Steve Lein

Plays great defense and is a 126 OPS+ guy this season (and 125 for his career). He is a well above average player overall, and at his position (shrugs).

I watched some bad at-bats last night. Including a 3-pitch K. He was also playing 1B, and while he made a nice play on a hard grounder I remember, he also just straight up dropped a throw from Martin. Probably because he committed toward the throw way too soon from the way it looked to me.

6th round draft pick in 2023, signed for slot money as a Jr. Definitely contact-over-power guy and was thought of as one of hardest players to strike out in country in that draft. But also not a big walk guy. Should be able to stay in the infield, though maybe stretched at shortstop. Has been functioning as a super-utility guy this year, including time in center field.

While the affiliates in Florida dealt with flooding rain all day, the upper levels of the system all kicked off a new series. Top prospects in Triple-A helped their team to a win on the road, Wichita couldn’t buy a hit for most of their game, and the Kernels left a bunch of cars stranded on top of blocks in Lansing after they were done with the Lugnuts on Tuesday. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily TRANSACTIONS Early in the day, the Minnesota Twins announced they were recalling RHP Louie Varland to make the “spot start" on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. To make room, RHP Diego Castillo was optioned back to the St. Paul Saints. Also in Triple-A, C Chris Williams was placed on the Development List, while C Jair Camargo was activated from his rehab assignment. In the Texas League, offseason prospect darling and knuckleball throwing RHP Cory Lewis was activated from the 60-day injured list. In a corresponding move RHP Jarret Whorff was sent back to Cedar Rapids. The Kernels also received RHP Ty Langenberg from the Mighty Mussels. In the Florida State League, Fort Myers was assigned recent free agent signing OF Nick Lucky, activated RHP Tomas Cleto from the 60-day injured list. Lucky was a 14th round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 season, but did not sign and went on to play five seasons at Coastal Carolina. He spent the 2023 season and 2024 in multiple independent leagues before signing with the Twins yesterday. In the FCL, the Twins were assigned RHP Matt Helwig and were returned OF Gregory Duran from the Mighty Mussels. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Louisville 2 Box Score On the bump for the Saints was right-hander Caleb Boushley, and he was made to work through his 4 1/3 innings pitched. He was charged with just two earned runs, but they came on eight hits and a walk. He struck out three and threw 96 pitches (61 strikes). The Saints lineup tied the game at one in the top of the fourth after Brooks Lee led off the frame with his first double of the season with St. Paul. Two batters later, he came home on a sac fly from Michael Helman. In the top of the fifth, they again tied the game, this time at 2-2, after Yunior Severino led off with a single. He moved to second on a walk to Will Holland, and scored on a single from Lee. Ronny Henriquez came on for Boushley with one out in the fifth and a runner on first. He went the next 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits but no runs, and striking out two. He was credited with the win as the Saints took the lead in the top of the seventh. Severino drew a walk. Holland put him on third with a double, and Austin Martin him home with an RBI single to center for the 3-2 lead. Nick Wittgren got the final out of the seventh before giving way to Kody Funderburk in the eighth. He pitched a scoreless inning to keep the Saints in front, walking one but striking out two. In the ninth, a pair of singles put the tying run 90-feet away with two outs. The second of those was a slow bouncer to Martin at second who made a nice play, but Edouard Julien looked like he got handcuffed by the throw at first base, and it got away from him (it was not in the dirt). After a mound visit, Funderburk got an easy fly out to center field to end the game, picking up his first save of the season at Triple-A in the process. The Saints got multiple hits from Martin (2-for-5, RBI, SB), Lee (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K), and Severino (2-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB). WIND SURGE WISDOM Midland 4, Wichita 2 Box Score Travis Adams took to the hill for Wichita on Tuesday, and found himself in a pitcher’s duel through the first third of the game. He retired the first eight hitters he faced, before allowing a walk, but that was it in the third inning as well. In the fourth, Midland finally strung a pair of hits together, with the second of those including an error on left fielder Tanner Schobel (just his third career game in the outfield, all coming in the past three weeks) that led to the game’s first run. Adams pitched into the sixth inning, but would leave the game responsible for two runners on base and one out. Both of those runners came around to score, so in total he was charged with three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks in his 5 1/3 innings pitched. He racked up eight strikeouts as well. The bullpen trio of Miguel Rodriguez (1 2/3 IP, H, 2 K), Jared Soloman (IP, 3 H, ER), and Scott Engler (IP, K) finished off the rest of the game for the Wind Surge. The Wichita lineup didn’t really threaten anything until the seventh inning, when a pair of walks put their first runner in scoring position of the game. In the bottom of the eighth, they finally got something to work with. Jorel Ortega was hit by a pitch and Luke Keaschall drew a walk to get their second RISP opportunity of the night. Jake Rucker came through with an RBI single to get them on the scoreboard, and Jeferson Morales followed with an RBI single of his own to cut the RockHounds lead in half. Down 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Kyler Fedko drove a single into center field to bring the tying run into the batter’s box. Ortega then popped out for the second out, bringing up Keaschall. He drove a hard grounder toward the hole on the left side, but the third baseman made a nice sliding stop, spun 360 degrees around, and beat him to first base with his throw to end the game. At least according to the umpire (I think MLB replay would have overturned it). Either way, it was a solid defensive play, and Wichita still could have came up short in the end. The Wind Surge offense managed just six singles in the game, with Fedko leading the way with a pair of them in four at-bats. As a team they were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 15, Lansing 7 Box Score The Kernels scored multiple runs in four different innings on Tuesday night, including seven in one frame that put them in command early. It’s an impressive box score from their lineup, so be sure to take a glance even after reading the rest of this recap. John Klein made the start for Cedar Rapids, and didn’t have his best stuff. The Lugnuts actually took an early lead, as a two-run triple and RBI single put them ahead 3-0 after the first inning. In the top of the third, the Kernels decided to bat around. With one out, Ricardo Olivar and Rubel Cespedes hit consecutive singles to get it started. Rayne Doncon and Austin Ruiz followed with a pair of doubles that tied the game. Then Kevin Maitan and Jose Salas went back-to-back with singles that put them out front. After a strikeout, Kyle Hess clubbed an RBI double to make it 5-3, before Jay Harry brought in two with a single to cap the inning’s scoring. Klein allowed three runs over his next two innings, and his game was finished in the middle of the fourth. In total, he went 3 2/3, and was charged with six earned runs on seven hits and four walks. He struck out three. Gabriel Yanez came on to salvage the fourth inning, and pitched into the sixth. Over his two frames, he allowed two hits and walked one, but no runs on the scoreboard. Cedar Rapids tacked on three more runs in the fifth as the first five hitters of the inning reached base. Nate Baez drove in two with a double, and a catcher interference play (the second of the inning) allowed their third run to trot home, making it 10-6 Kernels. In the top of the seventh Harry, Olivar, Cespedes, and Doncon hit consecutive singles to score two more. Then in the eighth Dalton Shuffield led off with his second home run of the year in a Kernels uniform, and Olivar added his ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot later in the inning to punctuate their offensive masterclass. Relievers Kyle Bischoff (2 1/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 K) and Juan Mendez (IP, H, K) finished off the final three-plus innings for the good guys. Every hitter in the Kernels lineup collected at least one hit, and everybody also reached base at least twice in the game (Hess reached a second time thanks to one of those catcher interference plays) and scored at least one run. There were six extra-base hits, they went 10-for-18 with runners in scoring position, and with all those baserunners, left only nine men on base for the game as a team. Only one batter did not collect an RBI, and nobody knocked in more than two. Total team effort domination. Olivar (4-for-6, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K), Harry (3-for-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, K), and Cespedes (3-for-5, R, 2 RBI) had more hits than everybody else. MUSSEL MATTERS Lakeland @ Fort Myers, Postponed - Rain Rain was forecast throughout the day in the Fort Myers area, and their series opening game against the Flying Tigers was postponed due to that inclement weather early in the day. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow, with the first pitch of game one scheduled for 3:30 PM CDT. Game 2 will not start before 7:05 PM, and both contests will be seven innings. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Pirates @ FCL Twins, Postponed - Rain As the FCL squads were set to also play in Fort Myers, their game was also postponed on Tuesday and will be made up on Thursday, June 13th as both teams were set to square off with each other again this week. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Twins 11, DSL Phillies White 2 (7 innings) Box Score The Twins took advantage of two big innings and little fight from the lineup of the Phillies, to take them down in blowout fashion Tuesday morning. The Phillies struck first in the bottom of the first, getting their two runs on two walks, an error, and a single. But they would have only four other baserunners for the rest of the game (two singles, and two more walks). The Twins racked up seven runs in the top of the second, as the first six hitters reached base before an out was recorded. A Luis Fragoza single drove in two and Daiber De Los Santos delivered a sac fly for their first three runs. A wild pitch, two run single from Yandro Hernandez, and a throwing error on a steal attempt scored the next four. Right-handed pitcher Yoel Roque got the start and went the first four innings. He was charged with two unearned runs on two hits and four walks, while striking out three. Fabian Herrera went the final three innings to pick up the win. He gave up just one single and struck out five. In the fifth inning the Twins padded their lead with four more runs. Those came on five walks, a single, an error, and four wild pitches. Yandro Hernandez (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, K, 3 SB) and Fragoza (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, SB) led the way with multiple hits. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Travis Adams, Wichita Wind Surge (5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) Hitter of the Day - Cedar Rapids Kernels (20-for-44, 15 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 – Brooks Lee (St. Paul) – 2-for-4, R, 2B (1), RBI, BB, K #8 – Austin Martin (St. Paul) – 2-for-5, RBI, K, SB #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 1-for-3, R, 2 BB #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-for-4, K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 2-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 4-for-6, 3 R, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Louisville (11:05 AM CDT) - RHP Adam Plutko (0-1, 5.59 ERA) Midland @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - LHP Aaron Rozek (2-3, 1.48 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (6:05 PM CDT) - LHP Christian MacLeod (0-1, 3.38 ERA) Lakeland @ Fort Myers, Game 1 (3:30 PM CDT) - RHP Tanner Hall (0-0, 3.72 ERA) Lakeland @ Fort Myers, Game 2 (30 min after game 1) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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Hard to mistake the "MPLS"...

Well, I'm 42 and it's obvious to me. If you've never been an NBA fan, I get it. I see Lakers stuff all the time and I'm the same as you as far as living here (I also work downtown a 10 min walk from TC/TF). Is what it is as far as those observations, I guess!

Almost spit out my coffee from a text from the fiancee pointing this out earlier this morning!!! I can see how you can invert them with perspective, but yeah....

Have seen a lot of complaints about these looking like Brewers jerseys, but I see the Minneapolis Lakers, and that should be obvious... That said, I would have gone with a green color instead of yellow. I'd figure out what the loon is eventually, but it's weird. The "MN" logo is better than their new "M". The "10,000 Lakes" on the side of the hat never should have been added. Overall, I give them a "meh." But yeah, make the "MN" the new hat logo for everything instead of the current "M."

Word I saw from Doogie is he took BP yesterday and could be back in the lineup today. Canterino's stuff is shoulder related (which is good in that it's not his elbow), but also not something quickly recovered from. Note I saw from Do-Hyoung is he could be throwing off a mound this month (was throwing at 90 feet).

If you are into top prospects returning from rehab assignments, Tuesday was your night! Unless that top prospect was Brooks Lee with the St. Paul Saints, as CHS Field was rained out. Walker Jenkins did get back into the action with Fort Myers, but it was a surging pitcher for the Mighty Mussels that pushed them to a win. The Dominican Summer League season also kicked off for the Twins’ squad. Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (photo of Walker Jenkins) TRANSACTIONS Across the river from Target Field, SS Brooks Lee and 2B Edouard Julien officially returned to the Saints. Lee from his rehab assignment, and Julien being optioned from the Minnesota Twins to make room for 3B Royce Lewis. RHP Austin Schulfer was transferred to the development list. In addition, OF/2B Yoyner Fajardo was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Cash Considerations. He was one of the Twins minor league Rule 5 picks in December of 2022 from the Pirates organization. In the Texas League, the Wind Surge activated RHP Scott Engler, and in a corresponding move assigned RHP Mike Paredes down to Cedar Rapids. Down in Florida, Twins top prospect OF Walker Jenkins was activated from his rehab assignment and the 7-day injured list. The Mighty Mussels also transferred OF Jose Rodriguez from the 7-day to the 60-day injured list. Rodriguez had been there since May 18th with a thumb injury. SAINTS SENTINEL Syracuse @ St. Paul, Postponed - Rain The series opener for the Saints against the Mets was postponed on Tuesday, as heavy rain made its way through the Twin Cities. So Saints fans will have to wait at least another day to check out the returns of Brooks Lee and Edouard Julien. This one will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday, with first pitch coming at 5:07 PM CDT. Both contests will be seven innings. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 1, NW Arkansas 10 Box Score It’s always fun to wonder which version of Jaylen Nowlin you will see on any given night, as he can be the epitome of “effectively wild” and keep opposing lineups off-balance in dominating fashion, or struggle with consistency and serve up a bunch of meatballs. This one was of that second variety, but there’s always a lot of strikeouts! The Naturals took an early 1-0 lead with a double followed by an RBI single in the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the third Nowlin got two quick outs, including a strikeout, but then the next three hitters all launched home runs to make it 4-0. Nowlin came back out for the fifth, but his day was finished after allowing a one-out single. In his 4 1/3 innings, Nowlin was charged with five earned runs on seven hits, one walk, while punching out six. The Wind Surge got their lone run in the top of the fifth, as Ben Ross led off with his third home run of the season. That was their lone extra-base hit of the game, and as a team they managed just five at-bats with runners in scoring position (going 1-for-5), and leaving eight men on base. Taylor Floyd came on in relief of Nowlin in the fifth and got them through the sixth, allowing a home run of his own, but striking out three. Cody Laweryson couldn’t get out unscathed either, surrendering four earned runs on five hits in his 1 1/3. He struck out one. Scott Engler recorded their final two outs, inducing a double-play ball to keep the Naturals from reaching a “mercy rule” lead. The Wind Surge were outhit 13-7 by the Naturals, and four home runs allowed as a pitching staff loomed large. Tanner Schobel (2-for-4, K) and Carson McCusker (2-for-4) each had two hits. Luke Keaschall finished 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Great Lakes 2 Box Score The Kernels got a solid effort from starter John Klein on the road on Tuesday, as he got them into the sixth inning. In his 5 1/3 he was charged with two earned runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out seven. He left the game with his team up 5-2 after surrendering a solo home run to the Midwest League’s home run leader, Chris Newell. Cedar Rapids built that lead with crooked numbers in two of their prior innings. In the fourth, Jay Harry led off with a double, and scored on a two-run shot from Rubel Cespedes, his seventh home run of the season. In the sixth the Kernels loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single, and Dalton Shuffield cleared them with the help of the Loons defense. The misplay by their center fielder allowed all three runners to come around to score, and Shuffield ended up on third. Jordan Carr came on in relief of Klein and got them through the seventh inning. His only baserunner allowed was a walk in his 1 2/3 innings as he was credited with a hold. Gabriel Yanez finished off the final two innings to pick up the save. He gave up just one hit and struck out two, lowering his ERA on the season to 1.05. Harry’s double and Cespedes home run were the only extra-base hits of the game for the Kernels, with them totaling just six as a team. But they were 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left only five men on base, so they made them count. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 4, Tampa 2 Box Score Center fielder Walker Jenkins made his first appearance with the Mighty Mussels since MiLB Opening Day, after a nine-game rehab stint with the FCL Twins that started on May 20th. He was in center and batting second against the same team they were playing back when he crashed into the outfield wall. He hit .393/.417/.571 in that time with the FCL, so I’d expect him to hit the ground running back in the Florida State League, as well. Just not beginning with this game, as he finished 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, and was pinch-hit for in the eighth inning. Despite that, Fort Myers scored the first four runs of this game, and took that 4-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. In the second Poncho Ruiz reached on an error, and Rixon Wingrove drove him in with a double two batters later for the game’s first run. In the fourth it was Brandon Winokur’s fourth home run of the season that put them up by two. They were able to build that lead as starting pitcher Jose Olivares was again excellent. In his five innings, he scattered four singles, walked nobody, and struck out six. Of his 62 pitches, 46 went for strikes (74%), including a whopping 15 swinging strikes. He peaked at over 96 MPH with his fastball, averaging nearly 95. Spencer Bengard followed with two scoreless innings of his own, retiring all six hitters he faced, including a strikeout. The Mighty Mussels lineup added insurance runs in each of the seventh and ninth innings to push their lead to 4-0. In the seventh Byron Chourio led off with a triple (that the RF misplayed into the sun), and scored on a groundout from Isaac Pena. In the ninth Chourio drew a one-out walk, stole his ninth base of the season, and scored on a single from Pena to account for all their scoring. Xander Hamilton worked around a leadoff double in the eight to keep the Tarpons off the scoreboard, but back out for the ninth they reeled off some line against him, and those insurance runs were needed. Hamilton allowed a pair of solo home runs that made the final, but got all three outs to ensure the victory. He struck out three in his two innings. Payton Eeles (2-for-3, BB) had multiple hits from the leadoff spot and is batting .364 in his 25 games as a pro thus far. Maddux Houghton was the pinch-hitter for Jenkins, and launched a triple off the top of the wall in his lone at-bat. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 4, FCL Rays 1 (7 innings) Box Score On the mound for the Twins was RHP Eduardo Soriano, looking to reign in his bloated ERA a bit early in the season. He did so on Tuesday, holding the Rays scoreless for his three innings. He allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out three. The Twins got on the scoreboard first in the top of the fourth inning after Hendry Chivilli clubbed his fourth double of the season. That was followed by a single from Jayson Bass to drive him in for the first run, and Bass later scored on a single from Javier Roman to make it 2-0. Cleiber Maldonado came on for the Twins in the bottom of the fourth, and went the next two innings. He allowed one unearned on two hits, walked one, and struck out three to pick up the win. Devin Kirby finished off the game for the Twins, allowing no hits and striking out two in his two innings for his third save. The Twins extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth, as the first four hitters of the inning reached base to score one, and Omari Daniel lifted a sac fly to account for the final score. Chivilli (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, K) and Roman (2-for-3, 2 RBI) had multiple hits to lead the way. DOMINICAN DAILY DSL Mets Orange 8, DSL Twins 5 (7 innings) Box Score The Mets Orange squad took an early lead and never looked back against the DSL Twins in their season opener. Starting pitcher Yoel Roque was roughed up for four earned runs in his 2 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and walked three, but also struck out four. Eudy Garcia went the next three innings, allowing four runs of his own (three unearned) on four hits and three walks. Fabian Herrera got the final four outs, giving up just one hit, one walk, and striking out one. A Yandro Hernandez double in the fourth inning scored the Twins first run of the game, but they went to the bottom of the seventh inning down 8-1. The Twins did mount an attempt at a comeback, though. Two one-out walks and a pair of singles made it 8-3, before another walk and two more singles made it 8-5 with the tying run on base. Unfortunately, that’s where their luck ran out. Hernandez was the only Twins hitter with multiple knocks, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. As a team the Twins had just five hits, all of which came with runners in scoring position, but had those hits in just two of their seven innings. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Jose Olivares, Fort Myers Miracle (W, 5 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K) Hitter of the Day - Javier Roman, FCL Twins (2-for-3, 2 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 – Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 0-for-3, 2 K #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 0-for-3, BB, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, R, HR (4), RBI, 2 K #12 – Kala’i Rosario (Wichita) – 0-for-4, K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 2-for-4, K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-4, 2 K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Syracuse @ St. Paul (7:07 PM CDT) - RHP Adam Plutko (0-1, 4.26 ERA) Wichita @ NW Arkansas (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Travis Adams (2-4, 5.85 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Great Lakes (6:05 PM CDT) - LHP Christian MacLeod (0-0, 2.70 ERA) Fort Myers @ Tampa (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Ty Langenberg (2-3, 3.56 ERA) DSL Twins @ DSL Nationals (10:00 AM CDT, completion of 6/3 postponement) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

I am a believer in Martin. Yeah, he may not hit for HR power, but I think the Twins need a lot less of the all-or-nothing three-outcome-approaches from their hitters. It is maddening at times the slumps that teamwide approach contributes to, and it's why this team has been scorching-hot or ice-cold. No consistency. Also, Martin made this play yesterday:

Even though he’s not a prospect anymore, Royce Lewis led a trio of young hitters continuing their trek’s back to their respective levels on Tuesday. Lewis played his third game for the Saints, Brooks Lee moved up to Hammond Stadium, and Walker Jenkins stayed on the back fields of the Lee County Sports Complex. Zebby Matthews also made his fourth start with the Wind Surge, while Luke Keaschall made his Wichita debut. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Zebby Matthews) TRANSACTIONS We heard about it more than 24 hours earlier, but officially Kody Funderburk was optioned to the Saints. The Twins selected the contract of veteran RHP Diego Castillo from the Saints. Josh Winder was reinstated from the 60-Day IL and optioned to St. Paul. RHP Jay Jackson cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Saints. RHP Jeff Brigham was activated from the 7-Day IL. Also before Game 1 on Tuesday, the Saints put 2B/OF Yoyner Fajardo and RHP Austin Schulfer were transferred to the development list. After their first game on Tuesday, Schulfer was added back to the roster, and LHP Caleb Baragar were placed on the 7-day injured list. Down in Fort Myers, SS Rafael Cruz was released (Yes, Oneil Cruz's brother), while recent signees 1B Rixon Wingrove and OF Ryan McCarthy were assigned to the Mighty Mussels. RHP Mitch Stone was released from the FCL Twins roster. SAINTS SENTINEL Game 1: St. Paul 2, Rochester 6 (7 innings) Box Score In the early game of their doubleheader, Royce Lewis batted second in the lineup and played third base. On the mound for the Saints was right-hander Randy Dobnak, and he struggled to limit baserunners throughout his outing. He allowed single runs in each of the second, third, and fourth innings, before the Red Wings tagged him for three in the fifth to chase him. In total, Dobnak was charged with six earned runs on eight hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out just one, gave up two home runs, and just 44 of his 80 pitches went for strikes (55%). St. Paul finally got some offense going in the sixth inning, but it was too little too late. Austin Martin got it started with a one-out single, and a few batters later Michael Helman drove him in with an RBI single. Matt Wallner followed with an RBI double to make it 6-2 and that was that. Besides that inning, the Saints managed just two other hits on the game. In fun box score irregularities, the teams combined to strike out just three times total in the game. After Dobnak’s exit, Hobie Harris finished off the final 1 2/3, allowing two hits and walking one. In his three trips to the plate Lewis grounded into a double-play, beat out another potential double-play ball to first, and flew out to left. Martin led the way with two hits in his three trips out of the leadoff spot. Diego Castillo added a double to the effort. Game 2: Rochester 1, St. Paul 4 (7 innings) Box Score In their makeup game of a postponement from back on April 28th, the Saints played as the home team in the Minnesota Twins’ former affiliates stadium. Lewis did not play in this one. The Red Wings struck first against Saints starter Caleb Boushley, as a pair of singles put runners on the corners in the first. A ground ball allowed one to score, but that would be it for the “visiting” team against Boushley. He went on to finish five strong innings, allowing just the one run on three hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five. St. Paul got that run back in the bottom of the first, as Austin Martin and Michael Helman led off the game with singles. Matt Wallner reached base on an error to load the bases, before Yunior Sevirino grounded into a double play that tied it at one. They also added singles runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to make the final score of 4-1. Wallner launched his sixth home run with the Saints leading off the third to put them out front. Martin drove in Anthony Prato with a sac fly in the fourth. Four walks in the fifth allowed their fourth run to score. Josh Winder came on in the sixth and shut the Red Wings down for the final two innings. He allowed two hits and struck out three, throwing 19 of 26 pitches for strikes. The Saints only managed to match their hit total from game one, with just five in game two as well, but their pitching limited the Red Wings to just five hits as well. The teams combined to go 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Wallner finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored, the home run, and a walk. Martin and Prato each had one hit and scored a run. WIND SURGE WISDOM Springfield 2, Wichita 1 Box Score It was a pitcher’s duel in Wichita, with rising prospect Zebby Matthews pulling his weight for the Wind Surge. For the first four innings the Cardinals couldn’t get anything going against him, as he scattered just two singles and a walk, picked off a runner, and induced a double-play ball. The Wind Surge had just as little luck against Springfield’s starter through the first three innings, with a Joel Ortega double resulting in their only threat. But in the fourth a pair of leadoff walks and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. With one out, Noah Cardena’s grounder found the middle, and one run was able to come home, but that was all Wichita could muster. As for Matthews, the fifth inning got away from him just enough for the Cardinals. Two singles around a strikeout put runners on the corners, and a balk allowed their first run of the game to tie it. Another single moved a runner to third, and the visitors took the lead on a groundout. Matthews’ night was done after those five innings and 75 pitches (55 for strikes), and ended up allowing two earned runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out four, for his final line. Jarret Whorff came on for the sixth, and went the next 2 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits and two walks, but no runs, while striking out four, including all three outs in the seventh. Whorff was bailed out a bit by John Stankiewicz in the eighth, who came on with one out and the bases loaded and got two outs to keep the Cardinals from extending their lead. Stankiewicz added a scoreless ninth to give the home team a chance in the bottom half, but it wasn’t meant to be as they went down in order. Situational hitting, or lack thereof, was the story for the Wind Surge in this one as they had plenty of opportunity going 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and leaving eight men on base. Luke Keaschall, in his Double-A debut, batted leadoff and went 2-for-4 with a double, the only hitter with multiple knocks in the game. Of their six hits as a team, four of them were doubles, but that lack of anything else did them in. Kala’i Rosario drew two walks in four plate appearances. KERNELS NUGGETS Lake County 8, Cedar Rapids 2 Box Score The top team from each division of the Midwest League kicked off their series in Cedar Rapids, IA on Tuesday, with the East team taking the opening game. John Klein made the start for the Kernels and slogged his way through the first four-plus innings. He allowed single runs in the first, second, and third, and would end up with two more charged to him in the fifth. In all, he allowed five earned runs on eight hits and four walks, striking out three. He needed 82 pitches to make it through two hitters in the fifth, both of which he walked to end his outing. Juan Mercedes entered the game after that, and gave up a sac fly then two-run home run to account for all of Klein’s, and his own, runs allowed. Mercedes finished off the fifth and added a scoreless sixth. Juan Mendez (2 IP, BB, K) and Sheldon Reed (1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, K) finished off the game for the bullpen. The Kernels got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second after Austin Ruiz led off with a double. Jose Salas followed with a bunt attempt and the throw went wide, allowing Ruiz to score. Their second and final run came in the seventh thanks to Misael Urbina. He led off by drawing a walk, stole second base, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sac fly from Nate Baez. The Kernels were outhit 13-6 on the night, were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men-on-base for the game. Ruiz led the way with two hits in four at-bats. Urbina’s stolen base was his ninth of the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Bradenton 2, Fort Myers 5 Box Score After hitting .450/.476/.550 in five rehab games in the FCL, SS Brooks Lee moved up to the Florida State League to continue his rehab assignment this week. He batted second, and played shortstop on Tuesday. The Mighty Mussels took the lead in their first at-bat when Payton Eeles led off the game with a single. Lee moved him to second with a groundout before Brandon Winokur drove him in with his 11th double of the season for the 1-0 lead. Newcomer Rixon Wingrove then singled in his first Fort Myers at-bat to drive in Winokur and make it 2-0 early. In the second inning, the Mighty Mussels added two more thanks to an RBI-triple from Eeles followed by a wild-pitch that allowed him to saunter home himself. On the bump for the home team was right-hander Ty Langenberg and he pitched into the sixth inning. He would be charged with two earned runs in his 5 2/3 innings, picking up his second win of the season for his efforts. He allowed four hits, walked three, and struck out eight. Reliever Aaron Holiday got Fort Myers out of the sixth and started the seventh, but three walks out of the four hitters he faced put an end to his outing after just one out. Nolan Santo pitched the final three innings to pick up his third save, allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out five. Fort Myers put their fifth run on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, when Winokur drove in Eeles (who had walked and stole a base) with a single. Eeles finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored, a triple, RBI, walk, and two stolen bases. Newcomers Wingrove and Ryan McCarthy each had two hits in their debut with the Mighty Mussels. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 8, FCL Orioles 9 (7 innings) Box Score The FCL Twins built a big lead heading into the final inning, with crooked numbers in both the second and fourth innings. Down 1-0 heading to the second, the Twins were able to take advantage of three consecutive walks, getting a 2-RBI single from Moises Lopez, and a sac fly from Walker Jenkins that made it 3-1. In the fourth they expanded their lead to 7-1 after putting together a two-out rally. Ricardo Pena led off the inning with a double, but that was followed by two quick outs that seemed destined to limit any damage. Yilber Herrera drew a walk, and an error on a pickoff attempt gave them more life. Lopez again delivered a two-run single, before Jenkins launched a double to bring him home. Another error off the bat of Yasser Mercedes allowed Jenkins to score their fourth run of the inning before an Orioles pitching change got them out of the inning. Starting pitcher Adrian Bohorquez continued his early season success, allowing just one earned run on three hits in his four innings. He walked none and struck out five. The Twins added one more insurance run in the sixth, on a bases loaded single from Harold Grant. They probably wish they could have taken better advantage of that situation however, as one wasn’t enough. Anthony Narvaez relieved Bohorquez to start the fifth, and he got through the sixth allowing just one run. But in the seventh, pretty much everything went off the rails. While he did record two outs amongst them, five singles and two walks later had the Orioles down by just one with two runners on base, and Ezequiel Ventura came into the game. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position, and the Twins were walked off by a single that brought them both in and erased their six run lead. Continuing his rehab, Jenkins finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Lopez drove in four with two hits in two at-bats, and also drew a walk. Mercedes finished 0-for-5 with three K’s, but also stole his 12th base of the season. Grant and Pena also contributed two hits apiece. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Nolan Santos, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (S, 3 IP, H, BB, 5 K) Hitter of the Day - Moises Lopez, FCL Twins (2-for-4, R, 4 RBI, BB) PROSPECT SUMMARY #1 – Walker Jenkins (Rehab w/FCL Twins) – 1-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K #2 – Brooks Lee (Rehab w/Fort Myers) – 0-for-4, 2 K #8 – Austin Martin (St. Paul) – 3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI (2 games) #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 2-for-4, 2B, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K #11 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – W, 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K #12 – Kala’I Rosario (Wichita) – 0-for-2, 2 BB, K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-for-4, K #14 – Zebby Matthews (Wichita) – L, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-for-2, BB #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-5, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Rochester (5:05 PM CDT) - RHP Adam Plutko (0-1, 11.57 ERA) Springfield @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - LHP Jaylen Nowlin (3-2, 3.93 ERA) Lake County @ Cedar Rapids (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP C.J. Culpepper (2-0, 2.63 ERA) Bradenton @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Jose Olivares (0-0, 4.50 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! View full article

Friendly reminder that Jenkins started the year with the Mighty Mussels, he'll be back there in short order! May already be time to promote Mercedes, as he played in the FCL last year (did miss a couple of weeks with minor injury). But the FCL also started a full month sooner than normal this year.

I was on the "just keep him in the bullpen" bandwagon since his excellent showing there last year. Will admit though, that the SP depth being blown up early in Spring Training was a good enough reason to have him be a starter again. A few guys need to make steps forward before the bullpen is the option for him again. Woods Richardson is doing what he needs to for that, Festa is coming around, but that still may not be enough guys for it to make sense, yet.

There were several close games in the Twins farm system on Tuesday, including an extra-innings win, as quality pitching led the way. One top prospect continued his rehab assignment in the FCL, while the other one got the day off. A top-performing pitcher so far in 2024 also made his debut at a new level. Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge TRANSACTIONS The St. Paul Saints were assigned RHP Adam Plutko from the FCL Twins roster. RHP Andrew Morris was officially promoted to the Wichita Wind Surge and made his double-A debut. RHP Scott Engler was also transferred to the development list. In the Midwest League, OF Willie Joe Garry Jr. was officially released, and RHP Jose Olivares was sent back to Fort Myers. Down in Florida, C Cole Elvis was assigned to the Mighty Mussels from the FCL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Buffalo 1 Box Score The Saints got on the board quickly in Buffalo, after Austin Martin led off the game by reaching base on an error. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. followed with a single to move him to third before a Matt Wallner sac fly put them up 1-0. Louie Varland made the start for St. Paul and delivered a quality effort. He picked up his second win with the Saints by finishing six innings. He allowed just one run (on a homer) on four hits, walked three, and struck out three. Of his 86 pitches, 51 went for strikes (59%), including nine swings and misses. The lineup added two runs in the fifth inning to give Varland a small cushion. Will Holland led off the inning with a solo home run, and two batters later Martin did the same. That was all they’d need as Varland and the bullpen held the Bisons to just five hits (though the Saints only had four). Josh Winder delivered two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out two. Jorge Alcala finished it off for his second save of the season in triple-A, giving up one hit and walking one, but inducing a game-ending double play, which was the fourth one turned by the Saints on the night. Martin led the way with a 1-for-4 effort, including a walk and two runs scored in addition to the homer. Holland’s homer was his only hit as well, but also drew a walk. Alex Isola and Keirsey Jr. picked up the other two hits. WIND SURGE WISDOM San Antonio 3, Wichita 2 Box Score There were plenty of hits in this one, but the teams combined to go just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position on the game and left 20 total men on base between them. Andrew Morris made his first start for the Wind Surge after being promoted and almost didn’t make it out of his first inning. He got the first two hitters, but then three consecutive singles scored the first run of the game, and a hit-batter made it look like the floodgates might open. But he closed them with a grounder and then went on to finish 5 1/3 innings. He allowed just two earned runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out three in his Double-A debut. Down 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, the Wind Surge were finally able to push a run across after Emmanuel Rodriguez delivered a two-out double. Tanner Schobel followed with a single into right, and Rodriguez was able to beat the throw home. Mike Paredes relieved Morris in the middle of the sixth inning and would finish the seventh. His only hit allowed was a solo homer in the seventh to make it 3-1. He struck out one in his 1 2/3 innings pitched. Miguel Rodriguez finished the final two innings, plunking one batter but allowing no hits and inducing a double-play ball to close the ninth and give his team a chance. Chiefs pitcher Jayvien Sandridge certainly gave them one. He struck out the first hitter of the inning but then walked the next three to load the bases, including 11 straight balls before Kala’i Rosario stepped into the batter’s box. Almost inexplicably, Sandridge then delivered three straight strikes on curveballs, for which Rosario watched every one go by, and I can’t say I blame him. After a passed ball made the score 3-2, Jake Rucker then drew another walk before the Missions’ manager had someone else warmed up. With a new pitcher in the game, Carson McCusker sent a grounder to third to end the game. The Wind Surge got multiple hits from Andrew Cossetti (2-for-3, 2 BB) and Aaron Sabato (3-for-4, SB), but as a team couldn’t get the big hit when they needed one, as they finished 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base. Rodriguez finished 1-for-4 with a walk and scored both of their runs. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 8, Peoria 6 (10 innings) Box Score The Kernels struck early on the road against the Peoria Chiefs on Tuesday, taking a 4-0 lead after the top of the second inning. In the second a walk and hit-by-pitch put multiple runners on base, and Misael Urbina drove in the first run of the game with a single. Dalton Shuffield followed with a two-run double before Keoni Cavaco drove him in with a single of his own. Miguelangel Boadas took the bump for the Kernels and kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard through the first four innings, including five strikeouts. Back out for the fifth, he picked up his sixth strikeout before a single and two-run home run put an end to his outing. In all, he pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, a pair of walks, and striking out six. Juan Mercedes came on in relief and got out of the fifth without any further damage, striking out both hitters he faced. In the top of the sixth with a runner on, Shuffield got those runs back with his first home run of the season to make it 6-2. Mercedes was back out for the bottom half, but before it was over the game would be tied at six. An error to the leadoff man snowballed into an RBI double, single, and three-run homer before he could escape. A.J. Labas pitched the next two innings, holding the Chiefs hitless and scoreless, while striking out four. Ricardo Velez came on for the ninth and took the Kernels into the extra innings. In the top of the tenth with a ghost runner, Ricardo Olivar delivered a one-out single to score their first run, before moving to third on a single from Rubel Cespedes. A groundout from Kevin Maitan allowed Olivar to score for the 8-6 lead. After working a one-two-three ninth frame, Velez was back out for the tenth and did the same, setting down the Chiefs in order, including a strikeout, to seal the victory. Shuffield paced the offense with three hits in four at-bats, including a double and a homer, scoring two runs, and driving in four. Agustin Ruiz reached base twice and scored two runs, while Luke Keaschall contributed a double in five at-bats. As a team, the Kernels were 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left only four men on base for the game. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 7, Daytona 4 Box Score The Mighty Mussels jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning after Poncho Ruiz led off the frame with his seventh double of the season. Maddux Houghton brought him in with a single, and he came around to score himself on a double from Kyle Hess. A few batters later Payton Eeles drove in two with a double of his own and Fort Myers had a big lead for starter Spencer Bengard. He showed his appreciation by delivering a stellar outing. He finished six innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits, no walks, and punching out eight. He also needed just 65 pitches to do so, with 48 of them going for strikes (74%), including an excellent 14 swings and misses. In the fifth inning, the Mighty Mussels used a pair of singles, a hit batter, and a wild pitch to increase their lead to 5-1 and they added single insurance runs in the seventh and eighth frames as well. In the seventh, a leadoff double from Byron Chourio was cashed in by Ruiz with an RBI single. In the eighth, it was a pair of doubles from Hess and Matt Clayton. Jack Noble came on in relief of Bengard in the seventh and finished the final three innings to pick up a save. He was charged with three earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out four. Chourio (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, K), Ruiz (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB), and Hess (3-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI) had multiple hits in the win. Brandon Winokur finished 1-for-5. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 4, FCL Braves 13 Box Score Brooks Lee made his second rehab appearance with the FCL Twins Tuesday morning, though not in the lineup was Walker Jenkins after he too returned to action yesterday. Lee led off the game with a double and came around to score the first run of the game on a Dameury Pena single. Adrian Bohorquez made the start and completed four innings. For the first three, he was very good, keeping the Braves off the scoreboard with some timely defensive plays and four strikeouts. In the fourth, a single and a walk put ducks on the pond, and a three-run homer put the Braves in front 3-1. Bohorquez finished with those three earned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out six. The Twins scored single runs in each of the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but by that point, the game had gotten away from them. In the seventh, a Pena single scored Yasser Mercedes after he led off the frame with a triple. Omari Daniel self-manufactured a run in the seventh by singling, stealing second, advancing to third on a flyout, and scampering home on a wild pitch. In the eighth Mercedes again led off with a triple, and a sac fly from Pena brought him home. Those runs didn’t mean anything as the bullpen trio of Mitch Stone (1 IP, H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K), Ezequiel Ventura (2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, BB, K), and Alejandro Crisostomo (1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) all had trouble keeping the Braves off the scoreboard. Lee finished 1-for-4 with the double and a run scored. Mercedes, fresh off being named the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Week, was 3-for-4 with a pair of triples and scored two runs. Pena drove in three and finished 2-for-3. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Spencer Bengard, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (W, 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 8 K) Hitter of the Day - Dalton Shuffield, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #2 – Brooks Lee (Rehab w/FCL Twins) – 1-for-4, R, 2B, K #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 1-for-4, 2 R, 2B #7 – Austin Martin (St. Paul) – 1-for-4, 2 R, HR (1), RBI, BB #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-for-5, K #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 1-for-4, RBI, BB, K #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-5, 2B #13 – Kala’I Rosario (Wichita) – 1-for-5, 2 K #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 0-for-3, BB, K #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 1-for-5, R, RBI WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Buffalo (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Randy Dobnak (3-3, 4.54 ERA) San Antonio @ Wichita (7:05 PM CDT) - RHP Zebby Matthews (1-0, 0.77 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Peoria (6:35 PM CDT) - RHP John Klein (3-0, 3.03 ERA) Fort Myers @ Daytona (5:35 PM CDT) - TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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Platinum Sombrero.

It was surprising how many guys actually had a legitimate case even with a 5-for-5, 3 HR game in there! Great night for hitting!

Tuesday was one of those nights where you really have to look at all the box scores to get the full picture. Multiple games were blowout victories, three of the four full season affiliates had a player hit multiple home runs, and one game ended on a walk-off grand slam that erased a three-run deficit. Trust me, you don’t want to miss anything from Tuesday’s action! Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Carson McCusker) TRANSACTIONS The Minnesota Twins sent RHP Josh Winder to continue his rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints. On Monday, RHP Zebby Matthews was promoted to Wichita from Cedar Rapids, and RHP Hunter McMahon was released. On Tuesday, 1B Aaron Sabato was activated from the injured list. In a corresponding move in the Midwest League with Matthews’ promotion, RHP C.J. Culpepper was activated from the temporary inactive list. Down in Florida, LHP Wilker Reyes was sent to the FCL roster from Fort Myers, RF Gregory Duran was placed on the 7-day injured list, and 2B Payton Eeles was assigned to the Mighty Mussels. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 5, Toledo 7 Box Score Starting pitcher Joe Gunkel was knocked out of this one early, as the Mud Hens jumped all over him in the first two innings. Consecutive doubles scored three runs, and a later single scored another in the first that put the Saints down 4-0 before their first at-bat. In the second a leadoff double and an RBI single chased Gunkel after 42 pitches. He was charged with five earned runs on six hits and a walk in his 1 1/3 innings. The Saints got on the scoreboard in the top of the second thanks to the fourth home run of the season from 2023 minor league home run king, Yunior Severino. In the top of the third, it was DaShawn Keirsey Jr.’s fifth home run of the season that cut the early lead to three. The pitching staff got a solid effort from the bullpen for the rest of the game, with Austin Schulfer (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K), Michael Boyle (2 IP, H, BB, K), and Hobie Harris (2 IP, H, ER, 3 K) combining to allow just two more runs over the final six-plus innings. In the top of the sixth a double from Patrick Winkel made it 6-3, and in the ninth Keirsey Jr. hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot, to make the final of 7-5. Keirsey Jr. (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K) and Winkel (2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI) had multiple hits in the loss. Anthony Prato added a double to the effort. WIND SURGE WISDOM Arkansas 2, Wichita 16 Box Score Wichita took the lead early in this one and kept the pedal to the floor throughout the game to blow past the Travelers on Tuesday night. 6-foot 8-inch tall outfielder Carson McCusker got the party started in the bottom of the second with his second home run of the season, a two-run blast to score Kala’i Rosario who had doubled to lead off the inning. Starting pitcher Travis Adams delivered a quality start to make this one even easier for his lineup. In six innings, he allowed just two earned runs on five hits and a walk, while punching out six. The Wind Surge put more crooked numbers on the scoreboard in each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to turn this one into a laugher. There were doubles from McCusker and Jorel Ortega in the fifth. A parade of singles in the sixth. Jeferson Morales led off the seventh with a homer, and McCusker added his second bomb of the game later in the frame. In the eighth, they finally triggered their finale after the first two outs were recorded on just four pitches. Morales and Rosario clubbed back-to-back Wichitas. After an infield single from Noah Cardenas, Aaron Sabato blasted his first home of the year to drive in three. Not to go out quietly, McCusker then boomed his third home run of the game in back-to-back fashion for the final score of 16-2. Hard to put a bigger exclamation point on such a game than a 504-foot blast. The bullpen put up zeroes over their three innings, with John Stankiewicz (1 IP, BB, K) and Taylor Floyd (2 IP, H, K) putting Arkansas out of their misery in quick fashion. Spoiler Alert: Carson McCusker is your hitter of the day (though he actually did have some stiff competition…). He finished 5-for-5 with three home runs, a double, five runs scored, and six RBI. Morales, Rosarios, Cardenas, and Sabato all had multiple hits and multiple runs scored on the day as well. All but one hitter reached base in the game, and only one other did not have multiple hits, which was Emmanuel Rodriguez of all people, who struck out three times. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 16, South Bend 6 Box Score Six Kernels hitters picked up multiple knocks on the day, leading to a thrashing of the Cubs in South Bend, Indiana, that matched their double-A brother’s output. The Cubs took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the second, stringing together three singles and three walks against Kernels starter John Klein to go ahead 3-0 and chase him from the game. A.J. Labas picked up the pieces and went the next 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, no runs of his own, and striking out two. Cedar Rapids got those first three runs back, and one more, in the top of the third inning. With two runners on, Rubel Cespedes launched his fifth home run of the season to tie the game at three. Danny De Andrade followed that with a single and came around to score on a Jay Harry double as they took the lead and never looked back. They added two more in the fourth with a sac fly from Cespedes and a bases-loaded walk from Harry. Then in the fifth, they put up another four-spot to take a 10-3 lead. The big hit in that inning came from De Andrade, which was a double that cleared the bases. Relievers Sheldon Reed (2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 earned), BB, 4 K), Juan Mercedes (2 IP, H, BB, 2 K), and Juan Mendez (IP, H, ER, 2 K) finished off the final five innings for the Kernels in the win. With the score 10-6 heading into the final furlong of the game, the Kernels pulled away by batting around in their last at-bat. The first seven hitters of the ninth reached base, and the final push was a two-RBI single from Agustin Ruiz. Rubel Cespedes was the standout in a game with several of them. He finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored, a walk, a homer, and six RBI. De Andrade (3), Harry (2) and Ruiz (2) all had multiple runs batted in. Ruiz also reached base five times in six plate appearances and scored a pair of runs. Luke Keaschall, Ricardo Olivar, Nate Baez, and Willie Joe Garry Jr. also scored multiple runs. MUSSEL MATTERS Dunedin 7, Fort Myers 8 Box Score Not to be outdone by their fellow upper-level affiliates, the Mighty Mussels also put together a dramatic late effort on Tuesday to pull out a win in grand fashion. The score in this one remained nil-nil until the bottom of the fourth inning, when first baseman Poncho Ruiz launched his first home run of the season, a solo shot, for a 1-0 Mighty Mussels lead. It was still scoreless until then as starting pitcher Spencer Bengard delivered a fantastic outing, allowing just a single unearned run on five hits in six innings, while striking out five Blue Jays hitters. The Mighty Mussels took the lead back in the sixth as an error extended their at-bat to Ruiz, who blasted another home run that made it 3-1 Fort Myers after six. Unfortunately for Bengard, he wouldn’t factor into the decision for his efforts, as the bullpen duo of Ben Ethridge (1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (1 earned), 2 BB, 2 ) and Nolan Santos (2 IP, H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K) coughed up six runs after Bengard’s exit, putting the home team down 7-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. The first two outs of their last at-bat were sandwiched around a hit by pitch and single, putting the home team on the ropes, but a single from Rayne Doncon kept their hopes alive by loading the bases for Brandon Winokur, down by a convenient four runs. In a five-pitch at-bat…he drew a walk (sike!) to score one and bring up the go-ahead run in the form of 18-year-old Jose Rodriguez. He went Super-Saiyan and walked it off with a grand slam the opposite way, sending the Mighty Mussels and their fans into pandemonium and ending a four-game losing streak. Ruiz finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, his two home runs, and three RBI. Rodriguez scored two runs and drew a walk in addition to his walk-off grand slam. Winokur finished 1-for-4 with a run scored, a double, and a walk. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 2, FCL Pirates 0 Box Score The Pirates outhit the Twins 4-3 on the day, but while the Pirates had just four at-bats with runners in scoring position, the Twins had twelve. Never mind that they were a combined 0-for-16 in those situations, but the Twins just had far more opportunities and were able to take advantage. In the third inning after a Dameury Pena single and Bryan Acuna walk, consecutive groundouts to the right side moved the runners up and brought home their first run of the game. In the fifth Pena led off with a walk, and scored from first on Acuna’s second double of the young complex league season. In addition to that double, Acuna drew two walks to lead his offense. Ricardo Pena added two walks of his own, while Yasser Mercedes chipped in their other hit. Twins pitchers Anthony Narvaez and Adrian Bohorquez kept the Pirates in check all game. In the first inning, Narvaez gave up a triple but stranded the runner there. In the second, he again worked around a one-out double to keep them off the board. In his four innings, Narvaez was charged with all four hits and two walks, but no runs, while striking out six. Bohorquez held them hitless over the final three innings, walking one and striking out three. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day - Spencer Bengard, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (6 IP, 5 H, 1 R (0 earned), 5 K) Hitter of the Day - Carson McCusker, Wichita Wind Surge (5-for-5, 5 R, 2B, 3 HR (4), 6 RBI) PROSPECT SUMMARY #3 – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Wichita) – 1-for-5, 3 K #7 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – Pinch hit, 1-for-1 #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-for-4, R, 2B, BB, 2 K #11 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 2-for-5, 2 RBI #12 – Luke Keaschall (Cedar Rapids) – 0-for-2, 3 R, BB, 2 K #13 – Kala’I Rosario (Wichita) – 3-for-5, 3 R, 2 2B, RBI, K #15 – Danny De Andrade (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB #16 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 1-for-3, R, HR (4), RBI, BB, K #19 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 BB WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Toledo (10:05 AM CDT) - RHP Caleb Boushley (3-1, 3.98 ERA) Arkansas @ Wichita (12:05 PM CDT) - RHP Pierson Ohl (1-2, 4.50 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ South Bend (10:05 AM CDT) - RHP Miguelangel Boadas (1-2, 3.86 ERA) Dunedin @ Fort Myers (6:05 PM CDT) - RHP Charlee Soto (0-2, 4.96 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! 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I haven't watched Twins on cable for years now because I cut the cord. I knew what I was signing up for. So no, I'm not. I have my ways to watch, and it's their fault they get nothing from me for it. Pointed this out recently in another thread, sign up for MiLB.tv if you need your baseball fix. $30 for the whole season, and every team in existence. It's by far more valuable to me than paying $80/month for the cheapest option I can find the Twins. Which again, would be the only channel I would even watch, for probably less than 10 total hours a week. There is no justification for me to pay that price.