Twins Minor League Report (5/5): Rock Cats Walk Off

The Twins started their road trip at Progressive Field on Monday night and got a stand-out performance from Kyle Gibson, a big hit from Eddie Escobar and, because it’s the minor league report, the first hit of Danny Santana’s big league career.

Earlier Monday, the Red Wings announced that they’ve activated RP Deolis Guerra. The Miracle also made a bullpen swap, adding RP Brandon Peterson and DL'ing closer Brian Gilbert. In case you missed it yesterday, Dalton Hicks was placed on the DL to make room for the return of Byron Buxton.

You can view these – and other moves and rosters – here.

Moving on to the farm…

Red Wings Report

ROCHESTER 4, COLUMBUS 6

Box Score

With Logan Darnell’s promotion and the Red Wings playing for the fifth(!) straight day, Rochester leaned on LHP Brooks Raley to make a spot start. Raley has worked exclusively out of the bullpen for the Red Wings, but made 25 starts for the Iowa Cubs (PCL) last year, so this wasn’t an entirely new experience.

Raley only lasted three innings (throwing 70 pitches), but escaped without giving up a run. It was a brief one hit, three walk, five strikeout performance.

Ryan Pressly wasn’t great in relief and allowed three runs on four hits. He lasted only two innings. His ERA is up to 5.52.

Matt Hoffman allowed one run in two innings and got four outs on the ground.

A.J Achter gave up a two-run blast in the eighth inning to take the loss.

James Beresford provided all of Rochester’s offense on one swing – a grand slam. His second career home run. He also had three of the team’s seven hits. Oswaldo Arcia and Eric Fryer added doubles.

Rock Cats Review

NEW BRITAIN 3, TRENTON 2 (10 INNINGS)

Box Score

After Lester Oliveros gave up the go-ahead run in the top half of the 10^th inning, it looked like the Rock Cats might drop another game below .500.

The offense, which had been pretty anemic for the first nine innings, had other ideas.

It started with a Reynaldo Rodriguez double and was followed by a Danny Ortiz bunt single. A wild pitch advanced Ortiz to second. Brandon Waring was walked to load the bases with nobody out.

Matt Koch "batted" in the game-tying run by letting ball four fly by. Tony Thomas reached on a fielder’s choice. The choice, probably obviously, was to get Ortiz out at home.

Corey Wimberly came up with the bases still loaded and promptly drove a pitch to right field to score the winning run, in walk-off fashion.

It should also be mentioned that New Britain didn’t score their first run until the bottom of the ninth, when Nate Hanson doubled home Wimberly.

Matt Summers pitched five innings of one-run ball. He struck out four and walked one.

Daniel Turpen (two innings) and Ryan O’Rourke (one inning) both pitched hitless innings while posting K/9’s of 18.00.

Lester Oliveros picked up the win, after leaving the game in line for the loss. Because that’s how baseball works.

The benches also cleared after Matt Koch was run in to trying (successfully) to make an out at home. No managers were injured during the disagreement.

Miracle Matters

FORT MYERS 3, BRADENTON 2

Box Score

Day 2 of Return of the Buxton was identical to Day 1: 0-for-3, two strikeouts. (He did have an outfield assist.)

The Miracle pick up the win despite only getting two hits (including a Mike Gonzales double) and a walk on Monday. It helped that that all came in the first inning. They added an insurance run in the third as the result of an error. The Miracle were facing Tyler Glasnow, a top prospect who was throwing 98 mph cheese.

Matt Tomshaw is credited with the win. He pitched six innings, gave up six hits, allowed an unearned run and struck out two.

Mason Melotakis allowed one run in 2.1 innings. He walked and struck out one.

Madison Boer picked up save #4 for working the last 2/3 of an inning.

Kernels Nuggets

CEDAR RAPIDS 5, QUAD CITIES 2

Box Score

The Kernels got another strong outing from Ethan Mildren on Monday. The tall righty allowed four hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out only two, but surrendered only two runs and one was unearned.

Brandon Bixler picked up the win, but walked three in two innings.

Hudson Boyd picked up his 5th save with a hitless ninth inning.

The Kernels were aided by four River Bandit errors.

Offensively, Zach Larson drove in two runs on two hits. Logan Wade had two hits (one double) and Engelb Vielma had two hits (and drove in a run on sac-fly). Bryan Santy had a two-run double. Ivory Thomas reached base four times (one hit, three walks). Vielma and Larson each stole a base.

TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY

HITTER: James Beresford, Rochester

PITCHER: Matt Tomshaw, Fort Myers

TUESDAY’S PROBABLES:

Rochester @ Columbus (5:35 PM Central) – Kris Johnson (Listen)

Trenton @ New Britain (5:35 PM Central) – Taylor Rogers (Listen)

Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM Central) – Brett Lee (Listen)

Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (7:00 PM Central) – Josue Montanez (Listen)

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The Danny Santana photo was taken by Ben Garvin of the Pioneer Press and used in a March 3 article.

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