Minnesota Twins Daily Morning Dip for August 18th, 2017

Minnesota Twins Daily Dip, August 18th, 2017

Welcome to the August 18th edition of the Daily Dip, your daily piece of news and notes here on Puckett’s Pond. You’ll find the scores and a quick summary of every level of the Minnesota Twins organization and links to any information you need to know to follow the Minnesota Twins here every morning!

We’ll start with the news and notes portions and work our way through each level of the system!

News and Notes

• Sano working to improve his game with tee work
• Glen Perkins makes return to Minnesota
• LHP Dietrich Enns placed on DL with shoulder strain
• LHP Buddy Boshers optioned to Rochester
• LHP Nik Turley recalled from Rochester
• RHP Aaron Slegers recalled from Rochester
• RHP Yohan Pino promoted to Rochester
• IF Travis Blankenhorn activated from DL by Cedar Rapids
• 1B Amaurys Minier placed on DL by Cedar Rapids with left hamstring strain

Cleveland Indians 9, Minnesota Twins 3 (game 1), Minnesota Twins 4,
Cleveland Indians 2 (game 2)

The Twins split a double header on Thursday. In game one, Kyle gibson struggled in giving up contact, but generally kept the runs off the board before the bullpen struggled in the 8th and 9th innings and gave up 6 runs. Kyle Gibson went 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 3. Dillon Gee went 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing a hit and a walk, striking out 2. Jorge Polanco had a triple and a single. Joe Mauer had a double and a single. Eddie Rosario had a pair of singles. Byron Buxton had a home run and a walk. Eduardo Escobar had a double.

The Twins called up Aaron Slegers from AAA Rochester for the second game, and he threw very well, in spite of not getting the win. Slegers went 6 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. Eduardo Escobar had a double and two singles. Brian Dozier had a pair of singles and a pair of walks. Joe Mauer had a trio of singles. Max kepler had a home run. Ehire Adrianza had a double. Byron Buxton had a stolen base.

August 18th Probable Starter: Jose Berrios vs. Arizona, 7:10PM CT

Columbus Clippers 4, Rochester Red Wings 1

Rochester’s offense could not put any runs across the board on Thursday. The Red Wings threw a bullpen game after scheduled starter Aaron Slegers was called up for a spot start. Drew Rucinski started the game and went 2 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 1. Kennys Vargas had a double and a single. Engelb Vielma had a pair of singles. Matt Hague had a double.

August 18th Probable Starter: Tim Melville @ Columbus, 6:05PM CT

Chattanooga Lookouts 12, Tennessee Smokies 11

Both teams combined for 14 runs in the 8th and 9th innings in an exciting ending to the Thursday game as the Lookouts took the win. Dereck Rodriguez made the start, going 4 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks, striking out 3. Nick Anderson closed out the game with a scoreless inning, allowing 2 hits, striking out 3. Alex Perez had a double, a single, two walks, and was hit by pitch. Brian Navarreto had a double, a single, and a walk. LaMonte Wade had three singles. Ryan Walker had a single, two walks, and stole a base. Max Murphy had a pair of singles. Nick Gordon had a single, a walk, and was hit by pitch. Edgar Corcino had a grand slam and a walk. Jonathan Rodriguez had a single and a walk.

August 18th Probable Starter: Felix Jorge @ Tennessee, 6:00PM CT

Fort Myers was rained out

August 18th Probable Starter: Sean Poppen @ Tampa, 6:00PM CT

Cedar Rapids Kernels 2, Burlington Bees 0

Cedar Rapids got an awesome pitching performance on the same night the offense exploded. Patrick McGuff went 4 hitless innings, allowing 2 walks, striking out 1. Evan Sanders went 3 innings, allowing 2 hits and a walk, striking out 2. Colton Davis had 2 perfect innings, striking out 2. Aaron Whitefield had two doubles, a single, and stole a base. Lewin Diaz had a double and two singles. Trey Cabbage had a triple and two singles. Royce Lewis had a pair of singles. Travis Blankenhorn had a pair of singles and stole a base. Shane Carrier had a double and was hit by a pitch. Caleb Hamilton had a double.

August 18th Probable Starter: Anthony Marzi vs. Beloit, 6:35PM CT

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Elizabethton Twins 11, Bristol Pirates 1

The Twins dominated the night on both ends, offensively and pitching. Randy Dobnak went 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits and 3 walks, striking out 8. Jose Martinez closed out the game with a perfect inning, striking out 1. Mark Contreras had a pair of doubles and a pair of singles. J.J. Robinson had a home run and two singles. Wander Javier had a home run and a single. Akil Baddoo had a double, a single, and was hit by pitch. Carson Crites had a double and a single. Robert Molina and T.J. Dixon each had a pair of singles.

August 18th Probable Starter: Bailey Ober @ Bristol, 5:00PM CT

GCL Twins 5, GCL Rays 4

The Twins put up 4 in the first inning and held on for the win. Austin Bizzle opened with an inning, allowing a run on a hit and a walk, striking out 1. Landon Leach went 4 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Carlos Suniaga got a 4-inning save, allowing an unearned run on a hit and no walks, striking out 3. Jared Akins had a home run, single, and a walk. Jean Carlos Arias had a double and a walk. Taylor Grzelakowski had a single, walk, and a stolen base.

August 18th Opponent: @ GCL Red Sox, 11:00AM CT

DSL Was rained out

August 18th Opponent: vs. DSL Rockies, 9:30AM CT

Minor League Pitcher/Hitter Of The Day

Pitcher: Randy Dobnak, Elizabethton – 6 innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Hitter: Aaron Whitefield, Cedar Rapids – 3-5, run, 2 doubles, 3 RBI, stolen base

Next: Minor League Leaders and Standouts

One Last Thing

The debut of 6’10” Aaron Slegers led to a look at the tallest Minnesota Twins player in history, Jon Rauch, who also happens to be the tallest major leaguer in history.

Rauch was 6’11” and a veteran reliever when he came to the Twins down the stretch in 2009. He had seen struggles in his time in Arizona and was happy for the fresh start, throwing very well down the stretch, with a 1.72 ERA over 15 2/3 inning as the Twins won the AL Central crown. Rauch threw the whole season in 2010 with the Twins, making 59 appearances, throwing 57 2/3 innings, with a 3.12 ERA, 21 saves, a 1.30 WHIP, and a 14/46 BB/K ratio, arguably his best full major league season.

The Twins also employed one of the two tallest pitchers who have ever played professional baseball in Look Van Mil, who stands 7’1″, and was last seen in the World Baseball Classic this spring, pitching for Team Netherlands. The other 7’1″ player was former Notre Dame pitcher Ryan Doherty, who is actually now a beach volleyball player, and a fairly good one!