Twins Minor League Report (9/21): Then There Was One

[Ted Schwerzler]

With the Cedar Rapids Kernels winning the Midwest League Championship Wednesday night, the St. Paul Saints were the lone affiliate in action on Thursday. Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was back in action as the designated hitter.

 

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

TRANSACTIONS

• OF Byron Buxton begins MLB rehab assignment with St. Paul

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 4, Toledo 2
Box Score
Playing with a full complement of Twins rehabbing talent again on Thursday night, the Saints had Byron Buxton batting second as the designated hitter while Joey Gallo batted third and was in left field. Nick Gordon had a scheduled day off. The pitchers, Chris Paddack, Brock Stewart, and Jorge Alcala were all available out of the bullpen.

Making his final start of the season, now as the Saints single-season strikeouts record holder, was Randy Dobnak. Chris Williams, fresh off his franchise-record 21st home run, was out of the lineup on Thursday night. It was St. Jude night at the ballpark, and there’s still an opportunity to join Randy and Aerial Dobnak for the walk/run on Saturday.

 

Kicking off the scoring, Toledo grabbed a first inning run off of Dobnak and the action was underway. Former Twins prospect Bryan Sammons started for the Mud Hens. While he recorded eight strikeouts in six scoreless innings, Dobnak nearly matched him. The Saints starter worked six innings allowing just one run on three hits and four walks. Dobnak struck out seven to finish his season with 115.

Andrew Bechtold came on for his 20th appearance on the mound this season. While he’s been wild all year for St. Paul, pumping triple-digits continues to be fun to dream on. After striking out the first batter he saw, Bechtold walked the next, gave up a single, and then walked another to load the bases. A sacrifice fly then made it a 2-0 lead for Toledo. Bechtold got out of the inning before more damage was done.

Continuing the trend of former Twins prospects, Andrew Vasquez came on in relief of Sammons for Toledo in the seventh inning. After a Brooks Lee single, Kyle Garlick rolled a ground ball to the hot corner. Rather than the third baseman starting an easy double play, he threw the ball at Lee sliding into second, and it went sailing into right field. Lee came around to score with Garlick finishing the play on third base as the tying run. After hitting Jair Camargo, Vasquez uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Garlick to score and tie the game.

Hernan Perez ripped a single back through the middle, just out of the shortstop’s reach, and brought Camargo in from second base. For the first time on the evening, St. Paul had a lead. After a Michael Helman single put runners on first and second, Byron Buxton stepped in for the fourth time with a pair of strikeouts to his credit. Buxton swung at a first pitch slider, from newly inserted righty Garrett Hill, and rolled it back up the middle to score another run.

Joey Gallo walked to load the bases, but the Saints couldn’t push another one across and it was 4-2 headed to the eighth inning. Buxton was lifted for pinch runner Chris Williams, and his night of rehab work was done. Going 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts and the single, Buxton will look to get more action in before St. Paul ends their season on Sunday afternoon.

Curtis Taylor worked a scoreless inning for St. Paul to open the eighth inning, and the Saints didn't add on in their final frame. Ronny Henriquez came on to close it out in the ninth inning. He got a strikeout before issuing a walk, and then struck out another Mud Hens hitter to leave just one final out. Henriquez put the tying run on with a second free pass, and the go ahead run stepped in. Colt Keith flew out and this one was over.

St. Paul moved to 20 games over .500 with their 83rd win. Helman and Perez were the only two Saints to grab a pair of hits. Just three games remain at CHS Field for the year, and there are still great seats available.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Hitter of the Day – Hernan Perez (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, R, RBI, 2B, K

PROSPECT SUMMARY
We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. 

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

#1 - Brooks Lee (St. Paul) - 1-4, R, K
#14 - Yunior Severino (St. Paul) - 1-4, 3 K

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Toledo @ St. Paul (6:37PM CST) - LHP Blayne Enlow

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s game!

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[roger]

Does the Saints season end Sunday?  Curious when we will see Stewart called up.  Gotta believe the Twins will want to see him make at least two or three appearances for them before the season's end.  Is it 50-50 that Paddack also gets a call?  Or is it more a slam dunk?

Looking at today's starting pitcher, is Enlow left handed?

 

[joefish]

Buxton can stay right where he is. 'Til November.

[DJL44]

Twins prospects in Arizona Fall League

 

Quote

Twins (Glendale): Kala'i Rosario, OF; Malik Barrington, RHP; Jordan Carr, LHP; Andrew Cossetti, C; Ben Ethridge, RHP; A.J. Labas, RHP; Aaron Sabato, 1B; Zach Veen, LHP

 

[2wins87]

27 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Twins prospects in Arizona Fall League

 

 

Wouldn't have minded seeing Rodriguez get a bit more experience, but maybe he'll be playing winter ball.  Rosario would be my next choice though as a young guy who can gain something from playing more experienced competition.  I also like Cossetti going.  He had a great season offensively, but as an older 4-year college player he could use more experience so he can hopefully be ready for AA and continue moving up.  Sabato should have been beyond needing AFL experience at this point, but maybe he'll get a spark from some success there.  Doesn't hurt.

As usual, no particularly big names among the pitchers.  Ethridge is interesting as a late round draft pick who never made it to high-A but did do well in low-A

[D.C Twins]

Sabato should probably get his real estate license while he is down there and start preparing for life after baseball