Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/11): Kirilloff Crushes for the Kernels

[Ted Schwerzler]

Alex Kirilloff busted out in a big way Wednesday evening, slugging his first two home runs for Cedar Rapids to lead a huge offensive output for the Kernels. Also tonight, Zack Littell tallied 10 strikeouts and Anthony Marzi hurled 6.1 shutout innings. Check out what else happened around the minors.RED WINGS REPORT

Syracuse 7, Rochester 1

Box Score

 

Dietrich Enns got his first action of the season for the Red Wings, and was unfortunately chased after just 3.2 IP. Leaving with a three run deficit, it was up to Rochester to mount a comeback, and the bats simply didn’t cooperate.

 

Recently acquired Jake Cave clobbered his first homer as a member of the Twins organization, but that would be the only Red Wings tally of the night. In relief, D.J. Baxendale gave up an unearned run over 2.1 innings, Mason Melotakis surrendered a pair of runs over two frames but also struck out four batters and Jake Reed pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Pensacola 6, Chattanooga 5

Box Score

 

There was a little bit of everything tonight from the Lookouts. Starter Zack Littell racked up an impressive 10 strikeouts over just four innings pitched, but he also ave up three runs on seven hits and a walk.

 

Both Todd Van Steensel (one earned run over 2.0 innings) and Zack Jones (two earned runs over 2.0 innings) allowed runs in relief, but the Lookouts pitching staff combined for 16 strikeouts on the night. The dormant offense awoke as the game wore on. A four-run rally in the ninth inning came up just one run short. Both Zander Wiel and Nick Gordon picked up multi-hit games on the night, and T.J. White launched his first homer of the season.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 9, Florida 0

Box Score

 

Anthony Marzi got the nod for the Miracle tonight, and we has brilliant while getting plenty of support. Throwing 6.1 IP of efficient baseball, he scattered four hits while striking out five and walking none. Marzi threw 49 of his 74 pitches for strikes (66.2 percent). Logan Lombana threw the final 2.2 frames to complete the shutout.

 

Jimmy Kerrigan notched his second homer of the season, and also added a double in a two-hit, four-RBI effort on the evening. Mitchell Kranson (3 for 4) and Alex Perez (2 for 4) also recorded multi-hit efforts fort the Miracle tonight.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 12, Peoria 9

Box Score

 

Seven out of the nine batters in the Kernels lineup picked up a base hit tonight, and five of them tallied multi-hit games. Alex Kirilloff was no doubt the star of the game as he launched a pair of long balls en route to a six RBI night, but he wasn't the only bat to bust loose.

Ben Rodriguez was 3-or-5 and hit his first Midwest League home run. David Banuelos also hit his first homer for the Kernels and had a single. Jordan Gore had a pair of hits and a walk and Ben Rortvedt was 2-for-5.

 

Despite getting a short start from Randy Dobnak (3.2 innings), Calvin Faucher and Ryan Mason came on to shut down the Peoria lineup. Faucher pitched 2.1 shutout innings with four strikeouts and Ryan Mason earned his second save of the year after allowing one run over the final three innings. The Kernels have now improved to 5-0 on the 2018 season.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Anthony Marzi, Fort Myers Miracle (6.1 IP 4 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 5 K)

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Alex Kirilloff, Cedar Rapid Kernels (3-4 2 R 6 RBI 2 HR)

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

2. Nick Gordon 2-for-5, RBI

5. Alex Kirilloff 3-for-5, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2 HR

7. Brent Rooker 0-for-4, 3 K

10. Akil Baddoo 0-for-3, 2 R, BB

11. Zack Littell 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K

14. LaMonte Wade 0-3, BB

16. Ben Rortvedt 2-for-5, 2B, R

17. Travis Blankenhorn 1-for-4, RBI

 

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Red Wings @ Gwinnett (6:05pm CST) – RHP Myles Jaye (0-0 0.00 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Pensacola (6:35pm CST) – LHP Stephen Gonsalves (1-0 0.00 ERA)

Miracle vs Florida (6:00pm CST) – Tyler Wells (0-0 2.25 ERA)

Kernels @ Peoria (6:30pm CST) – Nick Brown (0-0 0.00 ERA)

 

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[108Stitches]

Wow Rooker on the STRUUUGLE bus! And way to go ALEX!

[wagwan]

yeah  based on the early season struggles of Rooker and Morrison I'd say it's time to renew Mauer's contract.

[kengrosz]

So happy for Alex!!!

[h2oface]

Great to see Ben Rortvedt hitting early (.471 BA)!

[FormerMinnasotan]

I know it’s 1 start for Dietrich Enns, but his start highlights how he should pitch in the bullpen while Gonsalves should be pitching in the rotation in Rochester.

[rdehring]

What a nice foursome at Cedar Rapids, Kiriloff, Bechtold, Rortvedt and Baddoo.  Although Baddoo's bat hasn't come to life yet, the other three are ripping the cover off the ball. 

 

Will be great if all four can move to Florida later this summer, then on to the Twins by sometime in 2020.  Should be our next wave of replacements who won together throughout the minors.

[ashbury]

16. Ben Rortvedt 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, R

I hate to take away anything from "my" guy, but I don't see an RBI for Rortvedt in yesterday's box score or game log.

[Doctor Wu]

Just based on what I've read, I'm excited about Ben Rortvedt and his prospects of making the big league club as a starting catcher in a few years. Good to see him off to a great start!

[Tom Froemming]

 

I hate to take away anything from "my" guy, but I don't see an RBI for Rortvedt in yesterday's box score or game log.

Fixed, thank you. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

I know it’s 1 start for Dietrich Enns, but his start highlights how he should pitch in the bullpen while Gonsalves should be pitching in the rotation in Rochester.

 

I'm a Gonsalves fan. I''m not an Enns fan. But making anything from anyone's first start of the year in these conditions isn't really fair. I know that's not what you're doing. 

[GM64]

Maybe it is just the angle from which I'm seeing the at bats, but holy cow does it look like Kirilloff loads up as the ball is delivered.  

[LimestoneBaggy]

 

Maybe it is just the angle from which I'm seeing the at bats, but holy cow does it look like Kirilloff loads up as the ball is delivered.  

 

He generally is pretty smooth with a small step

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGt5fTrOc1g

[gunnarthor]

 

Maybe it is just the angle from which I'm seeing the at bats, but holy cow does it look like Kirilloff loads up as the ball is delivered.  

Yeah, he certainly seems to have a nice natural power swing.

[gunnarthor]

Out of curiosity, anyone know the dimensions of the park in Cedar Rapids? I saw 310 down the LF line.

[Ted Schwerzler]

 

Out of curiosity, anyone know the dimensions of the park in Cedar Rapids? I saw 310 down the LF line.

From Wikipedia:

 

L-R: 315, 378, 400, 390, 325

[2wins87]

Nice to see there's not too much rust for Kirilloff.  A good season could really establish him as a leader of the next wave of youth with Lewis.

[gunnarthor]

 

From Wikipedia:

 

L-R: 315, 378, 400, 390, 325

Cool, that's a real park. Thanks.

[bluechipper]

What a nice foursome at Cedar Rapids, Kiriloff, Bechtold, Rortvedt and Baddoo.  Although Baddoo's bat hasn't come to life yet, the other three are ripping the cover off the ball. 

 

Will be great if all four can move to Florida later this summer, then on to the Twins by sometime in 2020.  Should be our next wave of replacements who won together throughout the minors.

Add the most recent #1 overall pick, and that's an even nicer fivesome.

[rdehring]

 

What a nice foursome at Cedar Rapids, Kiriloff, Bechtold, Rortvedt and Baddoo.  Although Baddoo's bat hasn't come to life yet, the other three are ripping the cover off the ball. 

 

Will be great if all four can move to Florida later this summer, then on to the Twins by sometime in 2020.  Should be our next wave of replacements who won together throughout the minors.

And can you believe that I forgot to include Lewis in that group...so its a nice fivesome!  And that doesn't include Enlow or a couple guys waiting in the wings in EST...namely, Javier and Graterol.  

[David HK]