Where They Stand: Through Games of July 30, 2014

Minnesota is 48-58, fifth in the American League Central, 11 games behind Detroit.  The Twins are 4-6 in their last ten games and lost their most recent game.

Rochester is 61-50, third in the International League North, 1.5 games behind Syracuse.  The Red Wings are 7-3 in their last ten games and lost their most recent game.

New Britain is 53-56, third in the Eastern League Eastern, 16.5 games behind Portland.  The Rock Cats are 4-6 in their last ten games and won their most recent game.

Fort Myers is 24-14 (65-42 overall), second in the Florida State League South, 0.5 games behind Palm Beach.  The Miracle is 5-5 in its last ten games and has lost two consecutive games.

Cedar Rapids is 22-16 (56-51 overall), tied for first with Kane County in the Midwest League Western.  The Kernels are 7-3 in their last ten games and have won two consecutive games.

Elizabethton is 23-16, first in the Appalachian League West, 2.5 games ahead of Greeneville.  The Twins are 5-5 in their last ten games and have lost two consecutive games.

The GCL Twins are 13-22, fourth in the Gulf Coast League South, 9 games behind the GCL Rays.  The Twins are 3-7 in their last ten games and lost their most recent game.

The DSL Twins are 32-19, second in the Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Baseball City, 2 games behind the DSL Orioles1.  The Twins are 7-3 in their last ten games and won their most recent game.

Games of July 30

A fine performance by Trevor May.  Byron Buxton is getting things going.  Ryan Eades is pitching better.

LEHIGH VALLEY 8, ROCHESTER 6 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Deibinson Romero was 2-for-4 with a home run, his eighth.  Josmil Pinto was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his fifth.  Pedro Florimon was 2-for-4 with a run.

Pitching star:  Trevor May pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, giving up five hits and one walk with five strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Cesar Hernandez was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Maikel Franco was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer (his ninth) and a walk.  Tyler Henson was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.

The game:  Romero homered in the second to give Rochester a 1-0 lead.  Pinto hit a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 3-0.  In the fifth, Dan Rohlfing singled in one and Doug Bernier doubled home two to give the Red Wings a 6-0 advantage.  It was still 6-0 after seven, but then things collapsed.  Freddy Galvis and Clete Thomas each hit a two-run double in a five-run eighth to cut the lead to 6-5.  Hernandez doubled in a run in the ninth to tie the score and Franco hit a two-run homer to put Lehigh Valley ahead.  Rochester did not get a hit after the sixth inning.

Of note:  Bernier was 1-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-3 with a walk.

NEW BRITAIN 3, TRENTON 2 IN TRENTON (10 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Aaron Hicks was 2-for-4 with two doubles and a walk, scoring once.  Mike Gonzales was 2-for-4 with a home run.

Pitching stars:  Jason Wheeler pitched 6.2 innings, giving up one run on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  Mason Melotakis pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Dan Camarena struck out six in six innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk.  Peter O'Brien was 3-for-4 with a double and two home runs, his twenty-second and twenty-third.  Dan Fiorito was 2-for-4 with a double.

The game:  Hicks doubled and scored in the top of the fourth, but O'Brien homered in the bottom of the fourth to tie it at one.  Gonzales homered in the seventh to give New Britain a 2-1 lead, but O'Brien homered again in the eighth to tie it at two.  The Rock Cats took the lead for good in the tenth on two singles, a bunt, and a sacrifice fly.  Trenton did not get the tying run into scoring position.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4.  Mike Kvasnicka was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-5.

CLEARWATER 8, FORT MYERS 7 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Byron Buxton was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in two.  Jason Kanzler was 1-for-3 with two walks, scoring twice.

Pitching stars:  B. J. Hermsen pitched three innings, giving up one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.  Madison Boer pitched two shutout innings with one strikeout.  Tyler Jones pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Miguel Nunez struck out eight in six shutout innings, allowing one hit and three walks.  Chris Serritella was 3-for-4 with a three-run homer (his third) and a double, scoring twice.  Roman Quinn was 2-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.

The game:  Clearwater opened the second inning with four singles and a double.  Add a pair of sacrifice flies, and it was a 5-0 Threshers lead after two.  It went to 8-0 after three, as Serritella hit a three-run homer in the third.  Fort Myers had left the bases loaded in the first on two walks and a hit batsman, but the Miracle did not get a hit until the fourth.  That was still their only hit until the seventh, when they put together a five-run inning of their own.  Tyler Grimes and Buxton had RBI singles, a run scored on a wild pitch, and Max Kepler had a two-run double.  They got two more in the eighth on run-scoring singles by Buxton and Dalton Hicks.  Men were on second and third with two out, but a strikeout ended the inning.  Fort Myers had two on in the ninth with one out, but again could not take advantage, getting a strikeout and a ground out to end the game.

Of note:  Hicks was 1-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Travis Harrison was 0-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch.  Kepler was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, driving in two.  Adam Brett Walker II was 2-for-5.  Starter Tim Shibuya lasted only three innings, giving up eight runs on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

CEDAR RAPIDS 3, BURLINGTON 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS (11 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Ryan Walker was 3-for-6 with three RBIs.  Michael Quesada was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.  Alex Swim was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Ryan Eades pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Nick Burdi struck out five in two shutout innings, giving up three hits.  Dallas Gallant retired all six men he faced, striking out five of them.

Opposition stars:  Garrett Nuss pitched six shutout innings, allowing four hits and a walk with five strikeouts.  Eric Aguilera was 4-for-4 with two home runs (his thirteenth and fourteenth) and a double.  Kody Eaves was 2-for-5.

The game:  Aguilera homered in the second and again in the fourth to give Burlington a 2-0 lead.  Cedar Rapids did very little in the first six innings, having thirteen consecutive batters retired at one point.  In the seventh, however, Walker delivered a two-out two-run single to tie the score.  It stayed tied until the eleventh.  A single and a walk opened the inning, and with one out Walker came through again, singling in the winning run.

Of note:  Mitch Garver was 1-for-4 with a walk.  Max Murphy was 1-for-5 with a run.

GREENEVILLE 5, ELIZABETHTON 1 IN ELIZABETHTON

Batting stars:  None.

Pitching stars:  Samuel Clay struck out three in three shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Cameron Booser struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Kuo Hua Lo struck out two in a perfect inning.

Opposition stars:  Devonte German struck out four in four shutout innings, allowing one hit and four walks.  Hector Roa was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs.  Luis Reynoso was 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Jacob Nottingham singled in a run in the first to give Greeneville a 1-0 lead.  Jeffry Santos had an RBI double in a three-run second to make it 4-0 and Reynoso singled in a run in the fourth to make it 5-0.  The lone Elizabethton run came in the sixth on a hit batsman, a wild pitch, and a double by Tyler Mautner.

Of note:  Tanner English was 0-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.  Nick Gordon was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Austin Diemer was 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a run.  Tyler Kuresa was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Starter Derrick Penilla struck out four in three innings, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks.

GCL RAYS 4, GCL TWINS 2 AT TWINS (14 INNINGS)

Batting star:  Manuel Guzman was 3-for-5 with a double and a walk, driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Zach Tillery struck out five in five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk.  MIchael Theofanopoulos struck out four in three shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Miles Nordgren pitched 5.1 innings of relief, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Cade Gotta was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.  Chris DeMorais was 2-for-5 with a walk and two RBIs.  Christopher Crisostomo pitched three shutout innings, allowing a hit and a walk.

The game:  RBI singles by Christian Knott and DeMorais gave the Rays a 2-0 lead in the first.  Guzman singled in a run in the third and Joel Polanco doubled and scored in the seventh to tie it up at two.  After the first, Twins pitchers worked twelve consecutive scoreless innings, but the Twins batters could not get the lead.  Finally, in the fourteenth, a single, a walk, and a hit batsman filled the bases with one out and a pair of bases loaded walks brought home two runs for the Rays.  The Twins put two men on with one out in the bottom of the fourteenth, but could not score.

Of note:  Rainis Silva was 0-for-6.  Amaurys Minier was 2-for-6.  Rafael P. Valera was 0-for-5 with a walk.

DSL TWINS 5, DSL ORIOLES1 2 AT TWINS

Batting stars:  Jermaine Palacios was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.  Roni Tapia was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.

Pitching star:  Jadison Jimenez pitched seven innings, giving up one run on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Juan Valdez pitched six innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Rauel Acosta was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.  Jorge Gil was 0-for-1 with three walks and a run.

The game:  It was scoreless until the fifth, when an error led to two Twins runs.  Tapia doubled and scored in the sixth to make it 3-0.  Jean Carrillo singled in a run in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-1, but RBI singles by Palacios and Antonio Tovar made it 5-1 after seven.  The Orioles1 added a run in the ninth and had the tying run up to bat with one out, but a fly ball and a ground out ended the game.

Of note:  Jorge Andrade was 1-for-4 with a run.  Junior Amarante was 1-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a run.  Lewin Diaz was 1-for-4.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:30  DSL Twins at DSL Orioles1

11:00  GCL Twins at GCL Rays

6:00  Elizabethton (TBA) at Kingsport (Andrew Church, 1-4, 5.40)

6:05  Clearwater (Aaron Nola, 1-3, 3.42 at Fort Myers (Matt Tomshaw, 9-2, 3.08)

6:05  Erie (Jeff Farrell, 7-7, 5.43) at New Britain (TBA)

6:05  Rochester (Sean Gilmartin, 1-2, 3.52) at Lehigh Valley (David Buchanan, 5-2, 4.35)

6:35  Burlington (TBA) at Cedar Rapids (Chih-Wei Hu, 3-0, 1.50)

Games of July 29

A good performance for Alex Meyer.  Aaron Hicks gets all the New Britain hits.  Max Murphy makes his Class A debut.

ROCHESTER 6, LEHIGH VALLEY 1 IN ROCHESTER

Batting star:  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-3 with a three-run homer.

Pitching stars:  Alex Meyer struck out five in five innings, giving up one run on two hits and five walks.  Lester Oliveros struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Stephen Pryor struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up a walk.

Opposition star:  Clete Thomas was 0-for-1 with three walks and a run.

The game:  A walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly put Rochester up 1-0 in the second.  In the fourth, Thomas walked, stole second, and scored on a Cam Perkins single to tie it at one.  The Red Wings opened the fifth with a walk, a hit batsman, and a three-run homer by Rodriguez to go ahead 4-1.  James Beresford doubled in a run later in the inning to make it 5-1.  The last twelve Lehigh Valley batters were retired.

Of note:  Doug Bernier was 1-for-4 with a run.  Beresford was 1-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Josmil Pinto was 0-for-2 with two walks.

TRENTON 4, NEW BRITAIN 1 IN TRENTON

Batting star:  Aaron Hicks was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run.  Those are the only two hits New Britain had.

Pitching stars:  Jim Fuller struck out four in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and four walks.  Matthew Summers pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts.  Mason Melotakis struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars;  Luis Severino struck out seven in 5.2 innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits and two walks.  Tyler Austin was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs.  Ali Castillo was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

The game:  Casey Stevenson doubled in a run, Castillo singled in another, and a third scored on an infield out to give Trenton a 3-0 lead in the second.  New Britain got on the board in the sixth when Hicks hit a two-out triple and scored on an error, but never threatened to tie the score.  The Thunder added a run in the seventh on a Mason Williams RBI single.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-4.  Starter Jose Berrios pitched 1.2 innings, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks with no strikeouts, before being removed due to injury.

CLEARWATER 5, FORT MYERS 3 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Jason Kanzler was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run.  Max Kepler was 2-for-3 with a walk.  Stuart Turner was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  D. J. Johnson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.  Todd Van Steensel pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Colin Kleven pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Roman Quinn was 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI.  Brandon Short was 2-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Short singled in a run in the first and Quinn had an RBI single in the second to give Clearwater a 2-0 lead.  Fort Myers answered with single runs in the second and fourth to tie the score at two.  In the sixth, Gabriel Lino's run-scoring single capped a two-run inning to give the Threshers a 4-2 advantage.  The Miracle got one back in the eighth and put the tying run on third with two out, but a ground out ended the inning.  Brian Pointer singled home a run in the ninth to push the Clearwater lead back to two.  A walk and two singles loaded the bases with two out in the ninth for Fort Myers, but a strikeout ended the game.

Of note:  Byron Buxton was 0-for-5.  Levi Michael was 2-for-4.  Dalton Hicks was 0-for-4 with an RBI.  Travis Harrison was 0-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, scoring twice.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-4.  Starter Steven Gruver, a reliever most of the year, struck out three in three innings, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk.

CEDAR RAPIDS 6, BURLINGTON 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Batting stars:  Bryan Haar was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one.  Alex Swim was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.  Michael Quesada was 1-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs.

PItching stars:  Lewis Thorpe struck out ten in 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk.  Chris Mazza pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit with one strikeout.  Jake Reed pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Angel Rosa was 1-for-3 with a home run (his seventh) and a walk, scoring twice.  Mike Fish was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Greg Mahle struck out five in 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing a walk.

The game:  Rosa homered in the first inning to give Burlington a 1-0 lead.  Quesada delivered a two-out two-run single in the fourth to put Cedar Rapids up 2-1.  Haar had an RBI double in a two-run fifth to make it 4-1.  Fish doubled in a run in the sixth to cut the lead to 4-2 and the Bees had men on first and third with two out, but a fly ball ended the inning.  The Kernels added two in the eighth to put the game out of reach.  The last eight Burlington batters were retired.

Of note:  Ryan Walker was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Max Murphy, in his Class A debut, was 0-for-4.  Chad Christensen was 0-for-4.  Mitch Garver was 2-for-4 with a run.

GREENEVILLE 4, ELIZABETHTON 2 IN ELIZABETHTON

Batting stars:  None.

Pitching stars:  Felix Jorge pitched six innings, giving up one run on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.  Randy LeBlanc struck out four in two innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Antonio Nunez was 1-for-2 with three walks and a run.  Kristian Trompiz was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Starter Brock Dykxhoorn pitched three shutout innings, allowing one hit and no walks with two strikeouts.

The game;  Trompiz doubled in a run in the fourth to open the scoring for Greeneville.  Elizabethton had only three hits in the first six innings, but took the lead in the seventh on two singles and a two-run double by Dutch Deol.  Luis Reynoso singled in a run in the eighth to tie the score at two.  In the ninth, a walk, an single, and a walk loaded the bases for the Astros with two out.  A wild pitch-plus-error brought home two runs for Greeneville to give the Astros a 4-2 lead.  The Twins went down in order in the ninth.

Of note:  Tanner English was 1-for-3 with a walk.  Nick Gordon was 1-for-4.  Austin Diemer was 0-for-4.  Tyler Kuresa was 1-for-4.  Jorge Fernandez was 1-for-3.

GCL RAYS 7, GCL TWINS 6 AT RAYS (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Amaurys Minier was 1-for-4 with a grand slam, his third homer.  Rainis Silva was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Pitching stars:  None.

Opposition stars:  Christian Knott was 3-for-3 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Matt Reida was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Cade Gotta's two-run single capped a five-run second to give the Rays a 5-0 lead.  The Twins came back with four in the third, as three two-out walks were followed by a Minier grand slam.  The Rays got two back in the bottom of the third to go ahead 7-4.  The Twins scored one in the fourth, but still trailed 7-5 going to the seventh.  A strikeout-plus-passed-ball and three singles cut the lead to 7-6 and loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but a double play ended the game.

Of note:  Corey Wimberley was 0-for-1 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Starter Zack Jones faced only three batters, striking out two and giving up a hit before being replaced.

GCL TWINS 4, GCL RAYS 2 AT TWINS (GAME 2--7 INNINGS--GAME PLAYED IN RAYS PARK WITH TWINS DESIGNATED HOME TEAM)

Batting stars:  Amaurys Minier was 1-for-2 with a two-run homer (his fourth) and a walk.  Ruar Verkerk was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Alexis Tapia pitched six innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  Trevor Hildenberger pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Blake Bivens struck out three in three shutout innings, giving up two walks.  Bill Pujols was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.

The game:  Minier hit a two-run homer in the first to give the Twins a 2-0 lead.  Josh Rapacz had an RBI single in a two-run second for the Rays to tie it up.  In the bottom of the second Verkerk had a two-run single to put the Twins back in front 4-2.  And that was it for the scoring.  The Rays did not even get anyone on base until the seventh, when a walk and a two-out double put the tying run in scoring position.  A ground out ended the game.

Of note:  Manuel Guzman was 1-for-2 with a walk.  Rainis Silva was 0-for-3 with a run.

DSL DIAMONDBACKS 4, DSL TWINS 3 AT DIAMONDBACKS

Batting stars:  Lewin Diaz was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.  Junior Amarante was 3-for-5 with a run.  Antonio Tovar was 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk.

Pitching star:  Williams Ramirez pitched six innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Emilio Vargas struck out seven in six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks.  Yan Sanchez was 1-for-3 with a triple, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Diaz doubled in a run in the first to give the Twins a 1-0 lead.  Diaz singled in another run in the sixth to make it 2-0.  An error put the Diamondbacks on the board in the bottom of the sixth.  In the seventh, Sanchez tripled in a run and scored on a Adony Ovalles single to give the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead.  Roni Tapia doubled in a run in the eighth to tie it up, but in the ninth, Jose De Leon walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out single by Jose Ordaz to win the game.

Of note:  Jorge Andrade was 0-for-4 with a walk.  Jermaine Palacios was 1-for-4 with a run.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:30  DSL Orioles1 at DSL Twins

10:05  Lehigh Valley (Greg Smith, 7-8, 4.41) at Rochester (Trevor May, 8-5, 2.94)

11:00  GCL Rays at GCL Twins

11:05  New Britain (TBA) at Trenton (Dan Camarena, 0-4, 7.85)

6:00  Greeneville (Devonte German, 0-1, 4.15) at Elizabethton (Derrick Penilla, 3-1, 2.74)

6:05  Clearwater (Miguel Nunez, 4-7, 5.44) at Fort Myers (Tim Shibuya, 7-3, 2.98)

6:35  Burlington (TBA) at Cedar Rapids (Ryan Eades, 6-11, 6.35)

Games of July 28

Big innings carry the day for Fort Myers and Elizabethton.  Brett Lee continues to dominate at Fort Myers.  Matt is missing a lot of Batts for Elizabethton.

INDIANAPOLIS 5, ROCHESTER 0 IN ROCHESTER

Batting star:  Deibinson Romero was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.

Pitching stars:  Deolis Guerra struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Edgar Ibarra pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Gerrit Cole struck out seven in five innings, allowing five hits and three walks.  Tony Sanchez was 2-for-3 with a home run (his eighth), a double, and a walk, driving in four.  Robert Andino was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.

The game:  It was scoreless until the fourth, when two singles and a double produced two Indianapolis runs.  The Indians added three in the sixth on a Sanchez three-run homer.  Rochester threatened, but could never score.  The Red Wings loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but a strikeout and a fly out ended the inning.  Pedro Florimon singled with two on and one out in the fifth, but Reynaldo Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate.  There were two on with two out in the seventh, but a ground out ended the inning.  In total, Rochester was 1-for-11 with men in scoring position and stranded thirteen runners.

Of note:  Doug Bernier was 1-for-5.  Florimon was 1-for-4 with a walk.  Josmil Pinto was 1-for-4 with a walk and a double.  Starter Mark Hamburger pitched six innings, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout.

TRENTON 6, NEW BRITAIN 1 IN TRENTON

Batting stars:  Mike Kvasnicka was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.  Brad Boyer was 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Alex Wimmers pitched two shutout innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout.  Daniel Turpen struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Zach Nuding pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Gary Sanchez was 2-for-5 with a home run (his eleventh) and a double, driving in two.  Ben Gamel was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one.

The game:  Trenton led all the way.  Sanchez homered in the first to make it 1-0.  A two-run single by Mason Williams and an RBI single by Dan Fiorito made it 4-0 after three.  Run-scoring doubles by Gamel and Sanchez made it 6-0 after four.  The lone New Britain run came in the fifth, when Kvasnicka walked to lead off the inning and scored on a  Boyer one-out triple.  The Rock Cats never threatened to get back into the game.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4.  Eddie Rosario was 0-for-4.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-4.  Aaron Hicks was 0-for-4.  Starter Pat Dean pitched four innings, giving up six runs on ten hits with three walks and one strikeout.

FORT MYERS 14, CLEARWATER 0 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Mike Gonzales was 3-for-5 with a home run (his ninth) and a double, scoring twice and driving in five.  Jason Kanzler was 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk, scoring twice and driving in three.  Stuart Turner was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Brett Lee pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Brandon Peterson struck out two in two perfect innings.

Opposition stars:  None.

The game:  Fort Myers only scored in two innings, but they were big ones.  They had an eight-run inning in the fourth, batting eleven.  They opened the inning with back-to-back homers from Gonzales and Dalton Hicks.  Kanzler had a two-run single and Gonzales, in his second at-bat of the inning, brought home three with a single-plus-error.  The Miracle scored their other six runs in the sixth, batting twelve.  The inning once again started with a home run, this time by Kanzler.  Gonzales doubled home two.  Travis Harrison had an RBI single, Turner drove home one with a double, and Aderlin Mejia had an RBI single.  Lee was in control of the game on the mound, giving up only one baserunner, on a single, in the first five innings.

Of note:  Byron Buxton was 2-for-4 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, scoring twice.  Levi Michael was 1-for-5 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Hicks was 1-for-4 with a home run (his tenth) and a walk.  It would appear that Lee has nothing to learn in Fort Myers--he's 8-2, 1.75, 1.20 WHIP.  He doesn't strike out a lot of guys, but it's hard to see how staying in Fort Myers is going to help with that.

DAYTON 3, CEDAR RAPIDS 2 IN DAYTON

Batting stars:  Mitch Garver was 2-for-4 with a home run, his fourteenth.  Alex Swim was 2-for-4 with a run.

Pitching stars:  Josue Montanez pitched two shutout innings, giving up no hits and no walks with one strikeout.  Jared Wilson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Sal Romano struck out ten in five innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk.  Jamodrick McGruder was 2-for-4 with a triple, scoring once and driving in one.  Jonathan Reynoso was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Robert Ramirez doubled in a run to give Dayton a 1-0 lead in the first.  A run scored on a wild pitch in the second to tie it at one.  In the fifth, the Dragons got triples by Ronald Bueno and McGruder and a double by Reynoso to take a 3-1 advantage.  Garver led off the sixth with a homer to cut the lead to 3-2, but that was as close as Cedar Rapids could come.  Their biggest threat was in the eighth, when Bryan Haar drew a two-out walk and Swim singled, but Haar was thrown out trying to take third on the hit to end the inning.

Of note:  Engelb Vielma was 1-for-5.  Chad Christensen was 1-for-4.  Starter Aaron Slegers struck out seven in five innings, giving up three runs on eight hits and a walk.

ELIZABETHTON 13, GREENEVILLE 6 IN ELIZABETHTON

Batting stars:  Trey Vavra was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring twice and driving in six.  Tyler Mautner was 2-for-4 with a home run (his third) and a double, scoring twice and driving in four.  Blake Schmit was 2-for-5 with three runs.

Pitching stars:  Matt Batts struck out eight in six innings, giving up one run on two hits and a walk.  C. K. Irby pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition star:  Antonio Nunez was 2-for-3 with a triple, scoring once and driving in two.

The game:  Yonathan Mejia's RBI single put Greeneville ahead 1-0 in the top of the first, but Vavra had a two-run single in the bottom of the first to give Elizabethton a lead they would never relinquish.  The Twins took control with a six-run third.  They batted ten, with Tyler Kuresa getting an RBI single, Vavra driving home two with a double, Mautner contributing an RBI double, and Pat Kelly bringing home two with a triple.  It stayed 8-1 until the seventh, when Elizabethton plated five more.  Vavra had a two-run single and Mautner a three-run homer in the inning.  The Astros scored five in the eighth but never threatened to get back into the game.

Of note:  Jeremias Pineda was 0-for-4 with a walk and a run.  Austin Diemer was 0-for-3 with two walks and two runs.  Kuresa was 1-for-4 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.

GCL RAYS AT GCL TWINS

Rained out.

DSL TWINS 11, DSL DIAMONDBACKS 10 AT TWINS

Batting stars:  Jermaine Palacios was 3-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in two.  Jorge Andrade was 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs.  Jorge Parra was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching star:  Randolph Perez pitched five innings of relief, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Ramon Hernandez was 3-for-5 with a grand slam (his second homer), scoring twice.  Rafael Santana was 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs.  Adony Ovalles was 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk.

The game:  The Twins trailed 3-2 after four, but scored three times without getting a hit in the fifth to go ahead 5-3.  Two runs in the sixth made it 7-3.  Santana's two-run single in the top of the eighth cut the lead to 7-5, but Robert Molina tripled and scored in the bottom of the eighth to make it 8-5.  In the top of the ninth a bases-loaded walk dropped the margin to 8-6 and Hernandez hit a grand slam to give the Diamondbacks a 10-8 advantage.  The Twins had only a man on first base with two out in the bottom of the ninth.  Two singles cut the lead to 10-9 and put men on first and third.  A hit batsman filled the bases and a bases-loaded walk tied the score.  Palacios followed with an infield single that brought home the winning run.

Of note:  Luis Arraez was 0-for-1 with a walk and a run.  Lewin Diaz was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring once.  Starter Moises Gomez pitched three innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:30  DSL Twins at DSL Diamondbacks

10:00  GCL Twins at GCL Rays

Game 2  GCL Rays at GCL Twins

6:00  Greeneville (Brock Dykxhoorn, 2-2, 8.10) at Elizabethton (Felix Jorge, 3-1, 2.01)

6:05  Clearwater (Colin Kleven, 3-8, 5.05) at Fort Myers (TBA)

6:05  Lehigh Valley (Brad Lincoln, 5-6, 4.34) at Rochester (Alex Meyer, 5-4, 3.11)

6:05  New Britain (Jose Berrios, 1-2, 3.05) at Trenton (TBA)

6:35  Burlington (Daniel Hurtado, 1-0, 1.85) at Cedar Rapids (Lewis Thorpe, 1-2, 4.97)

Players of the Week: July 21-27, 2014

ROCHESTER

Position player:  Doug Bernier was 11-for-23 with two doubles and three walks.  For the season he is hitting .298/.378/.428 in 285 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Mark Hamburger made one start, pitching seven innings.  He gave up no runs on four hits and no walks with nine strikeouts.  For the season he is 2-1, 2.57, 1.14 WHIP with 20 strikeouts in 21 innings (3 starts, 3 relief appearances).

NEW BRITAIN

Position player:  Brandon Waring was 10-for-27 with four doubles, two home runs, and two walks.  For the season he is hitting .207/.310/.397 in 290 at-bats.  Kennys Vargas was 8-for-24 with three doubles, two homers, and seven walks.  For the season he is hitting .289/.370/.487 in 343 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Tyler Duffey made two starts, pitching fourteen innings.  He gave up two runs on eight hits and no walks with sixteen strikeouts.  For the season he is 7-2, 3.75, 1.15 WHIP with 77 strikeouts in 96 innings (16 starts).

FORT MYERS

Position player:  Mike Gonzales was 9-for-19 with four doubles, two home runs, and four walks.  For the season he is hitting .268/.347/.431 in 276 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Brian Gilbert made three appearances, pitching 5.1 innings.  He gave up no runs on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.  For the season he is 2-3, 5 saves, 4.07, 1.52 WHIP with 32 strikeouts in 42 innings (29 relief appearances).

CEDAR RAPIDS

Position player:  J. D. Williams was 6-for-17 with three doubles, a home run, and a walk.  For the season he is hitting .239/.327/.347 in 176 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Chih-Wei Hu made two starts, pitching twelve innings.  He gave up no runs on four hits and three walks with sixteen strikeouts.  For the season he is 3-0, 1.50, 0.83 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 24 innings (4 starts).

ELIZABETHTON

Position player:  Jorge Fernandez was 8-for-16 with three doubles and a stolen base.  For the season he is hitting .385/.400/.487 with 1 stolen base in 39 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Felix Jorge made one start, pitching six innings.  He gave up two runs on five hits and one walk with eight strikeouts.  For the season he is 3-1, 2.01, 1.24 WHIP with 30 strikeouts in 31.1 innings (6 starts).

GCL TWINS

Position player:  Manuel Guzman was 6-for-17 with a double, a triple, four walks, and two stolen bases.  For the season he is hitting .290/.372/.333 with 6 stolen bases in 69 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Alexis Tapia made one start, pitching five innings.  He gave up no runs on three hits and two walks with one strikeout.  For the season he is 3-0, 2.08, 1.02 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 21.2 innings (3 starts, 3 relief appearances).

DSL TWINS

Position player:  Emmanuel Morel was 5-for-12 with a triple, a walk, and two stolen bases.  For the season he is .262/.372/.327 with 5 stolen bases in 107 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Argenis Silva made two appearances, pitching five innings.  He gave up no runs on one hit and no walks with five strikeouts.  For the season he is 4-1, 1 save, 3.42, 1.18 WHIP with 22 strikeouts in 26.1 innings (16 relief appearances).

Games of July 27

Josmil Pinto's grand slam carries Rochester.  Jorge Polanco seems to be handling AA.  Stephen Gonsalves has a successful debut in Class A.

ROCHESTER 6, INDIANAPOLIS 3 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Josmil Pinto was 1-for-3 with a grand slam (his fourth homer) and a hit-by-pitch.  Doug Bernier was 3-for-4 with a run.

Pitching stars:  Kris Johnson pitched 7.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.  A. J. Achter retired all four batters he faced, striking out one.

Opposition star:  Chase D'Arnaud was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The game:  A Mel Rojas RBI single but Indianapolis ahead 1-0 in the first.  It stayed 1-0 until the fifth, when Dan Rohlfing walked, Bernier and Eric Farris singled, and PInto hit a two-out grand slam to give Rochester a 4-1 lead.  The Red Wings added two more in the sixth on a Daniel Ortiz homer and a sacrifice fly.  The Indians scored two in the eighth and brought the tying run up to bat with two out, but their last four batters were retired.

Of note:  James Beresford was 0-for-3 with a walk.

PORTLAND 8, NEW BRITAIN 5 IN NEW BRITAIN (11 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Jorge Polanco was 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI.  Brandon Waring was 2-for-4 with two doubles and a hit-by-pitch, scoring once.  Mike Kvasnicka was 1-for-3 with two walks, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching star:  Matthew Summers pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Keury De La Cruz was 2-for-5 with a home run (his third) and a double, driving in three.  Jonathan Roof was 2-for-4 with a home run (his third), a double, and a hit-by-pitch, scoring twice.  Danny Bethea was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.

The game:  Tony Thomas tripled and scored to give New Britain a 1-0 lead in the first, but Jonathan Roof homered in the second to tie the score.  In the fourth, Brad Boyer hit a two-run double as part of a four-run inning that gave New Britain a seemingly safe 5-1 lead.  But in the sixth, De La Cruz had a two-run double that capped a three-run inning that cut the lead to 5-4.  De La Cruz then led off the ninth with a homer to tie it.  In the eleventh, Bethea hit a two-run double which was followed by a sacrifice fly that gave Portland its first lead of the day at 8-5.  The Rock Cats brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the eleventh with one out, but a double play ended the game.

Of note:  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-6 with an RBI.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk.  Aaron Hicks was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run.  Starter Virgil Vasquez struck out seven in seven innings, giving up for runs on seven hits and no walks.

TAMPA 6, FORT MYERS 4 IN TAMPA

Batting stars:  Mike Gonzales was 1-for-2 with a home run (his eighth) and two walks, scoring twice.  Dalton Hicks was 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, his ninth.

Pitching stars:  B. J. Hermsen pitched three shutout innings, giving up two hits.  Madison Boer pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Dante Bichette, Jr. was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.  Jose Rosario was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, driving in two.  Danny Oh was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.

The game:  Bichette, Jr. doubled in two runs in the first to give Tampa a 2-0 lead.  Each team scored once in the second.  In the third, Hicks hit a two-run homer to tie it up.  Byron Buxton singled in a run in the top of the fourth to give Fort Myers a short-lived lead, but in the bottom of the fourth Rosario hit a two-run single to cap a three-run inning and give the Yankees a 6-4 advantage.  And there it stayed.  Fort Myers got the tying run on base in the eighth on an error and a walk and did it again in the ninth on an error and a single, their only hit after the fourth inning, but they did not score again.

Of note:  Buxton was 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.  Travis Harrison was 1-for-5 with a run.  Adam Brett Walker II was 1-for-5 with a double.  Starter Ethan Mildren struck out four in four innings, giving up six runs on eleven hits and two walks.

CEDAR RAPIDS 4, DAYTON 1 IN DAYTON

Batting stars:  J. D. Williams was 2-for-3 with a home run (his second) and a double, driving in two.  Logan Wade was 1-for-3 with a home run, his fourth.

Pitching stars:  Stephen Gonsalves struck out six in six shutout innings in his Class A debut, giving up three hits and a walk.  Dallas Gallant struck out two in a perfect inning.

Opposition star:  Amir Garrett struck out ten in 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and no walks.

The game:  It was scoreless through five, with Cedar Rapids getting only one hit.  In the sixth, however, Williams and Wade each homered to give the Kernels a 2-0 lead.  They added two in the sixth to make it 4-0.  Dayton got its lone run in the bottom of the seventh but did not bring the tying run up to bat.

Of note:  Engelb Vielma was 1-for-4.  Chad Christensen was 0-for-4.  Mitch Garver was 0-for-4.  Alex Swim was 0-for-4.

ELIZABETHTON AT JOHNSON CITY

The game was suspended due to rain with one out in the top of the fifth.  Johnson City led 6-3 after four, and one wonders if the hope was to get the top of the fifth in and then call it a complete game.  If so, Elizabethton foiled the plan by scoring four times to take a 7-6 lead.  The Twins are still batting, as they have a man on first with one out.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:30  DSL Diamondbacks at DSL Twins

11:00  GCL Rays at GCL Twins

6:00  Cedar Rapids (Aaron Slegers, 7-6, 4.49) at Dayton (Sal Romano, 6-9, 3.79)

6:00  Greeneville (Robert Kahana, 1-1, 3.05) at Elizabethton (TBA)

6:05  Clearwater (Jeb Stefan, 6-9, 6.11) at Fort Myers (Brett Lee, 7-2, 1.92)

6:05  Indianapolis (TBA) at Rochester (Mark Hamburger, 2-1, 2.57)

6:05  New Britain (Pat Dean, 7-6, 4.62) at Trenton (TBA)

Games of July 26

The Twins go 6-1!  Three shutouts!  Byron Buxton gets back into the swing!

ROCHESTER 1, INDIANAPOLIS 0 IN ROCHESTER

Batting star:  Eric Farris was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.

Pitching stars:  Sean Gilmartin pitched 7.1 innings, giving up five hits and one walk with four strikeouts.  Michael Tonkin pitched one inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Rafael Perez pitched eight shutout innings, giving up three hits and three walks with four strikeouts.  Jose Tabata was 2-for-4.

The game:  Indianapolis threatened in the third, opening the inning with two singles and a sacrifice bunt, but Chris Rahl threw out a runner tagging up from third on a fly out to end the inning.  Rochester put men on first and second with one out in the fourth, but a line drive double play ended the inning.  The Indians had men on first and second with one out in the ninth, but a pair of ground outs stopped the threat.  In the ninth, Farris and Josmil Pinto walked and Nate Hanson delivered a one-out single to bring home the winning run.

Of note:  Doug Bernier was 1-for-3 with a walk.  James Beresford was 0-for-2.  Pinto was 0-for-1 with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.  Pedro Florimon was 1-for-3.

NEW BRITAIN 7, PORTLAND 0 IN NEW BRITAIN

Batting stars:  Aaron Hicks was 2-for-4 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in three.  Brandon Waring was 2-for-4 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in two.  Kennys Vargas was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.

Pitching stars:  Tyler Duffey struck out seven in seven innings, giving up five hits and no walks.  Jim Fuller pitched two innings, giving up one walk with one strikeout.

Opposition star:  Sean Coyle was 2-for-4.

The game:  Waring doubled in a run in the second to give New Britain a 1-0 lead.  In the fourth, consecutive doubles by Vargas, Hicks, and Waring were followed by a Brad Boyer single later in the inning to produce three runs and make the score 4-0.  Hicks doubled in two in the fifth to make it 6-0 and the Rock Cats added another run in the sixth.  Portland's best chance came in the first inning, when the Sea Dogs got back-to-back one out singles, but the lead runner was thrown out trying to advance to third.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4 with a double and a run in his AA debut.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-4 with a double.  Mike Kvasnicka was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.  New Britain had eight doubles in the game.

FORT MYERS 8, TAMPA 6 IN TAMPA (11 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Aderlin Mejia was 2-for-2 with three walks, scoring twice and driving in two.  Mike Gonzales was 2-for-3 with a home run (his seventh), a double, and a hit-by-pitch, scoring twice and driving in two.  Byron Buxton was 2-for-6 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Todd Van Steensel pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.  Brandon Peterson struck out two in a perfect inning.  Brian Gilbert struck out three in two perfect innings.

Opposition stars:  Dante Bichette, Jr. was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in two.  Eric Jagielo was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.

The game:  The scoring came early and late.  Jagielo had a two-run single in a three-run Tampa first.  Gonzales homered and Buxton had an RBI double in the third to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Yankees scored in the bottom of the third on an Angelo Gumbs double to make it 4-2.  Buxton had a two-run double in a four-run fourth to put the Miracle on top 6-4.  There was no more scoring until the ninth, when a single, a walk, an error, and a sacrifice fly tied the score at six.  In the eleventh, a single, a hit batsman, and a bunt put Fort Myers runners on second and third with one out.  RBI singles by Mejia and Travis Harrison gave the Miracle an 8-6 lead.  Tampa went down in order in the bottom of the eleventh.

CEDAR RAPIDS 4, DAYTON 0 IN DAYTON

Batting stars:  Engelb Vielma was 2-for-4 with a run.  Logan Wade was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Chih-Wei Hu struck out ten in six innings, giving up two hits and a walk.  Jake Reed struck out three in two perfect inning.  Nick Burdi pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition star:  Tony Amezcua struck out three in three shutout innings, allowing one hit.

The game:  Three singles and two productive outs brought home three runs for Cedar Rapids in the first inning.  That was really all the runs the Kernels needed, although they added one on another productive out in the fifth.  Hu was in complete control, not allowing a hit until the fifth.  Dayton only twice got a man as far as second base, in the fifth and the sixth.

Of note:  Chad Christensen was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Mitch Garver was 0-for-4 with an RBI.  Alex Swim was 0-for-4.

JOHNSON CITY 5, ELIZABETHTON 2 IN JOHNSON CITY

Batting stars:  Pat Kelly was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a run.  Nick Gordon was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Max Murphy was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.

Pitching star:  Dereck Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.  He has not given up an earned run all season (sixteen innings, ten appearances).

Opposition stars:  Dailyn Martinez struck out eight in 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks.  Anthony Ray was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run.  Casey Grayson was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.

The game:  Tyler Kuresa doubled in a run in the first.  An error with the bases loaded and one out scored two for Johnson City to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.  Kelly and Gordon each doubled in the third to tie the game at two.  Two hit batsmen, a walk, and a ground out gave Johnson City a 3-2 lead in the fifth.  A triple two walks, and a two-out error led to two more Cardinals runs in the sixth.  Elizabethton could not get the tying run up to bat after that.

Of note:  Jeremias Pineda was 0-for-4.  Kuresa was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Starter Michael Cederoth pitched five innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

GCL TWINS 5, GCL RED SOX 2 AT RED SOX

Pitching stars:  Amaurys Minier was 2-for-4 with a double and a hit-by-pitch, scoring once and driving in two.  Jarrard Poteete was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  Joel Ramirez was 1-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch, scoring twice.

Pitching stars:  Eduardo Del Rosario pitched three shutout innings, giving up one hit with one strikeout.  Trevor Hildenberger pitched two shutout innings with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Javier Guerra was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs.  Rafael Devers was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk, driving in one.

The game:  An error put the Red Sox up 1-0 in the first.  A bases-loaded walk tied it in the third, and a two-run Minier single later in the inning gave the Twins a 3-1 lead.  Doubles by Guerra and Devers cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third.  It stayed 3-2 until the eighth, when Poteete delivered a two-out two-run single.  The last thirteen Red Sox batters were retired.

Of note:  Manuel Guzman was 1-for-5.  Gabriel Ojeda was 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.  Starter Brandon Easton pitched four innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks and one strikeout.

DSL TWINS 11, DSL PADRES 4 AT TWINS

Batting stars:  Antonio Tovar was 3-for-3 with a double and two walks, scoring twice and driving in one.  Jermaine Palacios was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and two walks, scoring three times.  Jorge Parra was 3-for-3 with a double, scoring twice and driving in two.

Pitching stars:  Argenis Silva struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Daulin Ramirez struck out three in three shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Juan Herrera pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition star:  Dayon Olmo was 1-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs.

The game:  RBI singles by Tovar and Parra were part of a four-run first.  The Padres scored in the top of the second, but in the bottom of the second Palacios circled the bases on a triple-plus-error and Parra singled in another run to make it 6-1.  Olmo's bases-loaded triple in the third cut the lead to 6-4, but the Twins again answered as Edwin Franco walked, stole second and third, and scored on a ground out to increase the margin to 7-4.  The Twins scored once in the sixth and got three in the eighth to put the game out of reach.  Francisco Hernandez had a two-run single in the eighth inning.

Of note:  Jorge Andrade was 1-for-5 with an RBI.  Roni Tapia was 0-for-5.  Lewin Diaz was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, scoring three times.  Starter Jose Ramirez pitched three innings, giving up four runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

TODAY'S TILTS

12:00  Fort Myers (Ethan Mildren, 1-0, 6.46) at Tampa (Conner Kendrick, 3-7, 5.86)

12:05  Indianapolis (Brandon Cumpton, 5-2, 2.61 at Rochester (Kris Johnson, 8-4, 2.75)

12:35  Portland (Luis Diaz, 3-2, 2.82) at New Britain (Virgil Vasquez, 5-6, 4.26)

1:00  Cedar Rapids (TBA) at Dayton (Amir Garrett, 4-5, 3.80)

3:00  Elizabethton (Sam Gibbons, 2-2. 3.06) at Johnson City (Landon Beck, 1-0, 3.48)