Minor League Report: Mussels Shut Out Bradenton for a Third Time and All Other Games are Washed out

[Sherry Cerny]

The Mussels relied heavily on their pitching to dominate Bradenton this week, and it gave them a series win. The other affiliates added doubleheaders to their schedule due to rain. 

Image courtesy of © Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

 

CURRENT W-L Records
Minnesota Twins: 7-13
St. Paul Saints: 7-10
Wichita Wind Surge: 8-7
Cedar Rapids Kernels: 9-5
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 8-7

TRANSACTIONS
No transactions to note.

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul x, Iowa x
Box Score
****POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER****
Another double header to be scheduled at a later date

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita x,
Box Score
****DAY OFF****

KERNELS NUGGETS
Cedar Rapids x, Peoria x
Box Score
****POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER****
Double header to be scheduled at a later date

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 1, Bradenton 0
Box Score

The Mussels are hoping they will get a series win to end this stretch going into a new week. They had two previous shutouts against Bradenton and were in a good position to take the series. 

Pitcher Jakob Hall got his second career start for the Mussels on the mound against the Bradenton Marauders. In his April 10th appearance, he lasted 2 ⅓ innings and came out with some lower back discomfort, but appears to be feeling better. He went three up; three down, all on the ground to get started.

The first inning was just a glimpse at how the rest of the game would go. Byron Chourio is back in the lead up spot with Jay Thomasson in second for the second game in a row. Chourio is very patient at the plate and can usually see five to six pitches an at-bat and got a walk to start today’s game in lead-off, the 17th walk for the Mussels this season. 

Thomasson hit a line drive force out to first baseman Axiel Plaz gunning to shortstop Konnor Griffin to get out Chourio. Thomasson stole second during Yasser Mercedes at-bat. Bradenton’s pitcher had a very rough time with the zone, he continued to allow the Mussels hitters to stay ahead in the count walking Mercedes. 

With runners in scoring position, Jose Rodriguez was walked, loading the bases after Valdez was behind on the count 3-0, bringing up Daniel Pena, the Mussels power hitter. Pena was the first victim of Veldez’s successful mound visit, getting a fly-out leaving all three players on base and no hits or runs generated. 

The first hit of the game came from Bradenton’s Johnny Severino in the third inning but a series of bad defensive plays threatened to let Bradenton get on the board. Second baseman Yohander Martinez, bobbled the ball in an attempt to get out runner Severino to first. Hall attempted to pick off Severino stealing second, but Martinez bobbled. Martinez picked up an error for the missed play. After some drama from Brandenton’s head coach over an out called at first for his hitter Andrew Patrick grounded to Thomason; but was called out at first, the Mussels got out of the inning with no damage. 

The game was scoreless, but the Mussels continued to carry momentum into the bottom of the fourth attempting to create scoring opportunities, but a swift double play from Daniel Pena line drive to pitcher Mendez to second baseman Jeral Toledo. 

Jacob Kisting came in for Hall and struggled a little bit in the fifth after his first ground out, he hit Patrick in the shoulder to get Patrick on first base, followed by a stolen base and then a walk from Joel Mendez. The Mussels got their second out from a Soloman Maguire force out to Carr, with Mendez as the victim of the out. The Mussels got out of the inning with no damage on a final fly out from Konnor Griffin. 

Going into a scoreless fifth, two of the only three hits of the day were by the first two guys up Chuorio and Bricenio. Bricenio walked with his appearance, and Chuorio got a single with only one out and Thomason coming up to bat. Thomason was 1-2 when Chourio decided to take off from second and was picked off at third, and Thomason got out swinging. Only one player had made it to third base, but continued RISP issues throughout the season continued today.  Keeping the game scoreless through six. 

Mussels pitcher Devin Kirby started the seventh inning, retiring all three hitters all on the ground. 

Finally in the seventh there was a productive plate appearance for the Mussels. Carr walked and was replaced by Angel Del Rosario and on a pick off throw advanced to second on an error from first baseman Jose Garces. Del Rosario scored on a ground out from Martinez, getting on the board after seven long innings, the Mussels were up 1-0. 

For a second time, a Bradenton player’s base running ended in an out and manager Jim Horner came out of the dugout to express his frustration (for the second time this game) and this time it ended in his ejection. The argument came after Braylon Bishop was picked off at second, and an earlier double play where their hitter made it to first base, but they didn’t challenge the out. The Mussels have given Bradenton a run this week, and tension was bubbling over with Bradenton trailing 1-0 deep into the game.

Bradenton had one more attempt to catch up to the Mussels in the top of the ninth, but pitcher Kade Bragg shut them down and shut out another game 1-0 for the third time this week.

PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter of the Day  
Yohander Martinez (0H, 0R, 1RBI, 0BB, 1K) is the man to credit with the RBI for the day. His soft ground out to first allowed Pinch Runner, Angel Del Rosario to score the only run for the Mussels

Pitcher of the Day 
Devin Kirby (2H, 0R, 0BB, 1K; 2.57 ERA) Kirby came in to relieve Jacob Kisting. Kirby had a great command of the plate and the one hit he did give up to Bishop, he picked him off trying to advance to second. 
 

PROSPECT SUMMARY
Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our recently-updated Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Saturday.

#3 - Luke Keaschall (St. Paul) - Postponed
#15 - Yasser Mercedes (Fort Myers) - 0R, 0H, 0RBI, 1BB, 1K

TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
White Sox @ Minnesota (6:40 PM CST) - TBD
Indianapolis @ Saints (11:07 PM CST) - TBD
Springfield @ Wichita (6:05 PM CST) - TBD
Wisconsin @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 PM CST) - TBD
Fort Meyers @ ClearWater (5:30 PM CST) - TBD 

Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the roster, and discuss Sunday’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related!

 

 

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