Article: Twins Minor League Report (4/22): Romero Strikes Out 10, Buxton Rehabs

[Cody Christie]

Weather has gotten in the way of at least one minor league game every Sunday this season. That trend continued this week with the Lookouts being forced to play a doubleheader on Monday. For those team’s that got on the field, there were some entertaining games throughout the system. Who shined on Sunday? Read on to find out…ROSTER MOVES

RHP Phil Hughes returned from MLB rehab and activated by Minnesota.

OF Byron Buxton transferred to Fort Myers on MLB rehab assignment.

LHP Casey Crosby was reinstated from the disabled list for Rochester.

LHP Tyler Jay was reinstated from the disabled list for Chattanooga.

LHP Andrew Vasquez transferred to Fort Myers from Chattanooga.

OF Jaylin Davis placed on the 7-day DL at Fort Myers.

RHP Randy Dobnak activated from the 7-day DL at Cedar Rapids.

RHP Blayne Enlow placed on the 7-day DL, retroactive to April 21 with a lower back strain.

 

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 0, Columbus 1

Box Score

Fernando Romero might have been missing some of his best stuff on Sunday afternoon but that didn’t stop him from putting together a solid effort on the mound. He pitched into the seventh frame (6 2/3 innings) and allowed one run on two hits. Romero struck out 10 and walked two. The lone run scored against Romero came after he allowed a lead-off double in the fourth. A one-out single would bring home the runner.

 

Columbus has a strong line-up and Romero didn’t have his slider working to its full potential.

Overall, a pretty strong performance for the team’s top pitching prospect. In relief of Romero, Matt Magill and Ryne Harper combined for over two innings of shutout ball. In fact, the two pitchers were asked to record seven outs in the game and they combined for seven strikeouts.

 

Offensively, Rochester collected twice as many hits as Columbus but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base. The team racked up 12 strikeouts with five batters striking out more than once. Brock Stassi had the team’s only extra-base hit, a double. Leonardo Reginatto reached base twice with a single and a walk. With no big hits, Rochester falls to 5-7 on the season.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga --, Jackson --

Box Score

Weather got in the way today’s contest between the Lookouts and the Generals. The game will be made-up as part of a doubleheader on Monday, April 23. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:00 pm CST. Both games are scheduled to be seven innings.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Ft. Myers 3, Bradenton 4

Box Score

After seven innings, Fort Myers looked to be in the driver’s seat. However, two late inning runs would move the Miracle from victory lane to defeat. Clark Beeker started and pitched five innings without allowing an earned run. He scattered three hits and saw one unearned run cross the plate. Beeker struck out two and walked two. Calvin Faucher took over for Beeker and allowed one run in two innings. He struck out three and walked one. After both of these players left the mound, the team still had the lead.

 

Fort Myers got on the scoreboard with a solo home run by Taylor Grzelakowski in the fifth. He wasn’t done with one long ball. In the seventh inning, Jimmy Kerrigan led off the inning with a single. Grzelakowski smashed his second home run of the day. Joe Cronin went 3-for-4 and Nelson Molina added two hits. Byron Buxton made his first rehab start as the number two hitter and designated hitter. He went 0-for-4.

 

Andrew Vasquez came in for the top of the eighth. He allowed a single and then compounded the damage by having a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Following a walk, a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk, the bases were loaded. Grzelakowski allowed a passed ball and the tying run scored. In the ninth, Vasquez allowed a single, a wild pitch, and walk-off single. It was a rough couple of frames for Mr. Vasquez.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 7, Kane County 0

Box Score

Three Kernels pitchers combined to shutout Kane County. Randy Dobnak picked up his first win of the season after tossing 5.2 scoreless frames. He scattered six hits while striking out four and walking two. Carlos Suniaga pitched 2 1/3 innings and only allowed two hits. He hasn’t allowed a run in three appearances with Cedar Rapids. Kevin Marnon struck out two in the final frame.

 

A big fourth inning was all the Kernels needed to come out on top in this one. Andrew Bechtold reached base on a throwing error and moved to second. With one out, David Banuelos singled to drive in Bechtold. Mark Contreras followed with a double before back-to-back singles from Ben Rodriguez and Jordan Gore. Akil Baddoo walked to load the bases and Jose Miranda capped the four-run inning with a sacrifice fly. Miranda finished with a home run and four RBI.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Hitter of the Day: Taylor Grzelakowski, Fort Myers (2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Fernando Romero, Rochester (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 10 K)

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#2 – Fernando Romero (Rochester) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 10 K

#5 – Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, BB, K

#10 – Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, 2 BB, K

#17 - Travis Blankenhorn (Ft. Myers) - 0-4, K

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs Gwinnett (4:05 CST) - LHP Dietrich Enns (0-2, 10.29 ERA)

Rochester vs. Gwinnett (Make-Up of 4/15)- RHP D.J. Baxendale (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Jackson (4:00 CST) – RHP Zack Littell (0-1, 3.86 ERA)

Chattanooga @ Jackson (Make-Up of 4/22)- LHP Stephen Gonsalves (2-0, 1.76 ERA)

Fort Myers @ Clearwater (6:00 CST)- RHP Sean Poppen (0-1, 4.00 ERA)

Cedar Rapids vs. Burlington (6:35 CST)- LHP Bryan Sammons (0-1, 0.96 ERA)

 

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

 

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[Jordan1212]

Romero is such a stud compared to what we just saw in tampa. I cant wait to see him pitching for us in the very near future

[beckmt]

He is on the same schedule as Phil Hughes.  Maybe we can just slide him into that spot in Minnesota now.

[rdehring]

Great start for Romero.  Really want to see him continue to develop and join the Twins by late summer.  

 

Interesting to see Lewis have a day off the day after going 4-4.  Isn't related to a move up to Fort Myers, is it?  Probably a bit early, but if Javier is ready to come off the DL it could make sense...and yes, I know that would be pushing it this early in the year. 

 

Speaking of Javier, does anyone know how his rehab is coming?

 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

The cream is rising to the top.

[clutterheart]

 

The cream is rising to the top.

 

I hope the milk is still in its early process of churning.   There are a lot of guys having bumpy starts. But its early, hopefully as the weather improves, so do some of the players.    

[Seth Stohs]

I did update the article a bit, adding that Tyler Jay was also taken off of the DL.

 

 

 

On another note, Nelson Molina entered the Miracle game midway through Aaron Whitefield's second at bat. Whitefield had to leave the game with injury. I haven't been able to verify what that injury was yet. Not sure if it'll be a DL thing or not. Just worth noting. 

[FormerMinnasotan]

That’s quite an impressive outing for Romero especially since his slider was not great. So far he looks like a stud, I think he’s going to be making a serious push to join the Big league team by no later than the All Star break.

[joefish]

Will anyone miss Phil Hughes?

[Vanimal46]

Will anyone miss Phil Hughes?

No.

[Mike Sixel]

No.

I can never tell how you feel about him....

[Vanimal46]

Romero is like a fine Porterhouse steak that's 5 minutes away from being cooked perfectly. They could try to turn up the heat in the grill to cook it quicker, but it may not turn out perfectly.

 

Just a little more patience... Enjoy the cheese and veggie appetizers and he'll be done soon enough.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Vanimal46

[cmoss84]

 

Romero is like a fine Porterhouse steak that's 5 minutes away from being cooked perfectly. They could try to turn up the heat in the grill to cook it quicker, but it may not turn out perfectly.

Just a little more patience... Enjoy the cheese and veggie appetizers and he'll be done soon enough.

I'll make sure to take extra shots of whiskey with my cheese and apps when Hughes is pitching. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

That’s quite an impressive outing for Romero especially since his slider was not great. So far he looks like a stud, I think he’s going to be making a serious push to join the Big league team by no later than the All Star break.

 

It was great at times... I watched most of it. When he threw it where he wanted,, it wasn't hittable. But,, he missed his spot on it quite a bit too. 

 

Here are some of the good ones! 

 

https://twitter.com/RocRedWings/status/988199203238182912 

[Mr. Brooks]

Romero is like a fine Porterhouse steak that's 5 minutes away from being cooked perfectly. They could try to turn up the heat in the grill to cook it quicker, but it may not turn out perfectly.

 

Just a little more patience... Enjoy the cheese and veggie appetizers and he'll be done soon enough.

The only way that Porterhouse steak is five minutes away from being cooked perfectly, is if it's still attached to the cow.

 

But I do get your point.

[TRex]

 

It was great at times... I watched most of it. When he threw it where he wanted,, it wasn't hittable. But,, he missed his spot on it quite a bit too. 

 

Here are some of the good ones! 

 

https://twitter.com/RocRedWings/status/988199203238182912 

It looked like all (or almost all) of those strikeouts came on off-speed pitches that broke like a slider. Is that his changeup? Whatever it was, it made the AAA players look really bad. However, a lot of them were off the plate and more experienced MLB hitters (not named Buxton or Hunter) will be less likely to bite.