Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/21): Lewis Perfect. Affiliates Imperfect.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

The Twins bullpen left all of their scoreless appearances in Puerto Rico. One former first-round pick flourishes while another struggled badly. Not a lot of great news to share… except that it hit 60 degrees in the Midwest, so no more games snowed out! (Hopefully.)

 

Keep reading to find out much more on the night in the Twins minor league system.TRANSACTIONS

There was two transactions announced on Saturday by the affiliates.

 

The Kernels sent pitcher Calvin Faucher to Fort Myers. Faucher made two relief appearances in Cedar Rapids. To fill his role, pitcher Carlos Suniaga was sent north from Fort Myers, where he appeared twice in relief.

 

Rochester placed outfielder Zack Granite on the disabled list with a right shoulder contusion. Their roster remains two below the maximum (though the Twins optioned Gabriel Moya after Saturday’s game and he will join the Red Wings at some point soon).

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 3, Columbus 4 (10 innings)

Box Score

 

Rochester drops to 5-6 with Saturday’s extra-innings loss.

 

The new rule - where teams start each inning with a runner on second base - helped Columbus score a run in the top of the 10th, where they had two singles but also grounded into a double-play.

 

The Red Wings started their half of the 10th with the same luxury, but struck out twice to end their threat. They ended their game with six strikeouts in their last seven outs.

 

Columbus jumped out a two-run lead after scoring a single run in both the second and third inning. Rochester got on the board in the bottom half of the third inning when Leo Reginatto doubled in Nick Buss.

 

After Columbus pushed the lead back to two runs, Rochester rallied in the eighth inning. After a Gregorio Petit single, Buss reached on an error, moving Petit to third base. Back-to-back singles by Reginatto and Jake Cave each drove in a run, tying the game.

 

Aaron Slegers made a quality start, allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out four. Nick Anderson pitched a scoreless pair of innings, striking out three. Mason Melotakis took the loss. The winning run is an unearned run, as it was the runner who started the inning on base.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 2, Jackson 13

Box Score

 

Kohl Stewart was the story of the game… and not in a good way.

 

Entering the game at 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA and a 14/1 K/BB ratio in 10 1/3 innings, many fans were hoping that Stewart had turned a corner. On Saturday, he turned the wrong corner.

 

Recording only five outs, Stewart gave up six hits and a walk, resulting in seven runs (six earned). He struck out one, committed an error and took the loss.

 

Todd Van Steensel and Zack Jones limited the damage, splitting the next 4 ⅓ scoreless innings, combining to strike out seven.

 

Omar Bencomo finished the game, pitching two innings, allowing six runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks. He struck out two.

 

The lineup didn’t do much to help, but neither did the defense. Besides Stewart error, there were four other fielding errors committed (Rooker, Corcino, Miller 2).

 

Brent Rooker doubled in a two-hit performance. Zander Wiel also doubled and is hitting .396 on the young season.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 5

Box Score

 

Fort Myers gave up two early game runs and despite tying the game in the sixth, couldn’t complete the comeback.

 

The Miracle lineup provided nine hits, including three from Aaron Whitefield. Whitefield didn’t start the game, replacing Jaylin Davis in the fourth inning. Davis doubled in the second. No word on Davis’s status post-game. Jimmy Kerrigan had two more hits - both doubles - and is batting .407.

 

Brady Anderson pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out one and served up one long ball. Hector Lujan took the loss, also giving up a home run, but he also was credited with two unearned runs due to a pair of Joseph Cronin errors. He struck out two.

 

Ryan Mason pitched a perfect final frame, striking out one.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 2, Kane County 9

Box Score

 

Despite jumping to an early lead, Kane County mounted a comeback thanks mostly to a seven-run seventh inning.

 

Royce Lewis was 4-for-4 and is now batting .323. Jose Miranda added two hits. Alex Kirilloff had the team’s lone RBI. Lewis scored the team’s only two runs. The Kernels went hit hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position.

 

Nick Brown pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and striking out four. Brown walked one. Derek Molina gave up two runs in 2/3 of an inning.

 

Jose Martinez took the loss. He recorded four outs, giving up seven runs (five earned) on four hits and two walks. It was Martinez’s second game in a row allowing three or more runs.

 

Jared Finkel had a one-hit appearance, pitching the last 2 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Royce Lewis, Cedar Rapids

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Nick Brown, Cedar Rapids

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) 4-4, 2 R, SB (2), CS (1)

#3 - Nick Gordon (Chattanooga) 1-3, RBI (10), K

#5 - Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) 1-4, 2B (3), RBI (11)

#7 - Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) 2-4, 2B (1), R, K

# 10 - Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) 0-3, BB, K

#13 - Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) 1-4, RBI (6), K

#15 - Mitch Garver (Twins) 0-4, K

#16 - Ben Rortvedt (Cedar Rapids) 0-4, PB (1)

 

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs Columbus (12:05 CDT) - RHP Fernando Romero

Chattanooga @ Jackson (2:05 CDT) - RHP Zack Littell

Fort Myers @ Bradenton (12:00 CDT) - RHP Clark Beeker

Cedar Rapids vs Kane County (2:05 CDT) - RHP Randy Dobnak

 

 

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

 

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[Rosterman]

Luke Bard was cut by the Angels. If he passes thru waivers, do the Twins reclaim him for $50,000 and stash him at Rochester?

[Seth Stohs]

No question that they would want to get him back and send him to AAA. 

[Old Twins Cap]

It looks like Moya, with his hitchy hinky delivery, just does not have enough raw stuff to get out MLB hitters.

 

They foul off his good pitches until they get one they like.

 

Prolly an All-Star at AAA though.

[nclahammer]

The Twins still like him, he's only 23, and we acquired him for only John Ryan Murphy.  I would like to see him given more time to see if his stuff can eventually translate over to the bigs.

 

[Rosterman]

 

It looks like Moya, with his hitchy hinky delivery, just does not have enough raw stuff to get out MLB hitters.

 

They foul off his good pitches until they get one they like.

 

Prolly an All-Star at AAA though.

At worse, Moya becomes a situational lefthander. Give him some time at AAA. Actually, would've been nice to see him in the Arizona Instructional League. He is a work in progress. Had the stuff, now needs to know how to use it.

[Seth Stohs]

Yeah, there's no reason to give up on Moya. However, it's also understandable why he was never a Top 20 prospect for the Diamondbacks and the Twins were able to acquire him for a AAA catcher. (By the way, I believe Murphy currently has three home runs for the Diamondbacks already this year) 

[DocBauer]

Not sure Moya has even seen a single game at AAA level at this point. Sure wouldn't give up on him too quickly.

[Splash]

Luke Bard was cut by the Angels. If he passes thru waivers, do the Twins reclaim him for $50,000 and stash him at Rochester?

Absolutely, then hopefully they get rid of Kinley in order to have Busenitz or Duffey in the MLB bullpen.

[ashbury]

They foul off his good pitches until they get one they like.

Or, they strike out. He did get 6 of those in 5 innings. That would suggest to me he's not without stuff.

[Doctor Wu]

Sorry to see more regression for Kohl Stewart. Okay, it's only one game, but what a stinker!