Twins Minor League Report (5/12): Saints March Early, Kernels Pop Late

TRANSACTIONS

• After the Minnesota Twins recalled RHP Travis Adams and LHP Kendry Rojas from Triple-A over the weekend, the St. Paul Saints activated LHP Kody Funderburk and received LHP Aaron Rozek from the Wichita Wind Surge. UT Harry Genth was sent back to Fort Myers after his week in Vegas with the Saints. 
• To take Rozek’s spot on Wichita’s pitching staff, RHP Eli Jones was promoted from the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
• The Kernels received reinforcements in the form of OF Yasser Mercedes from the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and RHP Miguelangel Boadas from the injured list. LHP Garrett Horn was sent on a rehab assignment with the FCL Twins.
• Fort Myers was assigned free agent signee UT Quinn McDaniel.
• In the FCL, the Twins were assigned free agent signee LHP Jack Walker.

SAINTS SENTINEL
Columbus 5, St. Paul 10
Box Score
After a one-two-three top of the first inning from starting pitcher John Klein, this is how a red-hot St. Paul Saints lineup started this one in the bottom half.

Single. Double. Single. Walk. Single. Single. Forceout. Home run. Strikeout. Walk. Walk. Single. Strikeout.

By the time it was over they had sent 13 men to the plate and were up 8-0. The home run came from Alex Jackson, his seventh of the season.

Klein cruised through his three innings, needing just 40 pitches (27 for strikes) and allowing his only run on a solo homer. He struck out five. Marco Raya went the next two scoreless innings and picked up the win. He gave up one hit and struck out one.

The Saints added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a sac fly from Kaelen Culpepper, and a run-scoring balk.

The bullpen trio of Raui Brito (1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K), Grant Hartwig (2 IP, H, 3 K), and Drew Smith (1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K) held off the Clippers over the final four innings.

The Saints got multiple hits from Kyler Fedko (3-for-5, R, 2B, RBI, K), Orlando Arcia (2-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI), Hendry Mendez (2-for-4, BB), Jackson (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI), and Ben Ross (2-for-3, BB, K, SB). Aaron Sabato went 0-for-3 but drew two walks, scored two runs, and added an RBI.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 3, San Antonio 8
Box Score
The Missions jumped all over Wind Surge starting pitcher Jose Olivares and never looked back in this one.

Two batters in a home run made it 2-0 visitors, and five men after that a pair of other homers made it 6-0 before Wichita could get their bullpen active. Olivares was only able to record two outs, and was charged with those six earned runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out one.

Spencer Bengard gave up a two-run homer of his own in the second, and those eight Missions runs were more than they would need the rest of the way. Bengard was charged with two earned runs on two hits and a walk in his 1 1/3 innings.

The rest of the bullpen did a fine job finishing off their final six innings, as Darren Bowen (3 IP, 2 K), Luis Quinones (1 2/3 IP, 3 BB, 4 K), and Kyle Bischoff (1 1/3 IP, 2 K) held them hitless the rest of the way.

Wichita scored all three of their runs in the top of sixth. Maddux Houghton led off with a double, then Garrett Spain and Kyle DeBarge drew walks to load the bases. After a pair of strikeouts Jake Rucker drew another walk to bring in their first run of the game, before Caleb Roberts lined a single into center to score two. It was Roberts first game with the Wind Surge.

That was it for the Wichita offense as they had just four hits on the game, finished 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and left only five men on base.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Fort Wayne 2, Cedar Rapids 3
Box Score
Early season standout pitching prospect Riley Quick took the mound for the Kernels on Tuesday night, making his third start in the Midwest League.

It didn’t take long for fans and viewers alike to realize something wasn’t quite right.

From his first pitch Quick had trouble finding the strikezone, as he walked two of the first three hitters of the game. Although they caught a runner stealing and he struck out the other two in the first, it took him 24 total pitches.

In the top of the second TinCaps took a 1-0 lead after a pair of doubles to start the inning, and eagle-eyed fans (or me watching on MiLB.TV) were probably noticing at this point that Quick was paying a lot of attention to his pitching hand while out on the mound. He picked up another strikeout on a 96 MPH fastball at the top of the zone, but that was followed by a pair of uncompetitive walks before the pitching coach and trainers came out to check on him. After 46 pitches, with only 21 going for strikes (46%), Quick exited the game while the Kernels had nobody getting loose in the bullpen. I’d guess he was dealing with something like a blister that just didn’t allow him to pitch the way he wanted to. Bummer. He finished just 1 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and four walks, while striking out three.

Christian Becerra took all the time he needed to warm up, and got the final out of the inning after walking the first man he faced. Jason Doktorczyzk, originally scheduled to piggy-back Quick’s outing, came on to start the third inning and went the next five frames, holding down the TinCaps. He was charged with a lone run from a solo homer, walked one, and struck out three.

With the score in favor of Fort Way 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Kernels finally got on the scoreboard after Yasser Mercedes led off the inning with a walk. He proceeded to steal second and third base, before Rayne Doncon brought him in with an RBI single to pull within one.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the seventh inning, when big man Brandon Winokur stepped up to the plate with two outs. He delivered his league leading 17th hit of the month, a solo shot over the wall in center field to tie the game at two. It was his fourth home run of the season. Before the crowd had even calmed down, Eduardo Tait followed with his sixth blast, a mammoth shot deep to the same area of the field to take the lead.

Righty Nick Trabacchi relieved Doktorczyk to begin the eighth and struck out the side, before also setting them down in order in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.

In addition to the home runs from Winokur and Tait, Jaime Ferrer (2-for-4) and Doncon (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) had multiple hits to lead the way. 

The Kernels pitching staff, despite the worrisome start from Quick, held the TinCaps to just three hits, and they had just two-at bats with runners in scoring position for the game.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 7, Bradenton 8 (10 innings)
Box Score
Starting pitcher Reed Moring came into the game looking to keep his perfect 0.00 ERA intact on the season. When he was done his 19 1/3 scoreless innings to begin the year became the fifth longest streak of any kind in Mighty Mussels franchise history.

He did have to work a bit for it, and get some help, as he allowed five hits in his three innings, while not walking or striking out anybody. A throwing error of his own led to an unearned run in the second inning. In the bottom of the third he escaped a leadoff triple without allowing a run as he and the catcher were able to nab the runner at home on a pitch that got away. 

Fort Myers scored first in the top of the second thanks to an RBI single from Quentin Young to score Ramiro Dominguez, who had led off with a double.

Matthew DesMarets followed Moring and allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits in his two innings. He walked two and struck out one. Xavier Kolhosser (2 1/3 IP, ER, 2 BB, 5 K) and Brian Zeldin (1 2/3 IP, H, ER, 3 K) got the Mighty Mussels through regulation.

In the top of the sixth Fort Myers took a 6-4 lead by sending all nine hitters to the plate. Ryan Sprock led off with a double before Young hit his third home run of the season. Quinn McDaniel followed with a single and scored on a double from Harry Genth to tie it at four. Genth scored on a ground out from Bruin Agbayani before Henry Kusiak delivered an RBI double, his third of the season, to pull ahead by two.

The Marauders tied the game at six in the eighth inning, and in the top of the 10th the good guys scored the Manfred Man on a sac fly from McDaniel for the one-run lead.

Michael Hilker took the mound in the bottom half, and a leadoff single quickly tied the game, a double put the winning run on third, and a one-out single walked it off for Bradenton.

Kusiak (3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI, K) and Young (3-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI) each had three hits. Smith, Sprock, and McDaniel also chipped in two hits apiece. Despite losing in the run column, the Mighty Mussels outhit the Marauders 16-13 on the game.

COMPLEX CHRONICLES
Monday: FCL Twins 5, FCL Orioles 3 (7 innings)
Box Score
The Twins took an early lead in this one and held on late. Miguel Caraballo got it started with a double and was driven in later by Yovanny Duran for a 1-0 lead. Duran then stole all three bases to make it 2-0 (double-steal to take home).

Right-hander Cory Lewis continued his rehab assignment by starting this one. He finished 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run (unearned) on two hits and two walks while striking out four. Santiago Rojas went the next 3 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run on two hits and two walks. He struck out three. Brad Rudis threw the final inning to pick up the save. He gave up one run on two hits and struck out one.

The Twins added a single run in the sixth inning thanks to an RBI double from Victor Leal. In the top of the seventh Jhomnardo Reyes hit a solo homer, and Darwin Almanzar an RBI single to account for all the scoring.

Tuesday: FCL Twins 8, FCL Rays 10
Box Score
The Twins again jumped on opposing pitching, plating five runs over the first two innings, but they weren’t able to hold up in this one.

A leadoff triple from Merphy Hernandez got the game started, and he was brought in by a sac fly from Caraballo. In the top of the second an RBI single from Joyner Perez, bases loaded wild pitch, and two-RBI single from Caraballo put them up 5-0.

The rehabbing Garrett Horn kept the Rays off the scoreboard for the first three innings. He allowed just one hit, walked two, and struck out three. The Rays got to Twins pitchers Julian Merryweather (2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER) and Cristian Hernandez (2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 5 R (4 earned), 4 BB, 3 K) in the fourth and fifth innings. Carter Holjes got the final out of the fourth but allowed two hits. Yoel Roque got the final four outs, allowing one earned run on two hits.

The Twins lineup scored two in the top of the sixth after a leadoff triple from Yilber Herrera. He was driven in by a single from Jose Barrios, who later scored on a pickle-play that ended the inning. In the top of the seventh a bases loaded walk to Barrios got the Twins within one, but that would be it.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – John Klein, St. Paul Saints (3 IP, H, ER, 5 K)
Hitter of the Day – Quentin Young, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (3-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI)

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

#1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul): Injured List 
#2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul): 1-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, K
#3 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul): Injured List
#4 - LHP Connor Prielipp (Minnesota): Did Not Pitch 
#5 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-3, R, HR (6), RBI, BB
#6 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids): Did Not Pitch. 
#7 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids): 0-for-5, K
#8 - RHP Riley Quick (Cedar Rapids): 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 BB, 3 K
#9 - LHP Kendry Rojas (Minnesota): Did Not Pitch.
#10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul): 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K
#11 - RHP Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids): Injured List 
#12 - RHP Andrew Morris (Minnesota): Did Not Pitch                           
#13 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul): 2-for-4, BB
#14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Fort Myers): 3-for-5, R, HR (3), 3 RBI
#15 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-2, R, HR (4), RBI, 2 BB, K
#16 - RHP Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul): Did Not Pitch
#17 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (St. Paul): Did Not Pitch 
#18 - RHP James Ellwanger (Fort Myers): Injured List
#19 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids): Did Not Play. 
#20 - 2B/OF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita): 0-for-3, R, BB, K

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Columbus @ St. Paul (6:37 PM CDT) - RHP Trent Baker (2-2, 8.82 ERA)
Wichita @ San Antonio (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Eli Jones (0-0, -.-- ERA, Double-A debut)
Fort Wayne @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Miguelangel Boadas (0-0, -.-- ERA)
Fort Myers @ Bradenton (5:30 PM CDT) - RHP Merit Jones (0-1, 2.63 ERA)

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

Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!