Twins Minor League Report (9/12): Cory Lewis Provides Quality Start

CURRENT W-L Records
Minnesota Twins: 78-68
St. Paul Saints: 68-72
Wichita Wind Surge: 56-79
Cedar Rapids Kernels: 67-63 (season complete)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 66-59 (season complete)
FCL Twins: 27-31 (season complete)
DSL Twins: 30-25 (season complete) 

TRANSACTIONS
The Twins officially announced that Byron Buxton was being activated from the IL and Austin Martin was optioned to St. Paul.

Probably no surprise, but Emmanuel Rodriguez was placed on the 7-Day Injured list with a thumb sprain, the same injury that cost him so much time this season. Most likely, he is done for the season.

LHP Jaylen Nowlin was promoted from Wichita to St. Paul. The Twins released LHP Caleb Baragar to make room. 

Per multiple reports, the Twins have released 2024 sixth-round draft pick Derek Bender. You can read much more about that here.   

SAINTS SENTINEL
St. Paul 7, Columbus 8 
Box Score
The night after losing in a walkoff, the Saints lost their lead to the Clippers late in the game. 

The Saints jumped ahead early. Michael Helman hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning. He has hit 14 for the Saints this season. 

Andrew Morris started for the Saints. He gave up a run in the second and two more in the third. In all, he went five innings. He gave up three runs (2 earned) on five hits. He had three strikeouts and walked none. 

Down 3-1 through three innings, the Saints scored four runs in the fourth inning. With two outs, Carson McCusker doubled. After Jair Camargo walked, Jeferson Morales singled to make it 3-2. The game was tied when Camargo scored on a Rylan Bannon double. Anthony Prato then drove in two more runs with his 20th double of the season. 

The Saints made it 6-3 in the top of the sixth. McCusker led off with a walk. Camargo singled him to third. He scored on an infield single by Morales. 

Kyle Bischoff came in for the bottom of the sixth. He walked the leadoff man who stole second. He advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-4. Zack Weiss got the seventh inning, and he gave up a run on two hits and a walk to cut the lead to 6-5. 

McCusker led off the top of the eighth inning with another single. With one out, Morales was hit by a pitch. Bannon walked to load the bases. After a line out for the second out, Payton Eeles walked to score McCusker and make it 7-5. 

Nick Wittgren was brought out for the bottom of the eighth inning. He gave up three runs on two hits and a walk. The big hit was a two-out, three-run homer by Raynel Delgado that put the Clippers ahead 8-7. 

The Saints were unable to score in the top of the ninth and fell by one run again. Morales went 2-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch. In 13 games with the Saints, he is now hitting .375 with five doubles and a triple. McCusker went 2-for-4 with a walk and double. He scored three runs. In his 16 games since joining the Saints, he is hitting .339 with four doubles, a triple and four home runs.  

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 0, Tulsa 5
Box Score
Tanner Schobel had a single. Noah Cardenas had a walk, and he stole a base. 

That has been your Wind Surge offense report for the night. 

Cory Lewis has been pitching really well of late. In this game, he gave up one run on two hits. In six innings, he had two walks and struck out six batters. While his record fell to 2-6, his ERA fell to 2.59. 

Taylor Floyd came into the game and threw a scoreless seventh inning. However, he hit a batter, gave up a single and walked one to load the bases. With two outs, Jarret Whorff came in and gave up a slow-rolling infield single. Then a single to center scored two and made it 4-0. Noah Miller followed with another single to center to drive in the fifth run. A ground ball ended the inning, but Floyd was charged with four runs, and Whorff gave up one run of his own too. He pitched a scoreless ninth. 

PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Hitter of the Day - Jeferson Morales (St. Paul) - 2-for-2, BB, HBP, R, 2 RBI, SB(14).
Pitcher of the Day - Cory Lewis (Wichita) - 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 85 pitches, 55 strikeouts (64.7%)

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

#1– Walker Jenkins (Wichita) – 0-for-4, K.   
#11 - Andrew Morris (St. Paul) - 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 82 pitches, 62 strikes (75.6%)
#13 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 85 pitches, 55 strikeouts (64.7%) 
#15 - Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) - 0-for-4, 2 K.
#17 - Tanner Schobel (Wichita) - 1-for-3.

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Columbus (6:05 PM CST) – LHP Aaron Rozek (1-5, 6.20 ERA)
Tulsa @ Wichita (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Marco Raya (2-4, 4.52 ERA) 

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’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!