Twins Minor League Report (5/17): Florida Twins Affiliates Score Big, Storms in St. Paul

TRANSACTIONS 

• OF Byron Buxton traveled with Minnesota to Cleveland, expected is to be activated Saturday. 
• INF Danny De Andrade placed on the IL by Cedar Rapids with a left ankle sprain.
• RHP Tanner Hall reinstated from IL by Fort Myers 
• RHP Jose Olivares assigned to Fort Myers on rehab assignment 

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 2, Omaha 2 
Box Score 
Pitching prospect David Festa was on the bump for St. Paul on Friday night but it was an abbreviated outing with storms coming through just four innings into his outing. Allowing a pair of runs on four hits, he walked two and struck out four. 

Omaha got ahead on a 2nd inning wild pitch, but the Saints took their first lead when veteran Tony Kemp hit a two-run shot to bring in Alex Isola. The Storm Chasers evened things in the 4th inning, but then sent their nickname to suspend the game. With storms in the area, the game was over. 

WIND SURGE WISDOM 
Tulsa 8, Wichita 6 
Box Score 
Marco Raya was on the bump and he experienced a tough outing. Allowing five runs on four hits, command wasn’t there as he walked four while striking out three. The Twins pitching prospect also gave up a pair of homers. 

Carson McCusker kicked off the scoring during the 1st inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Emmanuel Rodriguez. Tanner Schobel doubled for the seventh time this season and scored Andrew Cossetti to make it 2-0. Cossetti ripped his fifth home run of the season in the 2nd inning, and his two-run shot brought home Rodriguez to make it a 4-0 lead.

Giving three back in the bottom of the 2nd inning, Alerick Soularie drove home Schobel with a 3rd inning sacrifice fly. The Drillers responded with two in the bottom half though, and the game was tied at five. Noah Cardenas doubled home Cossetti in the 4th inning to put the Wind Surge back on top but Tulsa’s three-run 7th inning put them ahead 8-6. 

Wichita couldn’t climb back in after getting two on to start the 9th, and Schobel grounded into a triple play to end it. Cossetti finished 3-for-5 with a double and a home run in a very impressive showing. Cardenas and Schobel both contributed a pair of hits on their own. Aaron Rozek worked four innings of relief work striking out four, and the three runs he allowed were all unearned. 

KERNELS NUGGETS 
Cedar Rapids 6, Quad Cities 4 
Box Score
Following a great start on Thursday from John Klein, the Kernels got another solid outing this time from C.J. Culpepper. His five innings of work consisted of just two runs on seven hits. He didn’t give up any walks and struck out four. 

After getting down in the 1st inning, Cedar Rapids tied things when a fielding error on a Luke Keaschall ball to left field scored Misael Urbina. THey then got back down by a run in the 3rd inning before recently signed infield Kevin Maitan announced his presence with a two-run homer scoring Agustin Ruiz and making it a 3-2 game. 

Cedar Rapids continued to stretch their lead and made it a 6-2 contest in the 6th inning thanks to a Jay Harry double that scored Keaschall and Ricardo Olivar. That was followed by a Ruiz single bringing home Harry as well. While Quad Cities responded with a pair, it wasn’t enough to close the gap. 

Rubel Cespedes picked up a trio of hits on the night, and Keaschall had two as well. Cespedes and Urbina both stole a pair of bases, and Urbina reached twice by the way of free passes. 

MUSSEL MATTERS 
Fort Myers 8, Lakeland 6 
Box Score
Tanner Hall was activated from the injured list and started the game, but worked just two outs throwing 18 pitches before his night was over. Rehabbing Jose Olivares turned in three innings of work allowing three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. 

Down 6-0 through the first five innings, the Mighty Mussels then began to flex and worked towards a comeback. Rayne Doncon ripped his 12th double, scoring Matthew Clayton for their first run of the game. A bases loaded balk scored Payton Eeles before Brandon Winokur stole second base and allowed Doncon to come home. Over the course of the 6th inning, Fort Myers had cut away half of the deficit. 

Byron Chourio singled in Clayton during the 7th inning, and a four-run 8th inning put the Mighty Mussels in front. Kyle Hess singled home Winokur before Maddux Hougton drove in Angel Del Rosario with a single of his own. Clayton continued to litter the box score with his presence, and a single plated Hess before Eeles scored Houghton on a sacrifice fly. 

Jeremy Lee worked three really good innings of relief for Fort Myers and gave up no hits while walking one and striking out four. Fort Myers spread nine hits around with Hess and Doncon grabbing a pair each. 

COMPLEX CHRONICLES 
FCL Twins 10, FCL Red Sox 6 
Box Score
The Twins squad put up double-digits on 11 hits this afternoon against the Red Sox. Yasser Mercedes and Ariel Castro were both in the middle of the offensive explosion with both players grabbing a trio of hits. Castro drove in five runs and Ricardo Pena had a pair of hits on his own as well. 

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY 
Pitcher of the Day – Jeremy Lee (Fort Myers) - 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Hitter of the Day – Ariel Castro (FCL Twins) - 3-3, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2B, HR(1) 

PROSPECT SUMMARY 
#3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K 
#5 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K 
#6 – David Festa (St. Paul) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K 
#7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – Pinch ran - SB(4), R 
#10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-4, R, BB, 2 K 
#11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 2-3, R, 2B(7) RBI, SB(6), BB, K 
#12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 2-5, R 
#14 – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) – 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
#17 – Matt Canterino (IL) – Shoulder injury 
#18 – Connor Prielipp (IL) – UCL Surgery 
#19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-3, R, 2 BB 
#20 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K 

SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS 
St. Paul vs Omaha (2:077 PM CST) – LHP Caleb Baragar (0-0, -.--ERA)
Wichita @ Tulsa (7:00 PM CST) – TBD 
Cedar Rapids vs Quad Cities (6:35 PM CST) – RHP Christian MacLeod (0-0, 4.50 ERA) 
Fort Myers @ Lakeland (5:00 PM CST) – TBD 

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

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