Rochester won 6-2.
Evan bigley got his 1st AAA hit. He went 2-4 with a double and an RBI.
Rene Rivera(.210) went 2-3 with a HR(6).
Lew Ford(.340) went 3-4 with a HR(10) against the Red Wings.

New Britain lost 6-5.
Joe Benson went 2-4 with an RBI.
Chris Colabello(.276) went 1-3 with a double(27), a walk and an RBI(67).

Fort Myers split. They won 2-1 and lost 6-0.
Levi Michael(.233) went 3-6 on the day with a double(9) and a walk.
AJ Achter(0-1, 1.26) picked up a save(3). He struck out 4 and walked 1 in 2 innings.
Madison Boer(4-8, 7.47) gave up 6 runs on 8 hits including 2 HR's over 2.2 innings.

The Snappers played golf today.

Etown won 7-4.
Kelvin Mention(.250) went 2-4 with a grand slam. It was the 1st pro HR for the 36th round pick from 2010. He did not play last year.
Max Kepler(.307) went 2-4 with a HR(2) and 2 RBI's(21).
10th round pick DJ Baxendale pitched an inning and faced 5 batters. He gave up a hit, a walk and struck out 3.

Oswaldo Arcia pulled after 1 AB. He reached on a fielders choice and later scored. Not sure when exactly or why but he was replaced in the lineup by Estarlin De Los Santos. Hope its nothing serious.

Kyle Gibson made his 3rd rehab start with the GC Twins. He gave up 2 runs on 2 hits over 2 innings.

I was in New Britian today for the game.

As it turned out today's game against New Hampshire, Toronto's affiliate, was just six innings because the heavens opened up on a blistering hot day. There was lightning, thunder the whole deal. It came on suddenly and when it did I just left. After a nightmare drive home through a couple of hailstorms here I am.

First, I want to say that I couldn't get an answer on what happened to Arcia after he was subbed for in the 3rd. He looked fine. I was right behind the screen literally in the second row dead center behind home plate. I was right on top of the mic as a matter of fact. (When they put Colabello's double in the first up on the Rock Cats site you will probably see me. I was wearing a Twins ST hat from a few years ago, aviator shades and striped blue Polo shirt) ANyway, in the first Arcia grounded into a force out in the first and then crossed the plate after the next hitter Collabello doubled. Arcia ran right past me after he touched home and there were no visible signs anything was amiss. When I saw Benson out in right to start the 3rd I asked around and even tried to talk up some people to find out if anyone knew. I asked a guy with a radar gun and his partner jotting notes and they had no idea. They sat down behind me in the third inning. Still wondering what the deal was. Could it have been the heat? Dehydration? It was close to 100 degrees before the storms hit.

Hicks looks like a player guys. I might be eating crow on this kid. The guy runs the bases well and just has above average awareness on the field. He made his putouts look easy. In particular one in the gap toward left field that was hit hard on a line. He made the play effortlessly. He also had a well struck single to left that brought in a pair.

By the 3rd inning with Arcia out and storms looming I was getting antsy. So I decided to focus on Benson. One thing I noticed with him is that the guy appears to really be battling himself. He grounded out to short to end the inning and he got mad. He threw down his helmet and his batting glove and paced around until someone picked it up and brought him his glove. He ended up going into right for Arcia and Nate Hanson took his spot in left.

Dave Bromberg had a two hitter over six, but actually he should have had a one hitter because the shortstop Beresford ole'd a ball he should have had. I can't say I am all too impressed with Bromberg's stuff. I got a good look at him and nothing really stood out.

All in all, I am glad I went but at the same time I am disappointed with Arcia being yanked and the weather being what it was. It was about as hot as I could take. As soon as I saw lightning at the end the sixth I made a bee-line for my car. They say there is another Wednesday matinee against Binghamton next week and I will try it again. I feel like I know the ropes now. Not a terrible trip, btw. Under two hours.

Oh, Rochester won 8-0 and Bromberg pitched 6 innings of two hit shutout ball.

Still wondering what happened with Arcia

Thanks for the update Ewen!

Hicks has been getting some solid reviews lately, nice to see you added to the list. The only thing I could think of why Arcia was pulled was maybe he was promoted, but he hasn't been in AA that long, maybe they are going to move him quickly through the system. That doesn't sound like the Twins though.

Bromberg might be serviceable in the bigs but he doesn't sound like he is exactly going to be the saving grace for this ballclub.

Sorry about the weather, but at least you got to see a win!

According to Seth stohs, arcia left with stomach issues likely related to the heat

Thanks. It was nasty hot before the heaven opened up. There was a 25 degree swing when the thunder, lightning, rain (and yes hail) came.

Nice you got out there. And even with a short game you did get to see some action. That's got to be a fun team. How was the crowd?

Decent crowd Jack. They said over 5,000 and I believe it because there were a bunch of day camps there. There were a few hundred people at the door before the gates even opened.

The neat thing is I can use that ticket for another game and I think I will go out again next Wednesday because it will be another matinee game. Hopefully the weather is better. The heat and thunderstorms made for a tough ride home.

Or maybe he had some bad chinese food.

That happened to me last week. I figured me and Oz live similar lifestyles.

Rochester won 4-1 in 15 innings.
Chris Parmelee(.314) went 2-5 with 2 doubles(7), 2 walks and 3 RBI's(17). He had the big hit with 2 outs in the 15th.
Matt Carson(.285) went 2-5 with a HR(8) and 2 walks.
Liam Hendriks(7-0, 1.74) gave up a run on 5 hits with 6 strike outs over 7 innings.

New Britain won 8-0.
Deibinson Romereo(.255) went 2-2 with 2 double(14) and a walk.
Chris Colabello(.277) went 1-3 with a double(28) and 2 RBI's(69).
Aaron Hicks(.275) went 1-3 with a walk, an RBI(40) and a stolen base(21).
David Bromberg(2-1, 3.16) pitched a (6 inning) shutout. He gave up 2 hits and walked 3.

Fort Myers lost 4-1.
Levi Michael(.240) went 3-4.
Clint Dempster gave up a hit and walked 2 in one inning of work but did not give up a run in his debut with Fort Myers.

Beloit was postponed.

Etown lost 6-4.
max Kepler(.312) went 2-5 with a HR(3). That makes 3 days in a row with a HR for the German prospect.

Its hard not to agree with you, especially with the current state of the Twins pitching staff. I don't mind the Twins giving Cole DeVries and Sam Deduno thier chances, but if anyone has a potential ML career ahead of them its Hendriks. And then there's Blackburn...

The Twins and New Britain Rock Cats extended thier affiliation for 2 more years(through 2014). Contracts will also be up with Rochester, Beloit and Fort Myers at the end of the season. I don't see any way Fort Myers doesn't get extended but I'm not sure about the other 2. Jim Rantz predicts a major shake up with the midwest league.

Rochester won 14-8. They are now a game over .500(50-49).
Evan Bigley went 3-4 with a double and 3 RBI's

New Britain was up 4-0 in the 3rd before rain suspended the game.
Oswaldo Arcia(.320) went 1-2 with a double(6).
Joe Benson(.246) went 1-1 with a triple(1) and 2 RBI's(6).
Chris Colabello(.278) went 1-2 with an RBI(70). He leads the eastern league in RBI's.

Fort Myers lost 4-3.
Levi Michael(.242) went 1-2. He walked once and was hit by a pitch twice.
Danny Santana(.289) went 2-4 with a double(14).
Matt Summers made his Miracle debut. He gave up 4 runs(3 earned) on 8 hits with 5 strike outs over 5 innings.
Michael Tonkin(0-1, 3.14) pitched a perfect inning with 2 strike outs.
Jonathan Goncalves went 0-3 with 2 strike outs in his Miracle debut.

Beloit won both thier games 2-1 and 7-1.
Miguel Sano(.252) went 3-6 on the day with a HR(20), a walk and 4 RBI's(68).
Drew Leachman(.286) went 4-5.
Jason Wheeler(11-4, 3.68) gave up a run on 5 hits with 6 strike outs over 6 innings in game 1.
Corey Williams(2-4, 3.40) gave up a hit and struck out 2 and got the save(14) in game 1.
2nd round pick and recently promoted Mason Melotakis got the win in relief in his Beloit debut. He gave up 2 hits and struck out 2 over 2 scoreless innings.

Etown's game was suspended in the top of the second. The game was scoreless.

Still not word on when Dereck Rodriguez and Byron Buxton are set to return. Both still out with hamstring injuries.

What do you think about Evan Bigley? He has done pretty well in AAA since his promotion. I know it has only been a few games now but I hope he can keep up the good work. What info can you give me about him?

He's a 25 year old who was drafted out of college in 2008. I wouldn't really consider him a prospect but I could see the Twins giving him a shot in the next year or so. He would be eligable for the rule 5 draft this off season if the Twins don't put him on the 40 man. That being said he probably wouldn't get picked.

This is the 1st year since he played rookie ball that he has reached double digits in HR's. I know TK and a couple others in the organization have spoken highly of him. I never gave him much thought until this year but its nice to see him producing and getting some attention because of it.

Rochester lost 7-4.
Danny Valencia(.255) went 3-5 with 2 doubles(15).
Nishioka(.248) went 3-3 with a double(11).

New Britain finished their game from yesterday and won 13-2. They won thier scheduled game 5-4.
Oswaldo Arcia(.330) went 3-7 on the day with 2 HR's(5), a walk and 6 RBI's(32). His 2nd HR was a grand slam.
BJ Hermsen(6-5, 3.44) gave up 4 runs(3 earned) on 8 hits with 3 strike outs over 6 innings.

Fort Myers won 9-7.
Josmil Pinto(.275) went 4-5 with a triple(2).
Kyle Knudson(.320) went 2-5 with a double(7).

Beloit lost 2-0.
Drew Leachman(.290) went 2-4.
Miguel Sano(.249) went 0-4 with 2 strike outs and an error(33).
David Hurlbut(3-4, 2.41) gave up 2 runs(1 earned) on 5 hits with 7 strike outs over 8 innings.
4th round pick Zach Jones made his beloit debut and struck out the side in the 9th.

Etown won 8-6.
Niko Goodrum(.274) went 2-5 with a double(6).
Travis Harrison(.327) went 2-5.
Adam Walker(.252) went 3-4 with a HR(4).
Candido Pimentel(.362) went 2-5.
32nd round pick Andrew Ferreira made his pro debut and picked up the win in relief. He pitched 1 inning giving up a hit.

#42 pick Luke Bard made his pro debut for the GCL Twins. He pitched an inning giving up 2 runs on 1 hit and 3 walks.

Oh, Oh...watch out for Nishioka!