Rookie Whites: Twins drop final two of regular season

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Twins drop final two of regular season

GCL Twins 3 at GCL Red Sox 6

W: C. Cabral (2-5, 5.55); L: J. Mijares (0-3, 5.13); SV: A. Batista (1)
HR: None.

The GCL Red Sox have nearly a whole new roster from what they started the year with, but that's not surprising for the deep pocketed Sox. So losing to them late in the season is not surprising either.

It does mean however, the Twins lose home field advantage for the playoffs.

Aaron Hicks doubled to lead off in the first for the Twins. Juan Sanchez singled, scoring the speedy Hicks. A passed ball by Boston's Christian Vazquez moved Sanchez to 2nd, and he'd advance to 3rd on the throw from Danny Ortiz dropped pitch strike out. Andres Diaz's ground ball to short scored Sanchez to give the Twins an early two run lead.

Wilfred Pichardo and Peter Hissey both singled, then orchestrated a double steal. Twins starter Jean Mijares then got Carson Blair out on strikes. Robert Feliz ground out and Bryan Peterson doubled to plate the two runners, tying up the game. Chih-Hsiang Huang singled in Peterson and Joantoni Garcia doubled in Huang to make it 4-2 Red Sox.

Hissey would double in Pichardo in the bottom of the 2nd. With two outs on the board in the bottom of the 4th, Mijares would plunk Hissey with a pitch. Hissey then stole 2nd and advanced to 3rd on a passed ball by Twins catcher Jae-Hyung Jang. Blair then singled to scored Hissey, making it 6-2 Calcetines Rojos.

Blayne Weller, the Twins 14th round pick in the 2008 first year draft would make his professional debut, giving up 2 hits to the Red Sox in the fifth while striking out one.

For the Sox, Cesar Cabral would allow 9 hits over five innings, while striking out 8. He would allow a lead off double to Sanchez in the top of the sixth. Ortiz and Diaz hit back-to-back singles off him, which drove in one more run for the Twins before the Red Sox called for a pitching change, getting Anatanaer Batista out of the bullpen to replace Cabral. The new hurler got J.J. to strike out. Diaz would be caught stealing, and Hidalgo ground out to end the Twins brief rally.

Jay Sawatski tossed the sixth inning for the Twins, giving up 2 hits but keeping Boston off the board.

Batista would get Hyun-wook Choi and Javier Brown to ground out before giving up a single to Jakub Hajtmar. Hicks hit into a force out however, ending the contest.

Sanchez and Diaz were each 2-for-3 in the game, Sanchez with a pair of runs and a RBI. Hidalgo, Wook, Brown, and Hajtmar were all 1-for-3, sharing the love as the one hit wonders of the game. Ortiz was 1-for-3 as well, but picked up a RBI. Hicks finished off 1-for-4 with a double and a run.

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GCL Red Sox 3 at GCL Twins 2

W: M. Lennox (2-3, 3.94); L: K. Nanney (4-2, 3.12); SV: D. Mercadante (8)
HR: None.

The Twins would have home field advantage for the second game as they made up the rain out of August 21, but they could not hold off a sixth inning rally by los Calcetines Rojos, falling 3-2 at the City of Palms complex.

Frederic Hanvi, the Twins' new catcher, would make his professional debut, singling in the bottom of the 3rd. Jon Goncalves and Herbert Lara followed it up with singles of their own, scoring Hanvi. Hyeong-rok Choi reached on a fielder's choice which took Goncalves out at home. Mike Gonzales' single to center loaded the bases, and Reggie Williams brought Lara home on a sac-fly to left. Danny Rohlfing would fly out to end the inning, stranding two men.

Ian Mopas would work the first 3 innings for the Twins scattering one hit and a pair of walks while striking out 2. Mauro Schiavoni came in for the next two, also fanning a pair.

Kohl Nanney would take over the mound for the Twins in the sixth, giving up a lead off single to Wilfred Pichardo, who then stole 2nd. Peter Hissey would ground out but Carson Blair, Bryan Peterson, and Andrew Frezza all singled off the tall reliever. Pichardo would score, but the Twins were able to save a run when they took Blair out at home. Chih-Hsiang Huang took a walk, once again loading the bases, before Maykol Sanchez doubled to drive in two, giving the Sox the lead.

Michael Lennox would give up a single to Wang-Wei Lin in the bottom of the sixth, but ground outs to Rohlfing, Tyler Ladendorf and Hanvi would not help the Twins cause.

Goncalves took a single off closer Dustin Mercadante in the bottom of the seventh, but Lara ground into a force out. He'd then try to steal 2nd and would be caught. Rok's ground out ended the game.

Goncalves and Gonzales were both 2-for-3 in the contest, Goncalves with a walk. Rohlfing, Ladendorf and Lin, all were all 1-for-3 one hit wonders, while Hanvi went 1-for-2 with a run. Lara finished up 1-for-4 with a run and a RBI.

The Twins face the Nationals on the Thursday - they can not play the Pirates in the elimination round because the two teams are from the same division - so it's away to Brevard County our boys in blue. Game time is Noon, weather permitting.

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