Tom Froemming

Minnesota Twins affiliates went undefeated on Tuesday thanks in large part to big performances from a couple of top prospects and another who has spent time in the majors already. One of those top prospects extended his hitting streak and almost got to the plate once more for a chance at the cycle. After a rainout yesterday, a doubleheader was scheduled in Florida but only one of those games was played as the rain couldn’t stay away.Keep reading to find out how all of the Twins minor league players did on Tuesday and be sure to add to the discussion in the comments! RED WINGS REPORT Syracuse 1, Rochester 9 Box Score The Red Wings got to the scoring early in this one after a Zack Granite single to lead off the game was followed by a Ryan LaMarre triple and a double from Jack Cave to put them out front 2-0. Cave scored on a Brock Stassi single to make it a three-run lead after the first inning. Syracuse got on the board in the top of the fourth, when starter Aaron Slegers gave up a solo home run to the first hitter of the inning, but retired the next seven men he faced before a single was erased on a double-play ball to end the top of the sixth and his day despite throwing just 73 pitches (47 for strikes). He allowed three hits and a walk in his six innings and struck out one. Nine of his fifteen outs came on ground balls. The game was 4-1 in favor of Rochester at that point as they tacked on a run in the fifth when LaMarre led off with a double and was driven in on a single from Kennys Vargas. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, the Red Wings strung together a barrage of hits to take control of the game 8-1. Five singles and another double from LaMarre accounted for the four runs in the frame. They’d make it 9-1 in the seventh after three singles to load the bases were followed by an RBI groundout from LaMarre. Tyler Duffey came on for the seventh and worked around a couple of two-out singles for a scoreless inning. Back out for the eighth he got a double-play ball as part of another scoreless frame. He allowed three hits and struck out one in his two innings. Gabriel Moya came on for the ninth and finished the game for Rochester. He gave up a double and walked one, but also picked up two strikeouts. The home team got hits from every batter in their lineup, and multiple hit efforts from seven of the nine. LaMarre led the way by going 3-5 with three runs scored, two doubles, a triple, and four runs batted in. Vargas and Stassi each drove in two while Granite singled three times in six trips and scored two runs. Taylor Featherstone also finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a double and a walk. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Tennessee 3, Chattanooga 11 Box Score It was a pitcher’s duel in this one for the game's first four innings, as Lookouts starter Randy LeBlanc’s zeroes on the scoreboard were matched by the Smokies’ Oscar De La Cruz. But the offense finally got to De La Cruz in the bottom of the fifth, knocking him out of the game as they took the lead and never looked back. Brian Navarreto and LaMonte Wade drew walks to put the first ducks on the pond in the inning, while Brent Rooker (RBI single), Zander Wiel (two-RBI single), and Edgar Corcino (RBI double) knocked them in to go ahead 4-0. LeBlanc surrendered a solo home run in the sixth that made it 4-1, but finished his outing with his fourth strikeout. He scattered seven hits and one walk over his six innings to pick up his sixth win and lowered his ERA to 2.14 on the season. Chattanooga added a run in the sixth on a sac fly from Rooker, then blew open the game in the seventh with five more. Those five runs came on Chris Paul’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot, an RBI single from Wade, and another base knock from Rooker to score two more for a 10-1 lead. Cody Stashak came on for the seventh and had a one-two-three inning, striking out two. He then got the first two outs of the eighth on strikeouts, but a couple of walks ended his appearance at 1 2/3 innings. Casey Crosby relieved him, and a passed ball scored one before he got a groundout to end the frame. A wild-pitch scored another for the Smokies in the ninth, but Crosby would finish the game with a strikeout. In 1 1/3 innings, Crosby walked three and struck out two. Rooker finished this one 3-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI, while Tanner English (2-4, R, 2B, SB) and Alex Perez (2-5, R, RBI) also added multiple hits to lead the offense. Corcino and Navarreto each drove in two and as a team the Lookouts went 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Chattanooga improves to 25-14 on the season and are in first place in the Southern League North Division. MIRACLE MATTERS Fort Myers 1, Jupiter 0 (Game 1, 7 innings) Box Score In the first game of their scheduled doubleheader after their postponement on Monday, the Miracle got one big blast and excellent pitching to take down the Hammerheads. They went ahead 1-0 in the second inning, when Jimmy Kerrigan delivered his fourth home run of the season in the Florida State League, and fifth overall. The lineup as a whole delivered only five hits, with Taylor Grzelakowski finishing the game 2-for-3. Mark Contreras added a double, and Joe Cronin and Brandon Lopez each drew two walks. Fort Myers got a good start from right-hander Sean Poppen, who went the first five-plus innings to pick up his first win of the year. He scattered four hits and two walks, while striking out five. After surrendering a single to the leadoff man in the sixth, Andrew Vasquez was summoned to finish the game and picked up his third save in the process. In two scoreless innings, he struck out two and allowed only a single and a walk. After the completion of game one, rain again moved into the area and game two was postponed. It will now be made up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 4:00PM CST. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 5, Cedar Rapids 6 Box Score The River Bandits and Kernels traded blows in the early going, getting through three innings with the score 4-3 in favor of the Kernels. Starter Edwar Colina made it through just three-plus innings as his pitch count was up to 78 after walking the first two batters of the fourth. He allowed three runs on four hits and four walks, but did strike out four. The Kernels scored three runs in the bottom of the first after a two-run home run from Alex Kirilloff, his sixth of the year, and an RBI single from Andrew Bechtold later in the inning. They took the lead back in the third on a Jean Carlos Arias grounder to score Kirilloff, who had singled leading off the frame. Nick Brown came on in relief of Colina and got out of the fourth inning without allowing either of his inherited runners to score, and pitchedinto the sixth. In his 2 1/3 innings, he gave up only a walk, but also a run as that batter scored after he was replaced by Jovani Moran. Moran also went multiple innings, allowing two hits and two walks while racking up four K’s in two innings. Tied 4-4 in the seventh, Kirilloff again was first up in the inning, and this time delivered a triple and scored on a sac fly to put Cedar Rapids in front again 5-4. Kirilloff would finish this one a double shy of the cycle in four trips to the plate, with three runs scored and two RBIs. His hitting streak is now up to 14 games and he has collected multiple hits in five of his last seven. Carlos Suniaga entered the game with one out and the bases loaded in the eighth but got out of the jam with the Kernels lead still intact by striking out one and inducing an infield popup. Jose Miranda added an insurance run for Cedar Rapids in the eighth, with his second home run of the season. Suniaga remained in for the ninth and got two ground ball outs before a solo home run made it a little more interesting, but he got the next batter to ground out as well to end the game and pick up his second save of the season. Although Moran was charged with a blown save, he also earned his first win of the year as the Kernels improved to 17-15. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Pitcher of the Day – Aaron Slegers, Rochester Red Wings (W, 6 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, K) Twins Daily Hitter of the Day – Alex Kirilloff, Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-4, 3 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI) TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY 3. Nick Gordon (Chattanooga) – 0-4, R, BB, 2 K 5. Alex Kirilloff (Cedar Rapids) – 3-4, 3 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI 7. Brent Rooker (Chattanooga) – 3-4, R, 4 RBI, K 10. Akil Baddoo (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, R, 2 BB 13. Lewin Diaz (Fort Myers) – 1-3 14. LaMonte Wade (Chattanooga) – 1-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K 17. Travis Blankenhorn (Fort Myers) – 0-3, K WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Syracuse @ Rochester (6:05PM CST) – LHP Dietrich Enns (1-4, 5.96 ERA) Tennessee @ Chattanooga (10:15AM CST) – LHP Anthony Marzi (0-1, 2.03 ERA) Fort Myers @ Jupiter (DH @ 4:00 PM CST) – RHP Tyler Wells (3-1, 2.96 ERA), TBD Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (Game 1 – 12:05PM CST) – LHP Tyler Watson (2-1, 3.22 ERA) Quad Cities @ Cedar Rapids (Game 2 – 6:35PM CST) – RHP Randy Dobnak (3-1, 4.91 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Tuesday’s games! Click here to view the article

Jose Berrios’ post-Puerto Rico funk has finally come to an end. He broke a streak of four-straight starts with four or more earned runs by tossing a gem against the Cardinals. Jose surrendered one run on just two hits to go with 10 strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Download attachment: Snapshot515.png Download attachment: WinEx515.png Berrios gave St. Louis a heavy dose of curveballs, offering it up 33 times among the 102 pitches on the evening. He got nine swinging strikes and five called strikes on that Uncle Charlie and the Cardinals only managed to put it in play three times. Altogether, Jose had 16 swinging strikes and topped out at 95.5 mph. The bullpen locked it down, as Addison Reed retired the only two batters he faced on strikes and Fernando Rodney pitched a perfect ninth inning for his eighth save. He hasn’t given up a run in eight appearances and has surrendered just two hits over that stretch. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:Download attachment: Bullpen515.png Next Three Games Wed vs. STL, 12:10 pm CT Thu OFF Fri vs. MIL, 7:10 pm CT Sat vs. MIL, 6:10 pm CT Last Three Games SEA 1, MIN 0: Twins Get LeBlanc’ed LAA 2, MIN 1: Ohtani Excellent as Angels Walk Off Twins MIN 5, LAA 3: Twins Outlast Angels in Gutsy Victory More From Twins Daily "Picnic With The Saints" Ticket Prices Announced 2018 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 41-50 What Can Be Done to Awaken Slumbering Twins Offense? Click here to view the article

Thanks for this Andrew, great job. New Twins minor league coordinator Pete Maki was previously the pitching coach at Duke, so he should have some first-hand knowledge of Griffin Conine. I know Maki's not a scout and Conine's not a pitcher, but you'd have to imagine that connection should only help the Twins in gathering info on him.

I know he's only listed at No. 46 on here, but you gotta believe the Brewers have to strongly consider taking him with their first pick (21 overall). I mean the marketing alone has gotta be worth reaching for

Mother Nature tried her best. Back on April 8, the Twins-Mariners game was postponed due to weather. That contest was rescheduled for tonight, but rain delayed the start by over an hour. The Twins should have taken the hint. When the game finally got underway, a flat Twins team failed to mount anything resembling an offense and lost 1-0 thanks to a defensive miscue.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Download attachment: Snapshot514.png Download attachment: WinEx514.png The Twins made Wade LeBlanc look like Sandy Koufax. He pitched six scoreless innings and only gave up three hits. The Twins hit only two balls in excess of 100 mph off LeBlanc. In comparison, the Mariners had six such hits off Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi still pitched a great game himself, striking out seven batters over six shutout innings. Matt Magill pitched a 1-2-3 seventh before things got way too interesting in the eighth. Dee Gordon hit a double off the wall to open things up against Trevor Hidenberger. The next batter laid down a bunt. Logan Morrsion airmailed the throw into right field, allowing Gordon to score the go-ahead run. Also that inning, Max Kepler whiffed on a line drive that he lost in the lights, but luckily just the one run scored that inning. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Download attachment: Bullpen514.png Next Three Games Tue vs. STL, 7:10 pm CT Wed vs. STL, 12:10 pm CT Thu OFF Fri vs. MIL, 7:10 pm CT Last Three Games LAA 2, MIN 1: Ohtani Excellent as Angels Walk Off Twins MIN 5, LAA 3: Twins Outlast Angels in Gutsy Victory MIN 5, LAA 4: Rally Rosie More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/14): Great Graterol! Garver Making the Most of the Opportunity Join Twins Daily at "Picnic With The Saints" Click here to view the article

Yep, hit probability and catch probability are two different things. Hit probability doesn't take defensive positioning into account at all. Unfortunately, they make catch probability very difficult to find and only highlight it when a fielder makes a sensational play. But, just forget I even brought any of that up, my main argument is that ball was in the air a very long time. You could see where a player's clock in his head would say that's going to get caught. Adrianza could have done a better job reading the defense, but taking off on the pitch I'm sure made that a bit more difficult. It certainly was not a great base running play, but there was some stuff going on there where I can see why it caused him some trouble. It's unfortunate. If he would have even advanced another foot or two while that ball was in the air he's safe and the Twins probably win that game.

Here are Zach Duke's splits on the year, albeit in some pretty small samples: vs. LHB (20 PAs) .118/.250/.118 (.368 OPS) 83.5 avg. exit velo vs. RHB (45 PAs) .278/.422/.361 (.783 OPS) 88.0 avg. exit velo Of course, the big problem yesterday was that Duke hit the leadoff guy when he already had two strikes on him. That was such a nasty pitch that the batter checked his swing on a ball that hit him on the back shin. Also, to be fair, Duke has intentionally walked three RHB and they have an unsustainability high .435 BABIP against him. But ... If you're forced to turn to Duke against a bunch of righties in a tie ballgame, your bullpen needs some adjusting. In 2018, there's just no way to hide a pitcher. Phil Hughes either needs to be used in games or needs to get released.

I like that Glynn sent him. They had to make a great play and he was out only by a matter of inches. To Adrianza's defense, I think his internal clock was telling him somebody was gonna get under that ball. I was thinking the same thing until just before it fell, it was up there a long time. Per Baseball Savant, batted balls of that same profile are only hits 43% of the time.

Just added the highlight reel. It would have been an excellent double play. Escobar had to leap to reel it in and his momentum was carrying him toward second. He did an outstanding job getting the out, but Dozier couldn't get enough on the throw to first.

The rookie showdown of Shohei Ohtani vs. Fernando Romero lived up to the hype, but the Angels prevailed thanks in large part to some incredible execution on defense. Romero and the bullpen did what they could, but it’s really hard to win when you only score one run.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Download attachment: Snapshot513.png Download attachment: WinEx513.png Romero passed another test Sunday, facing a veteran lineup in front of 38,000 fans on the road. He finally gave up a run, but he also struck out six batters over five innings. Romero wasn’t as sharp as we’d seen him previously, but to his credit he never unraveled. Romero would have managed to get through five scoreless innings if the Twins would have been able to turn a double play. Instead, Justin Upton beat out the throw by a half step, allowing the run to come in from third. Romero gave up four hits and walked three batters. The Twins tied it up in the seventh as Logan Morrison drew a walk, then advanced to third on a Robbie Grossman single. It appeared the Twins benefited from a missed call when a foul tip was called on what would have been strike three on Robbie. Joe Mauer came off the bench to deliver an RBI single. It looked like the Twins would go ahead in the top of the ninth, but the Angels made an excellent play to nab Ehire Adrianza at the plate. Adrianza was running from first on the pitch that Grossman drove into the outfield. Mike Trout fielded the ball and relayed it in to Ian Kinsler, who threw a one-hopper on the money to keep the game tied. Zach Duke hit the first batter he faced on a 0-2 count. The Angels bunted the runner over. Zack Cozart hit a ball into the outfield and it was looking like the Twins were also going to have the opportunity to make a game-saving throw, but instead of two perfect throws, Eddie Rosario failed to transfer the ball from his glove into his hand. Ohtani was phenomenal. Over 6 1/3 innings, he gave up just three hits (two to Logan Morrison), struck out 11 batters and walked two. He topped out at 99.4 mph, but his slider, splitter and curveball were all formidable as well. The slowest curve he threw was 74.6 mph. I have no idea how any batter can realistically be prepared to handle all of his offerings. Taylor Rogers pitched a scoreless sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. Ryan Pressly entered the game with no outs and runners on first and second base. He struck out Trout and induced a double play ball to wiggle out of trouble. Reed pitched a scoreless eighth before the Angels got to Duke in the ninth. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:Download attachment: Bullpen513.png Next Three Games Mon vs. SEA, 6:10 pm CT Tue vs. STL, 7:10 pm CT Wed vs. STL, 12:10 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 5, LAA 3: Twins Outlast Angels in Gutsy Victory MIN 5, LAA 4: Rally Rosie LAA 7, MIN 4: What’s Up With Berrios? More From Twins Daily A Tale Of Two Rookies: Fernando Romero and Shohei Ohtani Wander Javier's Labral Tear For Saints Fans, Documentary Rings True Click here to view the article

Fixed. I was wondering what kind of things would happen if I stayed up past 1 am three nights in a row. I also scheduled some stuff on social media that said the game went 11 innings. D'oh.

Just like last night, Eddie Rosario made things happen and Mitch Garver delivered a big RBI. The Twins beat the Angels in 12 innings behind a quality start from Kyle Gibson and a gutsy performance by the bullpen.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)Download attachment: Snapshot512.png Download attachment: WinEx512.png The Twins offense was great in the third inning. Logan Morrison led things off with a walk, Ehire Adrianza singled, Byron Buxton hit an RBI double, Joe Mauer hit an RBI single and Brian Dozier added a sac fly to put the Twins up 3-0. From there forward, the bats were incredibly quiet, allowing the Angels to get back in the game. In the 12th inning Rosario reached on an infield single and Garver pulled a double down the left field line that scored Rosie all the way from first base, putting the Twins up. Mitch scored from second on a Gregorio Petit single to provide an insurance run. Gibson has continued his upswing. He gave up just three hits over his six innings of work and struck out six batters. This was his eighth start of the year and the fifth time he’s given up two earned runs or fewer. Gibby’s slider was particularly effective. He got nine swinging strikes on the 20 times he offered up that pitch and zero balls were put in play off the slider per Baseball Savant. Gibson exited the game with a 3-2 lead, but Ryan Pressly gave up a run in his inning of work. After giving up just one earned run over 13 appearances in April, this was Pressly’s third run given up already in his sixth game this May. Addison Reed worked a scoreless inning in both the eighth and ninth. He hadn’t pitched the previous five days. Zach Duke walked the leadoff man in the 10th, but luckily he ain’t afraid of no ghosts. That walk did not haunt, as Duke worked a scoreless inning. Trevor Hildenberger took over in the 11th and hit a batter on his first pitch, bringing Mike Trout to the plate. Gulp. Hildy got him to hit into a fielder’s choice, but Trout ended up stealing second base. Justin Upton flew out to right field, allowing Trout to tag up and advanced to third. With two outs and a runner on third, the Twins intentionally walked both Albert Pujols and Andrelton Simmons, bringing up Jefry Marte. The move put a ton of pressure on Hildenberger, but he came up big, inducing an inning-ending ground out. Phew. Fernando Rodney: Also not afraid of ghosts. Rodney walked the leadoff man in the 12th but ended up working a clean inning for his seventh save of the season. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:Download attachment: Bullpen512.png Next Three Games Sun at LAA, 3:07 pm CT Mon vs. SEA, 6:10 pm CT Tue vs. STL, 7:10 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 5, LAA 4: Rally Rosie LAA 7, MIN 4: What’s Up With Berrios? MIN 7, STL 1: Five Alive More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/12): Trevor May Returns Click here to view the article

Trevor May made his first rehab appearance for the Miracle, Chattanooga stayed hot with a nine-run night and Royce Lewis hit a double for the Kernels. As has too often been the case, Rochester was unable to play due to inclement weather.TRANSACTIONS May was activated on the Fort Myers Miracle roster to begin his rehab assignment. Ryan LaMarre was activated for Rochester with James Ramsey heading to the DL with a shoulder contusion. Nothing is official yet, but Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reported that Ervin Santana is expected to start his rehab assignment on May 26. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester vs. Scranton Postponed due to rain. This was the seventh postponement already for the Red Wings. They’ll make this one up as part of a doubleheader on June 12. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 9, Tennessee 6 Box Score W: Casey Crosby (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K) SV: Todd Van Steensel ( 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) SP: Lewis Thorpe (3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) HR: None. Multi-hit games: Zander Wiel, LaMonte Wade, Nick Gordon, Chris Paul This was a back-and-forth affair, but the Lookouts outlasted the Smokies. Tennessee got a two-run homer off Lewis Thorpe in the top of the first, but the Chattanooga bats stormed back with four runs in the bottom of the inning. The Looks added another run in the second to go up 5-2. Thorpe couldn’t make that lead stand up, as Tennessee would eventually tie the game at five in the fourth inning. Thorpe had a rough night, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks. His ERA is now 5.17. Luckily the Lookouts had another big inning in them. A four-runs seventh frame put Chattanooga up for good. All the usual suspects had big games. Zander Wiel was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Nick Gordon was 2-for-4, scored twice and had an RBI. LaMonte Wade was 2-for-3 with a couple walks and a run scored. Chris Paul also collected a pair of hits and stole a base. The bullpen did a great job of buying time for the bats to get back in it. Cody Stashak pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and Todd Van Steensel earned the save with a pair of perfect innings. He also struck out three batters. MIRACLE MATTERS Dunedin 2, Fort Myers 1 Box Score SP: Trevor May (3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) HR: None. Multi-hit games: None. He’s back! Just seeing Trevor May in action is great, but he also had an encouraging debut. Here’s the details via Twins Director of Communications Dustin Morse: Putting up zeroes, striking guys out and hitting 93 mph; pretty great vibes all around. Back in 2016, May was averaging 94.8 mph on his fastball, so it’s great to see him come anywhere close to that his first time out. This was May’s first competitive action since March 8, 2017. The Fort Myers pitching staff continued to perform from there, but the bats couldn’t get much of anything going. They combined for just four hits, the only extra-base knock coming as a Travis Blankenhorn double. Jimmy Kerrigan had the team’s lone RBI. Jaylin Davis drew his 16th walk of the season. He’s reached that mark in 99 plate appearances. That’s an encouraging sign because last year he had just 28 walks in 466 PAs. Andrew Vasquez pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Clark Beeker gave up a run in the sixth inning, but went 3 1/3 innings for the Miracle. He gave up a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth then was lifted after Lewin Diaz committed an error. Ryan Mason entered the game with runners on first and second and got the first batter he faced to ground out. Unfortunately, the next hitter walked it off on an RBI single. KERNELS NUGGETS Bowling Green 4, Cedar Rapids 1 Box Score SP: Bryan Sammons (51 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) HR: None. Multi-hit games: Shane Carrier, Jean Carlos Arias The Kernels struck first, scoring in the fourth inning. Royce Lewis hit a double and scored on a Shane Carrier single. Lewis is hitting .347, but that was just his fifth extra-base hit. Unfortunately, that was it for the offense. Starter Bryan Sammons gave up a run in the fifth inning and Jose Martinez gave up three more in the eighth. Sammons has opened his first full season of pro ball with a 2.76 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 29 1/3 innings. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Trevor May Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Zander Wiel TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects performed: 1. Royce Lewis: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, R 3. Nick Gordon: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI 7: Brent Rooker: 1-for-5, 2B, R, 2 K 10. Akil Baddoo: 0-for-4, K 12. Lewis Thorpe: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K 13. Lewin Diaz: 1-for-4, K 14. LaMonte Wade: 2-for-3, 2 BB, R 16. Ben Rortvedt: 1-for-3 17: Travis Blankenhorn: 1-for-4, 2B, R SUNDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester at Scranton, 12:05 pm CT: Myles Jaye Chattanooga vs. Tennessee, 1:15 pm CT: TBD Fort Myers: OFF Cedar Rapids: OFF Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games. Click here to view the article

But it's not like that's anything new this year. That's who he's been from the get-go and he's got several years of being a solid MLB starter under his belt. In fact, he's actually throwing a bit harder this year than last, but the control has gone out the window. I was hoping his last start signaled a turning point. Guess not. It's a context-only stat. Rosario's second homer only decreased the Angels' win expectancy from 92.8% to 84.0%. That Garver single sunk it from 72.1% to 31.4%. The leverage index on Rosario's homers were 0.33 and 1.48. On Garver's single it was 6.11. A couple key things to keep in mind are that Garver's hit also advanced a runner to third with only one out and that Rosario had some negative WPA outcomes from earlier in the game. Rosario's biggest plate appearance in terms of leverage index came in the third inning. Rosie was up with two down and the bases loaded. He flied out, which counted as -.069 WPA for him.

Rally monkey? Pfff, who needs it? Trailing 4-2 in the top of the ninth, Eddie Rosario hit a leadoff homer, his second of the game, to jumpstart a comeback effort. Mitch Garver came off the bench to deliver a huge game-tying single, Bobby Wilson put the Twins up on a sac fly and Fernando Rodney locked down the save to secure a big win for the Twins.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Download attachment: Snapshot511.png Download attachment: WinEx511.png The Twins really couldn’t get much of anything going until the ninth. Take a look at that graph, they really stormed back and swiped this game away from the Angels. Brian Dozier hit a solo homer in first inning, Rosario added a solo tater in the sixth and that was it prior to the big three-run ninth. Here’s how that unfolded: Rosario homer. Robbie Grossman strikeout. Logan Morrison double. Max Kepler (pinch hitting for Byron Buxton) intentional walk. Garver (pinch hitting for Ehire Adrianza) single scores Morrison, Kepler goes first-to-third. Wilson sac fly scores Kepler. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:Download attachment: Bullpen511.png Next Three Games Sat at LAA, 8:07 pm CT Sun at LAA, 3:07 pm CT Mon vs. SEA, 6:10 pm CT Last Three Games LAA 7, MIN 4: What’s Up With Berrios? MIN 7, STL 1: Five Alive MIN 6, STL 0: Fernand0 R0mer0!!!! More From Twins Daily Twins Minor League Report (5/11): Rooker Walks Off In Grand Style Buxton’s Back: Was No Rehab a Mistake? For Saints Fans, Documentary Rings True Click here to view the article

And people think the Twins move their prospects along slowly

Jose Berrios had another poor start, the bullpen made matters worse and the Twins failed to mount a second comeback after they’d tied the game in the sixth inning. But hey, Byron Buxton is back, Brian Dozier was 4-for-4 and Max Kepler can hit lefties now, so we got that going for us.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs) Download attachment: Snap510.png Download attachment: WinEX510.png Berrios allowed the Angels to build a 4-0 lead and ended the night with five earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. Jose gave up seven hits, two of them homers, walked a batter, hit two more and only recorded two strikeouts. Berrios averaged 93.4 mph on his fastball and topped out at 95.2, so there doesn’t appear to be anything amiss with his arm, but something clearly isn’t right. He especially seemed to have a hard time spotting his curveball. There were a few calls that didn’t go his way early, not sure if that had any lingering effects as he tried to feel out the strike zone. This was Berrios’ eighth start of the season. He’s given up zero runs in three starts and four earned runs or more in the other five. The Twins had a nice rally in the sixth inning to tie the game. Brian Dozier, who has been in a terrible slump, hit a three-run homer. He ended the game 4-for-4. In 2016, Max hit two homers in 133 plate appearances against lefties. Last season, it was two again, this time in 137 PAs. Kepler hit his second home run off a lefty already this season, and it has taken him only 32 opportunities to do so. Unfortunately, Ryan Pressly struggled in the bottom of that inning, allowing a runner he inherited from Berrios to score along with a run of his own, coughing up the lead back to the Angels. Just to make it an especially fun night for the fans in Anaheim, rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani obliterated a homer off Trevor Hildenberger in the seventh inning. Buxton was 0-for-2 with a couple of strikeouts and a walk. Bullpen Usage Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days: Download attachment: Bullpen510.png Next Three Games Fri at LAA, 9:07 pm CT Sat at LAA, 8:07 pm CT San at LAA, 3:07 pm CT Last Three Games MIN 7, STL 1: Five Alive MIN 6, STL 0: Fernand0 R0mer0!!!! MIN 5, CHW 3: Rosario Lifts Twins to Third Straight Victory More From Twins Daily Buxton’s Back: Was No Rehab a Mistake? This Dozier Recipe May be a New One Get To Know Miracle Catcher Taylor Grzelakowski Click here to view the article

Randy LeBlanc continued what’s been a strong start to his 2018 season with an excellent performance and his catcher, Brian Navarreto, had a big night at the plate. The Miracle lost a late lead, the Kernels were kept in check by Brendan McKay and Rochester was rained out.TRANSACTIONS Zack Granite was on the Red Wings’ lineup card prior to the game being called. Also, Jake Reed was reinstated from the DL. Casey Crosby was sent from Rochester to Chattanooga. Jimmy Kerrigan was transferred back to Fort Myers from Rochester. Robby Rinn was sent from the Miracle to Elizabeton’s roster. RED WINGS REPORT Rochester at Scranton POSTPONED CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 3, Jackson 0 Box Score W: Randy LeBlanc (7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K) SV: Williams Ramirez (1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) HR: Brian Navarreto (2) Multi-hit games: Navarreto, LaMonte Wade, Chris Paul Randy LeBlanc continued his excellent start by delivering seven shutout innings, striking out eight batters in the process. Drafted in the 10th round back in 2014, LeBlanc had some trouble stepping up to the Southern League last year, seeing his ERA spike from 2.82 during his time with the Miracle to 3.99 with the Lookouts. It appears LeBlanc is settling in, as he lowered his ERA to 2.23 and improved to 5-1 with tonight’s performance. In 40 1/3 innings, he has 35 strikeouts and 10 walks. Catcher Brian Navarreto had a nice two-way night. He helped lead the Chattanooga staff to a shutout performance behind the dish and was 3-for-4 with a solo homer. LaMonte Wade and Chris Paul each had two hits while Nick Gordon had a double and drew a pair of walks. MIRACLE MATTERS Dunedin 8, Fort Myers 6 Box Score SP: Andro Cutura (5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) HR: None. Multi-hit games: Mark Contreras, Jimmy Kerrigan The Miracle held a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, but a big four-run inning put the Blue Jays up for good. Mark Contreras continued his hot streak by going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. He’s recorded multiple hits in four of his last seven games. Jimmy Kerrigan was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Jaylin Davis was 1-for-3 and drew a couple walks. KERNELS NUGGETS Bowling Green 4, Cedar Rapids 0 Box Score SP: Randy Dobnak (4.1 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) HR: None. Multi-hit games: None The Kernels faced last year’s No. 4 overall pick Brendan McKay, which was unfortunate because he was dealing. McKay gave up just one hit in the six innings he handled and Cedar Rapids only mustered another base knock against the bullpen. Alex Kirilloff hit a triple, David Banuelos singled and Shane Carrier drew two walks. That was it for the offense. The bright spot for the Kernels pitching staff was Moises Gomez, who held the Hot Rods scoreless over the final 2 1/3 innings of the game. STARS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Randy LeBlanc Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day: Brian Navarreto TOP PROSPECT SUMMARY Here’s a look at how the Twins Daily Top 20 Prospects performed: 1. Royce Lewis: 0-for-4, K 3. Nick Gordon: 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BBs, R 5. Alex Kirilloff: 1-for-3, 3B, K 7. Brent Rooker: 1-for-4, R 10. Akil Baddoo: 0-for-4, K 13. Lewin Diaz: 0-for-4, RBI 14. LaMonte Wade: 2-for-4, BB 16. Ben Rortvedt: 0-for-3, 2 Ks 17. Travis Blankenhorn: 0-for-4, 3 Ks FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Rochester at Scranton, 4:35 pm CT - Zack Littell Rochester at Scranton, Game 2 - Stephen Gonsalves Chattanooga vs. Jackson, 6:15 pm CT - Anthony Marzi Fort Myers at Dunedin, 5:30 pm CT - Brady Anderson Cedar Rapids at Bowling Green, 6:35 pm CT - Blayne Enlow Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the games. Click here to view the article