Twins Minor League Report (9/7): Dobnak Pitches Cedar Rapids Forward, Miranda Powers Miracle Ahead

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 3, Daytona 1

Box Score

W: Charlie Barnes (6.2 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)

SV: Jovani Moran (2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)

HR: Jose Miranda

Multi-hit games: Travis Blankenhorn (3-for-3), Jose Miranda (2-for-4, 2B, HR)

Game 1 of the Florida State League Championship Series opened up as a pitcher’s duel. Charlie Barnes of Fort Myers and Packy Naughton of Daytona each wiggled out of early jams, Barnes being the beneficiary of some great defense.

Daytona opened the third inning with consecutive singles and loaded the bases with one out. A potential sacrifice fly was hit out to Aaron Whitefield in center, but he turned it into an inning-ending double play instead, throwing out the runner trying to score.

This game was tied at 0-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth. Naughton retired the first two hitters he faced, but Alex Kirilloff hit a single to extend the inning and Jose Miranda delivered a huge two-run homer.

The Miracle added an insurance run in the seventh, as Caleb Hamilton hit a leadoff single, stole second base with two outs and came around to score on a Travis Blankenhorn single.

Things got way too interesting in the top half of the eighth inning. With Jovani Moran pitching, the Tortugas’ leadoff batter reached safely on a strike three passed ball. Moran hit the next batter, then gave up an RBI single. The Miracle finally got the first out of the inning on a pop out, but then Moran walked the bases loaded. Luckily, he got things straightened out and struck out the next two batters swinging.

Heading into the ninth up 3-1, Ryan Costello committed an error to put the leadoff man on, but Moran buckled down again and struck out the next three batters, all swinging.

Game 2 of this series takes place tomorrow evening. Griffin Jax will start for the Miracle.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Cedar Rapids 4, Beloit 0 (7 innings)

Box Score

W: Randy Dobnak (7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)

Multi-hit games: Akil Baddoo (3-for-4, 2B)

There’s nothing better than a dominant outing by a starting pitcher in postseason play. Randy Dobnak surely had the Snappers feeling helpless, as he shut them out for the full seven innings of this game.

Dobnak gave up just six hits and a walk and struck out eight. He was effectively aggressive, throwing 72 of his 92 pitches for strikes (78.3 percent).

Akil Baddoo was rock solid for Cedar Rapids at the plate. He hit a leadoff double in the first, but was eventually stranded there. In the second, he got the Kernels on the board with a two-out RBI single. He added another single in the middle of what was a two-run fourth inning for Cedar Rapids.

This game was only scheduled for seven innings because if the Kernels would have lost, a third and deciding game would have been played later in the evening on Friday.

With a victory in Game 2 of their series against Beloit, the Kernels advance to the Midwest League Western Division Championship, and will host Peoria tomorrow night. Bryan Sammons will be on the mound for Cedar Rapids.

STARS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Randy Dobnak, Cedar Rapids

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Jose Miranda, Fort Myers

TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY

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

1. Royce Lewis (FM): 1-for-4

2. Alex Kirilloff (FM): 1-for-4, R

6. Trevor Larnach (CR): 1-for-2, BB, RBI, K

8. Akil Baddoo (CR): 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, R, K

13. Travis Blankenhorn (FM): 3-for-3, RBI

18. Ryan Jeffers (CR): 0-for-3

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Fort Myers vs. Daytona, 6:00 pm CT: Griffin Jax (Game 2 of series, Miracle up 1-0)

Cedar Rapids vs. Peoria, 6:35 pm CT: Bryan Sammons (Game 1 of series)

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