the season.

 

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Slegers, Chattanooga Lookouts

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Niko Goodrum, Chattanooga Lookouts

 

 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Rochester @ Lehigh Valley (5:35 CST) - RHP Tyler Duffey

Chattanooga @ Jackson (6:05 CST) -RHP Randy LeBlanc

Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (5:05 CST) - RHP Dereck Rodriguez

Clinton @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 CST) – RHP Brady Anderson

Playoffs Round 1: Johnson City @ Elizabethton (5:00 CST) - RHP Miguel DeJesus

GCL Red Sox @ GCL Twins (9:00 am) - LHP Taylor Clemensia

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

 

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[roger]

Nice season Baxendale has put together Seth. If my memory is correct, he will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft but not a minor league free agent. Do the Twins add him to the 40-man roster? Or do you feel there is little chance of losing him?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Nice season Baxendale has put together Seth. If my memory is correct, he will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft but not a minor league free agent. Do the Twins add him to the 40-man roster? Or do you feel there is little chance of losing him?

 

Yeah, Baxendale was eligible for the rule 5 draft last offseason too, but now that he's in his better long-term role, teams might have seeen what he could do and could be. I wouldn't be surprised to see him up on Tuesday.

[DocBauer]

Slegers has quietly put together a pretty nice season. Despite his size, he doesn't have the power or SO ability you'd think. But he's looking like a fairly decent prospect

[GMinTraining]

Was JR Murphy called up before Tuesday because of injury or just because they wanted to see him sooner than later?  He finished AAA season strong.

[Bob Sacamento]

Tyler Fox is starting the GCL play-in game today not Taylor Clemensia.  Looks good thru 2 IP so far.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Was JR Murphy called up before Tuesday because of injury or just because they wanted to see him sooner than later?  He finished AAA season strong.

 

I think just to have a third catcher available. Rochester still has Garver and Paulino.