Twins Minor League Report (4/22): Controversial Conclusion in Cedar Rapids

RED WINGS REPORT

Charlotte 7, Rochester 3

Box Score

The Red Wings had 10 hits and drew five walks, but thanks to untimely hitting and spotty defense they were unable to capture a vicory. Rochester was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and committed three errors.

J.B. Shuck hit his second home run of the season and smacked a double, as well. After an icy start, Shuck has his OPS up around .800, hitting .250/.316/.481. Tommy Field also had two hits for the Wings.

Aaron Slegers got the start and was the victim of a number of poorly-hit balls that fell in for base hits. Oh, and the defense didn't do him any favors, either. Slegers gave up seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out three batters.

Charlotte, an affiliate of the White Sox, had several of their top prospects appear in the game. Reynaldo Lopez went six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. He issued more walks (four) than strikeouts (three). Zack Burdi, Nick's younger brother, pitched a scoreless ninth. And Yoan Moncada, the top prospect in all of baseball, was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and retired Field on a nifty defensive play ... or did he?

https://twitter.com/RocRedWings/status/855938572435820545

More controversial calls to come ...

CHATTANOOGA CHATTER

Chattanooga vs. Tennessee (Postponed)

These two teams will play a doubleheader Sunday with the first game starting at 1:15 CT.

MIRACLE MATTERS

Fort Myers 4, Dunedin 1

Box Score

Randy LeBlanc finally gave up a run, but it was unearned. Dunedin scrapped together three singles off LeBlanc in the bottom of the fifth inning, but it was a Chris Paul fielding error in left field that allowed the run to score.

LeBlanc had pitched 36 scoreless innings, dating back to last season, before surrendering that run. The Tulane product has now gone six-straight starts without giving up an earned run, a streak that stretches 38 innings. The 6-4 right-hander didn't have his best stuff, giving up a season-high nine hits while only striking out two batters, but he got the job done once again.

Ehire Adrianza, on a rehab assignment, got the start at third base and went 2-for-5. His leadoff double in the eighth inning sparked a three-run rally. Paul was the only other Miracle batter to tally two hits, but Zander Wiel had a hit and a walk while both Casey Scoggins and Max Murphy managed to draw a pair of walks.

Sam Clay registered his first save of the season, pitching two scoreless innings while notching four strikeouts in the process. This was the fourth straight win for the Miracle, who are now 8-9.

KERNELS NUGGETS

Kane County 4, Cedar Rapids 3

Box Score

The deciding run came in the top of the ninth when Kane County had a runner score from second ... on a swing and a miss. Or at least that was the umpiring crew's story. Here's the play below, which was officially scored a passed ball on catcher Ben Rortvedt.

https://twitter.com/BaseballByTom/status/855971798571200512

Unfortunately, the Cougars' baserunner perfectly screens the camera right at what would have been the moment of impact. But if that wasn't a foul tip, then we're to believe that Rortvedt just completely missed that ball and it hit him square in the mask. Again, the visual evidence isn't strong, but it's pretty hard to believe the batter didn't make contact.

Lewin Diaz did his best to keep Cedar Rapids in this game, delivering a couple of clutch two-out hits. He got the Kernels within one with a line-drive single in the bottom of the sixth inning before tying up the game on a run-scoring double in the eighth.

Mitchell Kranson went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, and is now hitting .318/.348/.545 on the young season. Jermaine Palacios had another extra-base hit, a double, but after going 1-for-4 is average is now "only" .390.

Domenick Carlini started for Cedar Rapids, surrendering three runs over four innings. Andrew Vasquez, Alex Robinson and Max Cordy came out of the bullpen to combine for five innings of four-hit ball with four walks and an eye-popping 10 strikeouts. Cordy was on the mound for that bizarre game-deciding play, and was credited with the loss despite not allowing a hit.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Randy LeBlanc (7.0 IP, 9 H, 0 ER, 1BB, 3K)

Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Lewin Diaz (2-for-4, 2 RBI, hit game-tying double)

SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS

Rochester @ Charlotte (1:05 CT) - David Hurlbut (0.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP)

Chattanooga v. Tennessee (1:15 CT) - Kohl Stewart (5.11 ERA, 1.70 WHIP)

Chattanooga v. Tennessee (Game 2) - TBA

Fort Myers @ Dunedin (Noon CT) - Dereck Rodriguez (3.44 ERA, 1.20 WHIP)

Cedar Rapids v. Kane County (2:05 CT) - Clark Beeker (2.45 ERA, 1.16 WHIP)

Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss Saturday's games.

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