Monthly Archives: June 2024

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 28

Ken Williams (1890)
Haruyasu Nakajima (1910)
A. Ray Smith (1915)
Oscar Rodriguez (1931)
Fred Gladding (1936)
Ron Luciano (1937)
Al Downing (1941)
Fred Talbot (1941)
Don Baylor (1949)
Chris Speier (1950)
Joe Sambito (1952)
Clay Christiansen (1958)
John Elway (1960)
Jay Schroeder (1961)
Mark Grace (1964)
Ron Mahay (1971)
Corey Koskie (1973)
Richard Hidalgo (1975)
Brandon Phillips (1981)

Haruyasu Nakajima is in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

A. Ray Smith owned minor league baseball teams from 1961-1986.

Oscar Rodriguez is in the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ron Luciano was an American League umpire from 1969-1979.

NFL quarterbacks John Elway and Jay Schroeder each played minor league baseball.  Elway hit .318 in 151 at-bats as an outfielder for Class A Oneonta in 1982.  Schroeder was primarily an outfielder for four years in the Toronto system, never getting higher than Class A.  He hit .213 with 36 homers in 1,304 minor league at-bats.

Mark Grace was drafted by Minnesota in the fifteenth round of the January draft in 1984, but did not sign.

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Philosofer's youngest child.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–June 28 →

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of June 26

ST. PAUL SAINTS 9, IOWA CUBS 7 IN IOWA

St. Paul trailed 5-2 after four, but two in the fifth and four in the sixth put them in the lead to stay.

Multi-hit games:  Yunior Severino was 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.  Will Holland was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs.  Matt Wallner was 2-for-6 with a double.

Home runs:  Brooks Lee (6).

Multi-RBI games:  DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. 2 (47); Severino 2 (43); Lee 2 (18).

Stolen bases:  Holland (13).

Pitching prowess:  Josh Winder pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out one.

Win:  Scott Blewett (4-2).

Save:  Winder (3).

Opposition standout:  Owen Caissie was 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs.

Record:  St. Paul is 2-0, in first place, a half game ahead of Omaha and Toledo.

WICHITA WIND SURGE 6, NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATURALS 1 IN WICHITA

Homers by Jorel Ortega and Luke Keaschall gave Wichita a 4-0 lead in the third.

Multi-hit games:  Jake Rucker was 3-for-4.  Keaschall was 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs.  Jeferson Morales was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Home runs:  Ortega (4); Keaschall (2).

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Andrew Morris struck out nine in 5.2 scoreless innings, giving up four hits.  Regi Grace pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out one.

Win:  Morris (3-1).

Save:  None.

Opposition standout:  Gavin Cross was 2-for-4.

Record:  Wichita is 1-1, tied for first with Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas, Springfield, and Tulsa.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 8, BELOIT SKY CARP 6 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Beloit scored three in the eighth to break a 5-5 tie.  Jose Salas doubled home the go-ahead run.

Multi-hit games:  Salas was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.  Cedar Rapids was out-hit 13-7.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Salas 2 (20); Kyle Hess 2 (5); Payton Eeles 2(3).

Stolen bases:  Eeles 2 (4); Ricardo Olivar (2).

Pitching prowess:  Jacob Wosinski struck out four in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.

Win:  Wosinski (1-2).

Save:  Gabriel Yanez (5).

Opposition standout:  Josh Zamora was 3-for-5 with a home run and two runs.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 3-2, in third place, one game behind Beloit and South Bend.

FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 11, TAMPA TARPONS 9 IN FORT MYERS

Tampa scored six in the first and led 9-5 after four, but Fort Myers tied it with a run in the seventh and scored two in the eighth to take the lead.

Multi-hit games:  Maddux Houghton was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.  Isaac Pena was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs.  Carlos Aguiar was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Walker Jenkins 4 (17); Aguiar 3 (13); Houghton 2 (28).

Stolen bases:  Pena 3 (6); Yohander Martinez 2 (4); Brandon Winokur (13); Byron Chourio (12); Houghton (10).

Pitching prowess:  Paulshawn Pasqualotto struck out four in 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.  Julio Bonilla struck out four in two perfect innings.  Nolan Santos struck out three in two perfect innings.

Win:  Santos (3-2).

Save:  None.

Opposition standout:  George Lombard, Jr. was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.

Record:  Fort Myers is 4-1, tied for first place with Bradenton.

DSL TWINS 7, DSL PADRES BROWN 5 AT PADRES BROWN (7 INNINGS)

The Twins trailed 4-0 after one, but led 5-4 after three.  It was tied at five when Carlos Silva singled home two runs in the seventh.

Multi-hit games:  Luis Fragoza was 2-for-3.  Silva was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.  Eduardo Beltre was 2-for-4 with a home run.

Home runs:  Beltre (2).

Multi-RBI games:  Irvin Nunez 2 (4); Silva 2 (3).

Stolen bases:  Nestor Urbina 2 (2); Merphy Hernandez (10); Nunez (1)

Pitching prowess:  Nestor Cafe pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and two walks and striking out one.  Yoel Roque struck out six in 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and three walks.  Fabian Herrera struck out two in a perfect inning.

Win:  Sebastian Pulido (1-0).

Save:  Herrera (2).

Opposition standout:  Shurland Smith pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up one hit.

Record:  The DSL Twins are 8-9, tied for fifth with the DSL Tigers 2, five games behind the DSL Rangers Red.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:00  FCL Twins at FCL Braves--doubleheader
10:00  DSL Phillies Red at DSL Twins
6:05  Tampa at Fort Myers (Spencer Bengard, 4-1, 1.23)
6:35  Beloit at Cedar Rapids (Jeremy Lee, 0-3, 6.48)
6:38  St. Paul (Randy Dobnak, 6-5, 4.35) at Iowa
7:05  Northwest Arkansas at Wichita (Zebby Matthews, 2-1, 1.55)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 27

Rube Benton (1890)
Fred Saigh (1905)
Dick Terwilliger (1906)
Wendell Smith (1914)
Lou Kretlow (1921)
Gus Zernial (1923)
Wayne Terwilliger (1925)
Charles Bronfman (1931)
Chuck Coles (1931)
Eddie Kasko (1931)
Rico Petrocelli (1943)
Takashi Nishimoto (1956)
Jeff Conine (1966)
Jim Edmonds (1970)
Daryle Ward (1975)
Chris Woodward (1976)
Luis Rodriguez (1980)
Jim Johnson (1983)
Abraham Almonte (1989)

Fred Saigh was the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1947-1953, selling to Anheuser-Busch.

Wendell Smith was an African-American sportswriter who was influential in the choice of Jackie Robinson as the first African-American major league player.

Charles Bronfman was the owner of the Montreal Expos from 1969-1991.

Takashi Nishimoto was a star pitcher in Japan from 1977-1993.

Daryle Ward is the son of ex-Twin Gary Ward.

We would also like to wish a happy anniversary to MagUidhir's brother.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–June 27 →

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of June 25

ST. PAUL SAINTS 6, IOWA CUBS 5 IN IOWA

Will Holland and Brooks Lee hit home runs in the sixth to break a 3-3 tie.

Multi-hit games:  Tony Kemp was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two RBIs.  Yunior Severino was 2-for-4 with a double, and a walk.  Edouard Julien was 2-for-4 with a walk.

Home runs:  Holland (6); Lee (5).

Multi-RBI games:  Kemp 2 (23); Holland 2 (20).

Stolen bases:  Julien (3); Chris Williams (2).

Pitching prowess:  Jordan Balazovic pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.  Nick Wittgren pitched two perfect innings.

Decision:  Balazovic (5-4).

Opposition standout:  Hayden Cantrelle hit a two-run homer.

Record:  St. Paul is 1-0, tied for first with Gwinett, Omaha, and Toledo.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATURALS 8, WICHITA WIND SURGE 6 IN WICHITA

Wichita led 6-4 after six, but Gavin Cross hit a two-run homer in the seventh to tie it and Luca Tresh homered in the eighth to give Northwest Arkansas the lead.

Multi-hit games:  Jeferson Morales was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two runs.

Home runs:  Aaron Sabato (8).

Multi-RBI games:  Sabato 2 (24); Noah Cardenas 2 (18).

Stolen bases:  Tanner Schobel (8).

Pitching prowess:  None.

Decision:  John Stankiewicz (1-3).

Opposition standout:  Tresh was 2-for-4 with two home runs.

Record:  Wichita is 0-1, tied for third (last) with Springfield and Tulsa.

BELOIT SKY CARP 7, CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Leading 3-2, Beloit scored four in the fourth on homers by Tony Bullard and Carlos Santiago.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Kyle Bischoff struck out two and walked one in 1.1 scoreless innings.  Rafael Marcano pitched three shutout innings, giving up three hits and a walk and striking out one.  Juan Mercedes pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Decision:  Jordan Carr (2-2).

Opposition standout:  Jacob Miller pitched seven innings, giving up an unearned run on four hits and two walks and striking out four.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 2-2, tied for third with Peoria, two games behind Beloit.

TAMPA TARPONS 15, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 4 IN FORT MYERS

Dylan Jasso broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run homer in the third, and Tampa broke it open with a six-run sixth.

Multi-hit games:  Isaac Pena was 2-for-4 with a double.  Byron Chourio was 2-for-5 with two runs.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Matthew Clayton 2 (12).

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Samuel Perez struck out four and walked one in 2.1 scoreless innings.

Decision:  Ricky Castro (2-1).

Opposition standout:  Jasso was 3-for-6 with two home runs, a double, three runs, and six RBIs.

Record:  Fort Myers is 3-1, tied for first with Bradenton, a half game ahead of Dunedin and Fort Myers.

FCL TWINS 7, FCL BRAVES 1 AT TWINS (GAME 1--5 INNINGS--RAIN)

The Twins broke a 1-1 tie with four in the third.

Multi-hit games:  Yilber Herrera was 2-for-3 with a double.  Harold Grant was 2-for-3 with a double.

Home runs:  Gabriel Gonzalez (1).

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  Jayson Bass (5); Ricardo Pena (1).

Pitching prowess:  Joel Garcia pitched four innings, giving up one run on three hits and striking out three.  Eider Machuca pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits.

Decision:  Garcia (1-1).

Opposition standout:  Roiber Niazoa was 2-for-2.

Record:  The FCL Twins are 18-18, in fourth place, six games behind the FCL Rays.

FCL BRAVES AT FCL TWINS (GAME 2)

Rained out.  Will be made up tomorrow.

TODAY'S TILTS

10:00  DSL Twins at DSL Padres Brown
12:05  Beloit at Cedar Rapids (Mike Paredes, 0-1, 2.70)
12:05  Northwest Arkansas at Wichita (Andrew Morris, 2-1, 1.71)
12:08  St. Paul (Ryan Jensen, 3-2, 2.01) at Iowa
6:05  Tampa at Fort Myers (Tanner Hall, 0-0, 4.08)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 26

Topsy Hartsel (1874)
Babe Herman (1903)
Bill Perkins (1906)
Debs Garms (1907)
Willard Brown (1915)
Howie Pollet (1921)
Bill Robinson (1943)
Dave Rosello (1950)
Mike Myers (1963)
Rodney Myers (1969)
Derek Jeter (1974)
Jason Kendall (1974)

Outfielder Willard Brown was a star for the Kansas City Monarchs from 1935-1948.  He played briefly for the St. Louis Browns in 1947.

There do not appear to be any players with connections to the Minnesota Twins born on this day.  I haven't checked but I think this is the only time we have consecutive days with no Twins birthdays.