Monthly Archives: April 2024

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of April 5

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ST. PAUL SAINTS 6, NASHVILLE SOUNDS 5 IN NASHVILLE

Patrick Winkel hit a two-run double in the fifth to give the Saints a 3-1 lead.  They led the rest of the way, although the Sounds put the tying run on base in the seventh and the ninth.

Multi-hit games:  Winkel was 3-for-5 with a double.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Winkel drove in two  runs.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Ryan Jensen struck out four in two innings, giving up an unearned run on a hit and a walk.  Hobie Harris pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Joey Wiemer was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, and two runs.

Record:  The Saints are 4-2, in first place, a half-game ahead of Gwinnett, Louisville, and Toledo.

FRISCO ROUGHRIDERS 6, WICHITA WIND SURGE 4 IN WICHITA

Frisco scored three in the seventh, two of them on a Kellen Strahm single, to take a 6-2 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Ben Ross was 2-for-4.  Noah Cardenas was 2-for-4.  Jake Rucker was 2-for-4.  Wichita had nine hits and five walks but stranded nine.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Emmanuel Rodriguez was 2-for-4.

Stolen bases:  Ross (1), Rodriguez (1).

Pitching prowess:  Marco Raya struck out four in three innings, giving up one run on four hits.  Cody Laweryson pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up three hits.  Scott Engler pitched a scoreless inning despite giving up a hit and two walks.

Opposition standout:  Dane Acker pitched 4.2 innings, giving up one run on three hits and a walk, striking out four.

Record:  Wichita is 0-1, tied for third, one game behind Springfield and Tulsa.

BELOIT SKY CARP 3, CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 1 IN BELOIT

Homers by Joe Mack and Torin Montgomery in the eighth inning resulted in all three Beloit runs.

Multi-hit games:  Gabriel Gonzalez was 2-for-4.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Andrew Morris struck out six in four shutout innings, giving up three hits and a walk.  A. J. Labas struck out five in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.

Opposition standout:  Karson Milbrandt struck out five in five shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 0-1, tied four fourth, one game behind Beloit, Peoria, and South Bend.

TAMPA TARPONS 4, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 2 IN FORT MYERS

Roderick Arias hit a two-run homer in the seventh to give Tampa a 4-2 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Byron Chourio was 2-for-3 with two walks.  Yohander Martinez was 2-for-4.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Opposition standout:  Arias was 2-for-5 with a two-run homer.

Record:  Fort Myers is 0-1, tied for fourth in the Florida State League, one game behind Clearwater, Lakeland, and Tampa.

TODAY'S TILTS

1:05  Cedar Rapids (John Klein) at Beloit
5:05  Tampa at Fort Myers (TBD)
6:05  Frisco at Wichita (TBD)
6:35  St. Paul (Brent Headrick, 0-0, 4.91) at Nashville

Old TBD is getting an early workout.  I have to think they know who their second starter is going to be, but have just chosen not to announce it this far ahead for some reason.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 6

Smokey Joe Williams (1885)
Mickey Cochrane (1903)
Ernie Lombardi (1908)
Phil Regan (1937)
Marty Pattin (1943)
Bert Blyleven (1951)
Kenny Williams (1964)
Bret Boone (1969)
Lou Merloni (1971)
Ralph Garza (1994)

A star in the Negro Leagues, some say that Smokey Joe Williams was a better pitcher than Satchel Paige.

I don't know if four Hall of Famers on one day is the record, but it has to at least be close.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–April 6 →

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Game of April 4

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NASHVILLE SOUNDS 4, ST. PAUL SAINTS 3 IN NASHVILLE (10 INNINGS)

Nick Kahle singled home the deciding run.  It was close all the way, with neither team ever leading by more than one run.

Multi-hit games:  Jair Camargo was 2-for-4.  DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. was 2-for-5 with a double.

Home runs:  Camargo (1).  He also had a double.

Multi-RBI games:  Camargo, 2.

Stolen bases:  Keirsey, Jr. (3), Yoyner Fajardo (1), Anthony Prato (1).

Pitching prowess:  Randy Dobnak struck out four in 3.1 innings, giving up one run on three hits and four walks.  Matt Bowman struck out two in a perfect inning.

Opposition standout:  Tyler Black was 3-for-5 with a double.

TOMORROW'S TILTS

6:05  Tampa at Fort Myers (Ross Dunn)
6:35  Cedar Rapids (Andrew Morris) at Beloit
6:35  St. Paul (David Festa, 0-0, 0.00) at Nashville
7:05  Frisco at Wichita (No starters listed)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 5

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Bill Dinneen (1876)
Wid Conroy (1877)
Bill Lachemann (1934)
Ron Hansen (1938)
Rennie Stennett (1951)
Andy MacPhail (1953)
Cris Carpenter (1965)
Ross Gload (1976)
Jorge De La Rosa (1981)
John Curtiss (1993)

The brother of Rene and Marcel Lachemann, Bill Lachemann is a long-time minor league manager, coach, and scout.

Andy MacPhail, of course, was the general manager of the Twins from 1985 through 1994, a period which included both of the Twins' World Series titles.  He later worked for the Chicago Cubs, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Philadelphia Phillies.  He is the son of baseball executive Lee MacPhail and the grandson of baseball executive Larry MacPhail.

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Mrs. brianS.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–April 5 →

2024 Twins Game Logs

2024 Home Opener: Cleveland Guardians at Minnesota Twins

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Buckle up, citizens, it's going to be a long ride. The Twins come north to tee off their 2024 home season today against Cleveland sporting a 3-2 record but losing Royce Lewis to injury. Looks like he'll be out at least a month or more with his quad strain. It's always hard to say how the season will turn out this early, impossible really, and spring training is a poor prognosticator, but I've seen a few encouraging things so far. Except for that Easter shellacking from KC, we've look pretty good. Correa appears to be back to full health, his Willie Mays catch running toward the left field wall yesterday gives us a glimpse of what we'd hoped for last year. Again, with the exception of Baily Ober the starting pitching has been solid. And I'll give a shoutout to Griffin Jax out of the bullpen, who took a bit of abuse from me last year. His stuff is wicked, and it looks like he got some bulldog injections over the winter. And hey, how good is it to see Byron Buxton patrolling centerfield?

The starting rotation starts its second cycle today with Pablo Lopez on the hill for the Twins, the Guardians counter with Tanner Bibee. In 26 starts last year he pitched to a 3.08 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP with 145 strikeouts. He did not figure in the decision in his first start. So that's it, I have to get dressed for the game and off to the ballpark.

Oh, one other thing. Scheduling the Twins at Brewers series for the first week of April is about as stupid as it gets. MLB must leave a lot of money on the table with its crappy scheduling algorithm.

PLAY BALL!

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Game of April 3

ST. PAUL SAINTS 6, NASHVILLE SOUNDS 5 IN NASHVILLE

St. Paul scored four in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead, then held on.  Nashville had the bases loaded when the game ended.

Multi-hit games:  DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. was 2-for-4 with a triple.  Jose Miranda was 2-for-4 with a walk.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Keirsey drove in two runs.

Stolen bases:  Michael Helman, 2 (2).

Pitching prowess:  Caleb Boushley pitched 5.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits and striking out five.  Michael Boyle retired the only man he faced to get the save.

Opposition standout:  Jared Koenig retired all five men he faced, striking out four of them.

TOMORROW'S TILT

6:35  St. Paul (Randy Dobnak, 1-0, 2.25) at Nashville