Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/8): Cold Weather, Colder Offenses

[Cody Christie]

Weather continues to impact baseball across most of the northern regions of the country. The Twins had seen snow fall during a game in Pittsburgh and played in some cold temperatures on Saturday but Sunday marked their first postponement in 2018. Rochester has yet to play a game and that streak continued on Sunday. Cedar Rapids also saw the weather get in the way.

 

With other teams waiting out the cold, let’s turn our attention to Chattanooga and Fort Myers. Would any performances stand out above the crowd?RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester --, Buffalo --

Box Score

 

Rochester’s game was postponed on Sunday due to snow and cold. All three of the games from this weekend will need to be made up later in the season with the dates still yet to be determined. Rochester will attempt to get their first game in on Monday against the Syracuse Chiefs. Monday and Tuesday’s game start times have been moved up an hour to try to avoid some cold.

 

With three postponements to start the season, Rochester already has as many postponements at home as last year. It is the first time since 1983 that the first three home games have been postponed.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 0, Birmingham 4 (Game 1)

Box Score

 

Birmingham got out to an early lead in this one with Randy LeBlanc on the mound. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases before LeBlanc could record an out. He’d settle in from there as he didn’t allow another run and struck out five batters over five innings. Sam Clay took over for LeBlanc and allowed two runs without giving up a hit. His three walks over two innings didn’t help the situation. Last season at Double-A, Clay struggled with 13 walks and four strikeouts in 2.1 innings.

 

Offensively, the hits were few and far between. LaMonte Wade reached base three times including a pair of walks. Nick Gordon and Brent Rooker each went 1-for-3. For Rooker, it was his first hit of the season. Zander Wiel finished 1-for-2. Overall, the team went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.

 

Chattanooga 2, Birmingham 4 (Game 2)

Box Score

 

Lewis Thorpe made his Double-A debut in this one and struggled to keep the ball in the park. In 4.1 innings, he allowed four runs on seven hits including two home runs. He struck out five, walked one, and unleashed a couple of wild pitches. Overall, Thorpe threw 70 pitches and 44 were for strikes. Omar Bencomo pitched 2.2 scoreless innings to end the game. He walked three and struck out one.

 

After trailing 4-0, Chattanooga tried to mount a comeback in the sixth inning. Tanner English tripled to start the frame. Sean Miller drove in English with an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Nick Gordon kept the hit parade going with a single to move Miller to third. With one out in the inning, LaMonte Wade drove in the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, that’s where the scoring stopped.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 1, Charlotte 4

Box Score

 

Jaylin Davis helped Fort Myers get out to an early lead with a solo home run in the fourth inning. From there, the offense went cold as the team wasn’t able to scrape together another run. Only three batters came to the plate with a runner in scoring position and the team left eight runners on base. Davis and Jimmy Kerrigan each finished with a pair of hits in four trips to the plate. Kerrigan also stole his first base Nelson Molina and Brandon Lopez each went 1-for-4.

 

Brady Anderson started for Fort Myers and was charged with his first loss of the season. He pitched six innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn’t allow a walk. Anderson threw 62 pitches with 42 being strikes. Hector Lujan pitched the final two innings. He allowed a pair of runs on three hits with a strikeout.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids --, Quad Cities --

Box Score

 

Much like in Rochester and the Twin Cities, the winter weather wasn’t cooperating enough for baseball. Sunday’s game between Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities will be made up later this season with the date still yet to be determined. The Kernels ship out to Peoria for a four-game series to start this week before returning home next weekend.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Jaylin Davis, Fort Myers (2-for-4, HR)

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Omar Bencomo, Chattanooga (2.2 IP, 0 ER, K)

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

Here is a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Twins Prospects performed:

 

#3 - Nick Gordon (Chattanooga) - 2-6

#7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 1-6, 2 K

#12 – Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga)- 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 5 K, 1 BB

#14 - LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) - 1-3, 2 BB, RBI

#17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 0-3, BB, K

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Syracuse @ Rochester (4:35 CST) - RHP Aaron Slegers

Birmingham @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - RHP Kohl Stewart

Florida @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) - RHP Clark Beeker

Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:30 CST) – RHP Blayne Enlow

 

Please feel free to ask any questions about Sunday’s games, or ask any questions you may have.

 

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[diehardtwinsfan]

just a yucky day...

[Tommygun921]

This winter not going away is even more depressing when you try to watch baseball games when it's snowing or around freezing temps!

[Homer Hanky]

I love the top prospect summaries... Thank you! 

[clutterheart]

I will not overreact to just a few games

I will not overreact to just a few games

I will not over......Rooker has 7 SO's in 4 games?!?!?....oh no....react to just a few games

 

[MN_ExPat]

    Rooker (and the others) will be fine.

[FormerMinnasotan]

I hope Thorpe can recover well from this game. I hope this is just an “adjustment” period and after a clanker or two he shows improvement.

[caninatl04]

I am massively overstating this, but the list of today's starters (thank you for this) sort of kind of reflects the future of the Twins' starting pitching prospects.

[Seth Stohs]

The comments in this forum are the strangest I think I've ever read. Ha! I can't tell how much of this is sarcastic. I'm hoping it's pretty much all sarcastic... right?