Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/8): Lewis Cracks Fifth Homer

[Cody Christie]

Teams in the minor leagues are starting to separate themselves from the pack. Rochester entered play on Friday with a record right around the .500 mark. This puts them in third place in the International League North. Chattanooga is the lone Twins affiliate with a winning record and they entered play tied for first in the Southern League North.

 

Fort Myers has struggled in the Florida State League and the club is already eliminated from contention in the first half race. Cedar Rapids is also under .500 and the club started Friday closer to the bottom of their division than the top.

 

Even if the clubs aren’t winning, there are still some strong performers in the system. Who shined under the Friday night lights?RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 1, Durham 2

Box Score

Both starters put up zeros in this one until the fifth frame. Willians Astudillo led off the bottom of the inning with his fifth home run of the season to put the Red Wings up 1-0. From there, the Red Wings offense went cold. Jake Cave finished 2-for-4 and Chris Carter reached base three times in four plate appearances. Overall, the team only had two at-bats with runners in scoring position and left five runners on base.

 

Adalberto Mejia put together one of his best starts of the season. In seven innings of work, he allowed two runs on five hits while striking out eight and walking one. Luke Bard finished off the game with two shutout innings. He struck out two and walked one.

 

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga 7, Montgomery 12

Box Score

Chattanooga got out to an early lead after plating six runs in the first four innings of the game. However, the Biscuits found a way to jump all over Lewis Thorpe. Thorpe couldn’t make it out of the fourth inning as he allowed nine runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two. Ryan Eades took over for Thorpe and allowed two earned runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings.

 

Sean Miller had a solid day at the plate. He finished 3-for-3 with three (!!) doubles and two runs scored. LaMonte Wade reached base three times out of the lead-off spot and collected his second double of the season. Brent Rooker reached base four times but he didn’t collect a hit as they were all free passes. Overall, the club went 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.

 

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 6, Dunedin 8

Box Score

Fort Myers couldn't put together a big inning in this one and one bad inning for a Miracle pitcher put the team in a hole. Fort Myers scored one run in five different innings but they didn't have a single inning with a crooked number. Jaylin Davis and Luis Arraez did their best to carry the offensive load. Davis finished 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Arraez reached base five times including a 3-for-3 night at the plate with a double and a triple.

 

Charlie Barnes started and pitched five frames. He gave up three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Kevin Marnon was saddled with the loss after he allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits in 1 2/3 innings. Alex Robinson pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings with four strikeouts and two walks. He didn't allow a hit.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 2, Wisconsin 5

Box Score

Royce Lewis started off the game with a bang. After falling behind 1-2 in the count, Lewis cracked his fifth home run of the season to put the Kernels up 1-0. Entering play on Friday, he had gone 4-for-31 (.129 BA) in June. The team’s only other run came in the fifth inning when Jacob Pearson led off the frame with a single before Andrew Bechtold drove him in with a double. It was Bechtold’s seventh double of the season.

 

Bryan Sammons put together a strong start on the mound. He lasted seven innings, a season high, and held the Timber Rattlers to four runs (three earned) on five hits. He struck out eight, which also tied a season high. Jose Martinez pitched one inning and allowed one earned run on two hits.

 

STARS OF THE DAY

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

Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day: Adalberto Mejia, Rochester (7.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 K, 1 BB)

 

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

#1 – Royce Lewis (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, HR, R, RBI K

#3 – Nick Gordon (Rochester) – 0-4

#5 – Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, BB, K

#7 – Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 0-1, 4 BB, R

#10 – Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, 2 K

#12 – Lewis Thorpe (Chattanooga) – 3.1 IP, 9 ER, 5 K, 2 BB

#13 – Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 1-4, RBI, 2 K

#14 – LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 2-4, 2B, BB, R

#17 – Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 0-3, R, BB, 2 K

 

 

MONDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester vs. Durham (6:05 CST) – TBD

Chattanooga @ Montgomery (6:05 CST) – RHP Omar Bencomo (4-0, 2.08 ERA)

Fort Myers vs. Dunedin (5:00 CST) – RHP Andro Cutura (3-1, 3.57 ERA)

Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:35 CST) – RHP Edwar Colina (2-1, 4.09 ERA)

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

 

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[Danchat]

Rooker is going to help his K/BB ratio with a 4 BB game.

 

How much longer does LaMonte Wade need to be at AA? He's more than ready to play at AAA.

[D.C Twins]

Dear Twins FO,

 

I know that Gordon was one of my draft picks and perhaps not as exciting to you as some of the players that you bring in....

 

but you do realize that the Twins used Adrianza as a pinch "hitter" in an actual MLB game which they were presumably trying to win right?!

 

….A game in which 5 "hitters" had a BA that ranged from 0.192 to 0.239 and the 6th was a AAAA player that stuck out 3 times.   

 

You guys have done some good things, but....just sayin'                                           

 

Thinking of You,

Terry Ryan

[jmlease1]

 

Logan Morrison batting 194 is not impressive. He should get the boot soon, at least I hope.

 

In favor of whom, Chris Carter? Vargas? Morrison started out in a horrific slump, seemed to have pulled out of it, and is struggling again. But you don't dump a vet with a good track record coming off a terrific season after just 200 ABs, especially when there's not exactly a young prospect pushing for his job.

 

Part of the problem the Twins have with their bench is...they don't have enough spots. With a gazillion pitchers, there's not much room for position players.

[ScooterDance]

If the twins have a gazillion pitchers, why is Pressley pitching in every game?

[Otto von Ballpark]

But you don't dump a vet with a good track record coming off a terrific season after just 200 ABs,

I might quibble the Morrison has a "good track record" -- he had 3.7 bWAR last season, but he has 1.5 bWAR for the other ~3000 PA of his career. That's like 0.3 WAR per full season, almost the literal definition of replacement player.

 

Morrison's 2017 has earned him all the slack he is getting now -- not his pre-2017 track record.

[rdehring]

I have seen people questioning Rooker's walk rate.  We can take that one off the list of concerns.

 

And let's talk a bit more about Luis Arraez.  3 for 3 with 2 walks is the player I remember from two years ago.  Just checked and saw he is 10 for 22 in his last 7 games with 3 walks and only 2 strikeouts.  I don't need California math to know that's over a .500 OBP.  Hopefully, he can keep this up for a month or two cause he's BACK!

 

And I guess it was to much to expect that Lewis Thorpe would dominate AA after being promoted a year after missing two full years.  And I guess a good game followed by a great game and then a clunker should be expected.  Come on Lewis, lets get back on track next time out!

[Mr. Brooks]

I have seen people questioning Rooker's walk rate. We can take that one off the list of concerns.

 

And let's talk a bit more about Luis Arraez. 3 for 3 with 2 walks is the player I remember from two years ago. Just checked and saw he is 10 for 22 in his last 7 games with 3 walks and only 2 strikeouts. I don't need California math to know that's over a .500 OBP. Hopefully, he can keep this up for a month or two cause he's BACK!

 

And I guess it was to much to expect that Lewis Thorpe would dominate AA after being promoted a year after missing two full years. And I guess a good game followed by a great game and then a clunker should be expected. Come on Lewis, lets get back on track next time out!

Based off a one game sample size Rooker has solved his questionable walk rate?

[gman]

Nice to see that Griffin Jax made a couple of starts for Ft Myers this past week. Nothing spectacular, but just keep moving up 1 level per year in the time he has available.