Twins Minor League Report (4/18): 6-5 Theme Night

[Ted Schwerzler]

All of the Twins affiliates were in action on Thursday night, and three of them finished with 6-5 tallies. The score was a popular one with results favoring both sides of the scoreboard.

Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily

TRANSACTIONS

• Util Tony Kemp signed and assigned to St. Paul.
• OF Max Kepler begins rehab assignment with St. Paul.
• RHP Jack Noble assigned to Cedar Rapids.
• LHP Aaron Rozek transferred to Wichita.
• Fort Myers placed RHP Tanner Hall on the 7-Day IL with a strained left glute. 

SAINTS SENTINEL
Indianapolis 6, St. Paul 5
Box Score

It was a busy night for the Saints when considering everything that was taking place in Indianapolis. Not only was Twins right fielder Max Kepler starting a rehab assignment, but big league veteran Tony Kemp was in the lineup for the first time, Matt Wallner rejoined the club, and top Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes was on the bump to oppose them.

Joe Gunkel was on the bump for St. Paul and worked four innings allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out three, and while it wasn’t a bad showing by any means, Skenes put Indianapolis in a spot where it was going to be tough for them to lose. The 2023 draft pick threw 3 1/3 innings of one-hit baseball. He punched out eight and walked two while consistently being above 100 mph. Realistically, he has no business still being on the farm.

Down 4-0 in the 7th inning, Wallner finally was able to get St. Paul on the board. His infield single allowed Tanner Morris to race home and the Saints cut the deficit to 4-1. With the bases loaded and two outs, the single run was the only one that could be mustered before the inning turned over.

Jordan Balazovic got tagged for another pair of runs in the 8th inning to make it a 6-1 game and the Saints early insurmountable deficit didn’t get any easier. A four-run 9th inning made things interesting, but Kemp was called out on strikes to end the game. The runs came on a one-out sacrifice fly from DaShawn Keirsey Jr. that brought home Diego A. Castillo, and a three-run shot from Wallner scoring Anthony Prato and Yoyner Fajardo.

Although Skenes dominated early, it was good to see the Saints battle late. Wallner was the only batter to record a pair of hits, but seeing him parlay that output into sustained success would be a great development for the Twins. The one hit off of Skenes was a 113.1 mph double by Twins prospect Yunior Severino.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 7, Tulsa 6 (F/10)
Box Score

It was Travis Adams on the bump for Wichita, and he worked four innings allowing four runs on five hits and three walks. Adams grabbed six strikeouts while allowing a longball as well. The recently transferred Aaron Rozek then took over in the 5th inning.

After Tulsa got a pair in the 2nd and 4th innings, Wichita worked their way back during the bottom of the 4th frame. Noah Cardenas singled to center field, scoring Tanner Schobel and Andrew Cossetti. With Kala’i Rosario on third, and Cardenas advancing to second on a throwing error, Jake Rucker’s double brought them both home and evened the score at four.

Carson McCusker gave the Surge their first lead of the night when he singled home Emmanuel Rodriguez - who walked three times in this game - in the 5th inning. They added on in the sixth inning when Schobel drove in Rucker.

Tulsa scored a pair of runs in the 9th inning, so this tilt was headed to extras.

Sheldon Reed struck out two in the 10th and didn't allow the Manfred Man to score. Ben Ross singled home Alerick Soularie for the walkoff win, and the Wind Surge crowd went home happy.

The seven hits for Wichita were dispersed evenly, but both Cardenas and Rucker drove in a pair of runs each.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids 6, Wisconsin 5
Box Score

John Klein started for the Kernels in Wisconsin. The right-hander from Brooklyn Park allowed four runs on six hits over four innings. He struck out two without a walk. 

Despite Klein getting hit around a bit, the Kernels did their part to provide him with run support. Rubel Cespedes singled home Luke Keaschall in the first inning before a Jay Harry single brought home Gabriel Gonzalez for the game’s second run.

After allowing a pair in the bottom of the 1st inning, Cedar Rapids put up another two-spot in the 2nd inning. Keaschall’s third double of the year scored both Jose Salas and Misael Urbina to make it a 4-2 game. Replicating frames again, the Kernels scored another pair in the 3rd inning. Ricardo Olivar’s home run brought home Cespedes, and it was a 6-2 game.

The Kernels gave a pair back during the 4th inning, but still had their lead intact. Wisconsin scored another run in the 7th inning, but that was the closest they got as Cedar Rapids hung on for a one-run victory.

Keaschall, Cespedes, and Olivar all finished with a pair of hits including an extra-base knock on the night.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Jupiter 6, Fort Myers 5
Box Score

Jeremy Lee was on the bump for the Mighty Mussels, and he put in five innings of work. Giving up three runs (two earned), he allowed six hits while walking three and striking out five.

Jupiter added a third run in the 3rd inning to take a 3-0 lead. Fort Myers answered with a tally in the bottom half with Byron Chourio driving in Maddux Houghton on a sacrifice fly. Brandon Winokur’s two-out single scored Angel Del Rosario and brought the Mighty Mussels within one.

Another sacrifice fly from Chourio, this time in the 5th inning, scored Houghton again and evened things at three. Unfortunately the tie ballgame was short lived with the Hammerheads adding a pair in the 6th inning, and scoring another run in the 7th inning.

Looking to draw even, Fort Myers pushed a pair across in the 8th inning. Houghton scored Rafael Cruz on a single before Del Rosario’s first double scored Houghton. The one-run deficit couldn’t be overcome though, and the Mighty Mussels came up short.

Houghton finished the night 3-for-3 with Winokur and Del Rosario both grabbing a pair of hits.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Rozek (Wichita) - 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Hitter of the Day – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, R, 2B(3), 2 RBI

PROSPECT SUMMARY
#3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 0-2, R, 3 BB, K
#4 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 1-4, R, 2 K
#10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 2-5, RBI, K
#11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K
#12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, R, 2B(3), 2 RBI
#13 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 1-4, R, BB, K
#16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, K
#19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, HR(2), R, 2 RBI, K. 

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Indianapolis (6:05 PM CST) – RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1, 7.56 ERA)
Wichita vs Tulsa (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Marco Raya (0-0, 3.00 ERA)
Cedar Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:40 PM CST) – TBD
Fort Myers vs Jupiter (6:05 PM CST) – TBD 

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

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[mikelink45]

Wallner is certainly enjoying his St Paul vacation - if he keeps this up and Kepler shows he still can't climb to the Mendoza Line can we call up Wallner first?  

Balazovic continues to prove his potential is shot.  He is not a major leaguer.

[DJL44]

They might need to promote Rodriguez just so he can get a chance to hit.

[roger]

BREAKING NEWS.........Wichita wins, Wichita wins, Wichita wins!

Is there any word on when Lee and/or Jenkins is expected back?  Also, how long before we could see Canterino or Prielipp on the mound?

[jmlease1]

Keaschall is having a really nice start to the season: showing good pop and patience, plenty of contact, swiping some bases...he's even getting time back out in the field again. Great way to start the year for him. He was pushed pretty aggressively, so it's good to see him doing well out the gate.

Good to see Winokur have a good night; he's been scrabbling a bit. I'll be interested to see where he sits in a month

[jkcarew]

No mention at all that Wichita snapped a 9-game losing streak?

Their pitching has been really bad. Not much better last night, but they salvage the win to get to 2-10.

[Seth Stohs]

2 hours ago, jkcarew said:

No mention at all that Wichita snapped a 9-game losing streak?

a fairly important thing to note... 

[Doctor Wu]

I was happy to see Willie Joe Garry with the Twins in Spring Training and he played well. But this far, I haven't noticed his name in any of the minor league reports. How is he doing so far?