Front Page: Twins Minor League Report (9/4): Postseason Baseball with a Heaping Helping of Taters

[Ted Schwerzler]

The postseason started for Minnesota Twins affiliates tonight and that means the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Cedar Rapids Kernels were in action. While both teams came up on the short end of the scoreboard, they did so in dramatically different fashion. Speaking of drama, some top prospects provided plenty of it, and neither of these series is expected to see Minnesota’s clubs go down quietly.TRANSACTIONS

Pensacola

LHP Bryan Sammons transferred to Fort Myers

LHP Andrew Vasquez transferred to Rochester

RHP Jordan Balazovic promoted from Fort Myers

RHP Dakota Chalmers promoted from Fort myers

 

BLUE WAHOOS BITES

Biloxi 11, Pensacola 10

Box Score

 

What an absolute doozy. Jhoan Duran drew the start for the Blue Wahoos and it could have definitely gone better. He made it to just one out into the fifth inning, and despite striking out six and walking one, he allowed four earned runs on eight hits. This game was all about offense though, so let’s fast forward to where things got crazy.

 

 

Despite there being 20 runs and 28 hits through the first nine frames, Pensacola had no home runs. Down 9-5 with no outs and only owning their final three outs, Alex Kirilloff stepped in for the away team. Minnesota’s #2 prospect launched a grand slam into the night and tied this one. After a ball to start the at-bat for top prospect Royce Lewis, he launched a solo shot of his own and the Blue Wahoos owned their most important lead of the night.

 

 

Alex Phillips came on to close it out in the ninth and came one errant pitch from getting it done. A leadoff single turned into a runner on second following a one-out wild pitch, and the runner came around to score on a two-out single a couple of batters later. The game that had everything was now headed to extras.

 

After going down in order during the top half, Pensacola tasked Jovani Moran with getting them to the 11th. Moran worked around a leadoff walk by getting a ground ball double play from the next batter, but a walk off homer, while needing just one more out, did him in. Griffin Jax will look to send the series back to Florida all knotted up after a win tomorrow night.

 

KERNELS NUGGETS

Quad Cities 4, Cedar Rapids 1

Box Score

 

Luis Rijo earned the game one start for Cedar Rapids and he gave the home team everything they could ask for and then some. Working six innings, he allowed just two runs (one earned) while striking out six and issuing zero free passes. Down just one run when he left the contest, Rijo put the Kernels in striking distance to take game one of their postseason run.

 

 

Unfortunately the Tyler Webb solo shot in the bottom of the third inning was the only production that Cedar Rapids mustered. The five hits were scattered and the home field advantage didn’t provide a lift in the ninth as Kernels hitters went down in order on strikes.

 

Seth Gray was the lone Cedar Rapids hitter to rack up multiple hits, and only Gabe Snyder joined him by reaching base more than once on the evening. Tomorrow, Matt Canterino will look to draw things back even on the road, and the Kernels will attempt to play a more crisp game after having three errors tonight.

 

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

 

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day - Luis Rijo (Cedar Rapids) 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 2-5, 2B, HR(GS), 2 R, 4 RBI, K

 

PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

 

#1 - Royce Lewis (Pensacola) - 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K

#2 - Alex Kirilloff (Pensacola) - 2-5, 2B, HR(GS), 2 R, 4 RBI, K

#3 - Brusdar Graterol (Minnesota) - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

#4 - Trevor Larnach (Pensacola) - 1-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB, K

#5 - Wander Javier (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K

#9 - Jhoan Duran (Pensacola) - 4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

#13 - Ryan Jeffers (Pensacola) - 1-5, K

#14 - Luis Arraez (Minnesota) - Defensive replacement

#15 - Matt Wallner (Cedar Rapids) - 0-4, K

#20 - Travis Blankenhorn (Pensacola) - 1-3, R, 2 BB

 

THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

 

Pensacola vs Biloxi (6:35PM CST) - RHP Griffin Jax

Cedar Rapids vs Quad Cities (6:35PM CST) - RHP Matt Canterino

 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Wednesday’s games or any other minor league topics you would like.

 

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[nater79a]

Probably could have added #3 prospect Brusdar Graterol in the Prospect Summary.

Playing for the Twins in Boston:  One inning pitched,  One base on balls.   No K's.

 

Oh, and Jhoan Duran and Ryan Jeffers also.

[nater79a]

Five wild pitches for the Blue Wahoo pitching staff.  Two for Duran and one each for Cheshire, Diplan and Phillips.  Not ideal in any game, much less a playoff game.  Tighten it up, boys!

[Otto von Ballpark]

So I assume the extra-innings-runner-starts-on-second rule doesn't apply to the minor league playoffs?

[rdehring]

Isn't it great seeing Kirilloff go 2-5 with a double and grand slam home run.  Add three hits from Lewis and we can hope these two will become what we hoped for the Twins by 2021

 

Nice start by Rijo.  Really need Jax and Canterino to step up big tonight..