Twins Minor League Report (7/3): Edwar Colina and Epic Comebacks

[Tom Froemming]

Edwar Colina dominated, there were eight home runs hit and some epic comebacks. Cedar Rapids was down to their final out but came back in the ninth inning to win, Pensacola overcame a seven-run deficit and Rochester came back in the seventh. Come see what else happened across the system Wednesday.

Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily (photo of Edwar Colina)

Edwar Colina dominated, there were eight home runs hit and some epic comebacks. Cedar Rapids was down to their final out but came back in the ninth inning to win, Pensacola overcame a seven-run deficit and Rochester came back in the seventh. Come see what else happened across the system Wednesday.

TRANSACTIONS

-Zack Littell recalled from Rochester by the Twins.

RED WINGS REPORT

Rochester 6, Syracuse 3

Box Score

Chase De Jong: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 70.5% strikes (62 of 88 pitches)

HR: Jordany Valdespin (7), Jaylin Davis (6)

Multi-hit games: Jaylin Davis (2-for-4, HR), Nick Gordon (2-for-4, 2B, 3B)

Rochester entered the bottom of the seventh inning of this game trailing 3-2. Jaylin Davis gor things going with a leadoff single and Nick Gordon later added a go-ahead two-run triple.

https://twitter.com/RocRedWings/status/1146598071553466368

Davis and Gordon were a two-man wrecking crew tonight. Gordon also hit his 19th double of the season and Davis hit his sixth home run in just his 16th game with the Red Wings. Jaylin now has a grand total of 16 homers on the season. In mid-May I put together a spotlight video on Davis, which you can watch here:

The bullpen was outstanding for Rochester tonight. Preston Guilmet struck out five batters in 2 1/3 scoreless, one-hit innings before Ian Krol picked up what’s already been his fifth save since joining the Wings in late June.

BLUE WAHOO BITES

Pensacola 14, Mississippi 13

Box Score

Jorge Alcala: 3.2 IP, 10 H, 10 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 64.1% strikes (50 of 78 pitches)

HR: Jimmy Kerrigan (6), Travis Blankenhorn (15), Mark Contrereas (4), Ben Rortvedt (5)

Multi-hit games: Travis Blankenhorn (4-for-6, HR), Ben Rortvedt (3-for-6, HR), Mark Contreras (3-for-4, HR, BB), Lewin Diaz (3-for-5, 2B, BB), Jimmy Kerrigan (2-for-5, HR), Brian Schales (2-for-3, 2B, 3 BB), Brian Navarreto (2-for-4, BB), Michael Davis (2-for-5)

Lots and lots of scoring in this one, but the amazing thing with this game is the Blue Wahoos entered the bottom of the seventh inning down 13-6. They exploded with a seven-run inning to tie it up. Ben Rortvedt hit a two-run homer in that rally, then delivered the go-ahead run on an RBI single the next inning.

Just take a look at all those multi-hit games. Wow. The Pensacola lineup combined for 21 hits and drew eight walks. Every single batter reached base safely at least two times.

The pitching? Well … Jorge Alcala had a night to forget, as you can see above. Sam Clay got the final out of the eighth and pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the victory.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 1, Clearwater 0

Box Score

Edwar Colina: 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 65.9% strikes (58 of 88 pitches)

HR: Michael Helman (1)

Multi-hit games: None

You haven’t seen a pitcher’s duel until you’ve seen a Florida State League pitchers duel. Edwar Colina was a beast for Fort Myers, giving up just one hit and a walk over eight innings while striking out nine batters.

Clearwater carried a no hitter into the sixth inning, but Gabriel Maciel broke it up with a single. The Miracle lineup could only muster one other hit, but luckily it was a Michael Helman home run in the seventh inning. Zach Neff protected the one-run lead to earn his first save of the season for the Miracle.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 5, Burlington 4

Box Score

Tyler Palm: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 65.9% strikes (56 of 85 pitches)

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Yeltsin Encarnacion (3-for-5, 2B)

Take a bow, Yeltsin Encarnacion. The Kernels second baseman collected three of his team’s five hits and drove in three runs. Cedar Rapids entered the ninth inning down 4-2. Their leadoff man reached on an error and Burlington walked the bases loaded with two outs.

With the Kernels down to their final out, Encarnacion hit a line-drive double to left field to clear the bases and give his team the lead. Moises Gomez picked up his fifth save, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning.

E-TWINS E-NOTES

Elizabethton 4, Pulaski 1

Box Score

Louis Varland: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 63.9% strikes (39 of 61 pitches)

HR: None

Multi-hit games: Charlie Mack (2-for-3, BB)

The E-Twins pitching staff combined to strike out 13 batters in this one. Starter Louis Varland racked up five Ks in his 3 2/3 innings of work, Osiris German added two more strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings and Tyler Benninghoff finished out the game with six strikeouts over the final three innings. The only Elizabethton extra-base hit was a Matt Wallner RBI double.

GCL TWINS TAKES

GCL Twins 5, GCL Braves 2

Box Score

Anthony Escobar: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

HR: Francisco Martinez (1)

Multi-hit games: Keoni Cavaco (2-for-4, 2B), Parker Phillips (2-for-4)

With five no-hit innings today, Anthony Escobar is now up to eight shutout innings on the season so far. He’s struck out nine batters and walked just two. Keoni Cavaco recorded the first multi-hit game of his career.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Edwar Colina, Fort Myers

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Ben Rortvedt, Pensacola

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

1. Royce Lewis (FM): 0-for-3, B, 3 K, CS

2. Alex Kirilloff (PNS): 0-for-4, 2 BB, 2 RBI, R, K,

5. Wander Javier (CR): 0-for-3, HBP, R, K

7: Keoni Cavaco (GCL): 2-for-4, 2B, R, 2 K

8. Brent Rooker (ROC): 1-for-4, SB (2), K

12. Nick Gordon (ROC): 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, R, K

13. Ryan Jeffers (FM): 0-for-3

15. Matt Wallner (ELZ): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI

16. Ben Rortvedt (PNS): 3-for-6, HR, 3 RBI, R

18. Jorge Alcala (PNS): 3.2 IP, 10 H, 10 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 64.1% strikes (50 of 78 pitches)

19. Misael Urbina (DSL): 1-for-4, K

20. Travis Blankenhorn (PNS):

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester at Scranton, 6:05 pm CT (Sean Poppen)

Pensacola at Birmingham, 6:00 pm CT (TBD)

Fort Myers vs. Palm Beach, 6:00 pm CT (Blayne Enlow)

Cedar Rapids vs. Burlington, 5:05 pm CT (Luis Rijo)

Elizabethton vs. Kingsport, 5:30 pm CT (TBD)

GCL Twins vs. GCL Braves, 9:00 am CT (TBD)

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games.

View full article

[Danchat]

Look like it's that time of the week where I ask the Twins to move Alcala to the pen. Yikes, now that's a bad start.

Jaylin Davis is crushing it so well I would like to see him get a shot soon... but I'd also like to see Rooker and Wade get chances too. We have some solid OF prospects.

[jokin]

I know the Dominican League Twin team is not regularly covered, but I think reporting that the DSL Twins lost 38-2!!! to the DSL Yankees probably deserved a mention.

[Squirrel]

I know the Dominican League Twin team is not regularly covered, but I think reporting that the DSL Twins lost 38-2!!! to the DSL Yankees probably deserved a mention.

And I was happily reading this thread, thinking the Twins won all through last night.

[jmlease1]

Blankenhorn continues to do well. Would like to see him draw a few more walks; he might need to tighten up his approach a bit more in order to keep advancing, but it's great to see how much he's done to unlock the power potential.

 

Nick Gordon's looking solid. He's been under the radar a bit with Arraez doing so well in getting called up, but there's definitely something there.

[rdehring]

HEAR YE!  HEAR YE!  The ANTHONY ESCOBAR BANDWAGON is leaving the station.

 

COME ONE!  COME ALL!  And join me on the ANTHONY ESCOBAR EXPRESS.

 

All Aboard!

[ChrisKnutson]

Romero was moved to the bullpen on day 1, yet Alcala is still starting...

[Splash45]

Romero was moved to the bullpen on day 1, yet Alcala is still starting...

 

I think that’s because the FO thought that Romero would be able to help the Twins out of the bullpen early this year. Whereas Alcala isn’t gonna be up this year anyway so there isn’t much harm in waiting a little longer to see if he can become a good starter.

[Aerodeliria]

Look like it's that time of the week where I ask the Twins to move Alcala to the pen. Yikes, now that's a bad start.

Jaylin Davis is crushing it so well I would like to see him get a shot soon... but I'd also like to see Rooker and Wade get chances too. We have some solid OF prospects.

 

Solid trade prospects in the OF, which could be very attractive to some teams.

[Aerodeliria]

Any news on Hackimer?

[Monkeypaws]

Those top 3 prospects batting averages are somewhat discouraging: .233, .268, .163 ....

 

It is July after all. 

 

 

[PDX Twin]

Just to rain on the 4th of July parade:

 

Wahoos get 21 hits ... and Kirilloff is 0-for-4.

 

Including the DSL, the Twins' affiliates' run differential on the day is -24.

[blindeke]

Gordon heating up is a good sign if we want to use him as trade bait.

[Cornholio]

Does Colina need to be added to the 40-man roster after this year? Who else needs to be added?

Edited July 4, 2019 by Cornholio

[Danchat]

 

Does Colina need to be added to the 40-man roster after this year? Who else needs to be added?

I'll compile a quick list for you of players (some may be borderline):

 

Travis Blankenhorn

Brusdar Graterol

Jorge Alcala

Griffin Jax

Tom Hackimer

Jhoan Duran

Wander Javier

Gilberto Celestino

Luis Rijo

 

Players who were already Rule 5 eligible but are having good years

 

Lewin Diaz (has been eligible for the 2017 & 2018 rule 5 drafts!)

Cody Stashak

Jaylin Davis

 

 

Colina does not need to be added until the 2020 offseason.

[Cornholio]

I'll compile a quick list for you of players (some may be borderline):

 

 

Travis Blankenhorn

Brusdar Graterol

Jorge Alcala

Griffin Jax

Tom Hackimer

Jhoan Duran

Wander Javier

Gilberto Celestino

Luis Rijo

 

Players who were already Rule 5 eligible but are having good years

 

Lewin Diaz (has been eligible for the 2017 & 2018 rule 5 drafts!)

Cody Stashak

Jaylin Davis

 

 

Colina does not need to be added until the 2020 offseason.

Thank you Edited July 4, 2019 by Cornholio

[Dman]

Looks like Colina is finally all the way back.  That is the way he was pitching last year.  Nice to see him pitching well again.