Here are the game reports of the Twins and their minor league affiliates.

Friday SethSpeaks Player of the Day – Rene Leveret, Elizabethton Twins
Friday SethSpeaks Pitcher of the Day – Kyle Waldrop, Ft. Myers Miracle

TWINS THOUGHTS
Friday - Twins 1, Angels 10 

• Rondell White made his first start in left field last night. I understand that the numbers for White indicate that he is a better hitter when he plays the field, but how sad is that really? When White was brought in, it was to provide a 'professional' hitter to the lineup, as a DH. Well, the professional hitter didn't produce and then got hurt in 2006. This year, he really just got hurt. Now he isn't producing and yet will be given every opportunity not only to keep playing, but to play LF. The man is a horrible defensive leftfielder with an arm that only Johnny Damon would be jealous of. Will the alleged increased offensive production White provided by playing LF make up for the number of extra runs that will be allowed by him being in the OF? Unfortunately, it is likely that we will find out.

• Alexi Casilla was leading off again last night and did a good job of getting on base. However, with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the 6th, Casilla came up and took a two-seem fastball from Kelvim Escobar for a called third strike. Now, I would think that would be the most difficult pitch for a lefty to hit (from a right-handed pitcher). Greg Maddux has made a career of it. Casilla didn't like the call. In reality, the pitch was probably 2-3 inches inside. However, earlier in the game, Justin Morneau struck out on the same pitch, but in that case it was more like six inches inside. If the reigning MVP isn't going to get a call against one of the league's best ERA guys, a rookie isn't going to either.

• Scott Baker gave up the sixth inning grand slam to Maicer Izturis on a pitch that was about shoulder high. I know that we continue to be told over and over that Baker needs to keep the ball down, but he also needs to be able to work up in the strikeouts. That is a pitch that should not be a home run. The problem really was just that Baker had loaded the bases before it, including a walk. Through five innings, Baker was very good, but his overall line will not look good.

• And then the bullpen was bad. Four more runs in the 7th.

• I might start calling Joe Mauer "4-3" one of these days, but he still does a lot. He walked his first two at bats, and although I would never say that the Little League saying "A walk is as good as a hit" it is never a bad thing to get on base. Secondly, I think he has really become a good leader on defense, calling pitches and helping pitchers throughout the game. And, if you saw the throw to third base that caught Reggie Willets trying to steal, it is amazing that anyone runs on him any more.

• After the grand slam, I really only kept watching because I figured we would get to see the Major League debut of Tommy Watkins. In the top of the eighth, after Torii Hunter struckout for the second out of the inning, Watkins finally got his chance. First big league at bat came against lefty Darren Oliver. After taking a first pitch ball, he went to 1-2 before fouling off two pitches. On the next pitch, he grounded out to 2B. Tommy Watkins is now officially a big leaguer and no one can ever take that away from him.

• Having seen that Watkins at bat, I will now sleep so that I can be ready to watch again late night!  

ROCHESTER REPORT
Friday - Red Wings 7, Scranton/Wilkes Barre 6 – Darnell McDonald went 3-5 with two RBI. The second came in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the Red Wings the lead. Lew Ford went 2-4 with his fourth double and two RBI. Matt Tolbert went 2-4. Jose Morales was 1-2 with two walks. Dave Gassner started and gave up four runs on six hits and two walks. Julio DePaula then gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in 1.2 innings. Then Everyday Bobby Korecky struck out four over two shutout innings to improve to 4-3.

 
NEW BRITAIN NEWS
Friday - Rockcats 2, Akron 4 – Yohan Pino had his second straight quality start. In six innings, he gave up two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out eight. Jose Mijares gave up two runs on three hits in two innings to fall to 5-2. He did strike out three. Brandon Roberts went 2-4 with his 12th and 13th stolen bases. Garrett Guzman went 1-3 with a walk. Drew Butera added a double.

FT MYERS MEMOS
Friday - Miracle 4, Brevard County 1 – Kyle Waldrop got just what he needed, a really solid start. The righty went the first seven innings and gave up just one runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out three. Danny Powers pitched a scoreless eighth. Then Robert Delaney picked up his third Miracle save with a scoreless ninth. Juan Portes provided the only offense with his 8th home run. Steve Tolleson did walk twice.

 

BELOIT BITS
Friday - Snappers 1, Wisconsin 4 – In the 7th inning, Eli Tintor hit a triple to score Wilson Ramos who had walked. It was the Snappers lone run, and to that point in the game, it was also their first hit. Ramos added a hit, and so did Matt Betsill after that. Tyler Robertson took the loss. The lefty gave up four runs on seven hits in the first six innings. He walked four and struck out seven. Aaron Craig struck out two in his scoreless inning. Dan Leatherman then pitched a scoreless eighth.

WHO'S COLD? Chris Parmelee did not start in this game, but he was called upon to pinch hit. He struck out. Counting this game, in his past four games, Parmelee has gone 0-13 with nine strikeouts.

 

E-TWINS REPORT
Friday - E-Twins 13, Bluefield 2 – It was another all-around offensive effort by the E-Twins. Rene Leveret went 3-5 with a walk, his 10th double, seventh homer and six RBI. Estarlin De Los Santos went 3-6 with two doubles (he now has 12) and his 18th stolen base. Rene Tosoni went 2-5 with a walk and his ninth double. Wesley Connor went 2-5 with his seventh double and sixth stolen base. Ozzie Lewis went 2-5 with his 12th double and second stolen base. Greg Yersich was 2-5. Matt Lawman was 1-3 with two walks. Mark Dolenc walked twice. David Bromberg improved to 7-0. He gave up two runs (1 earned) on four hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out five. Spencer Steedley then threw three shutout innings. Curt Leavitt then struck out the side in the ninth to end the game.     

 

GCL TWINS REPORT
Friday - GCL Twins 1, GCL Reds 3  – Ben Revere went 1-3 with a walk. He is hitting .324. James Beresford went 1-2 with a walk. The GCL Twins managed just four hits. Winston Marquez started and in five innings, he gave up two runs (1 earned) on three hits. He walked three and struck out five. Jose Acosta went the final three innings and gave up just one run on three hits.