Home runs were contagious in the Twins farm system yesterday.

Double-A New Britain center fielder Joe Benson led the way with two home runs, giving him 13 on the year and a .283/.379/.489 overall line through 92 games. High Class A right fielder Oswaldo Arcia doubled and hit his 11th home run in 63 games, reaching base in all four trips to the plate with three hits and a hit by pitch.

In Rookie-level Elizabethon, shortstop Miguel Sano and outfielder Eddie Rosario showed why they're the most potent offensive duo in the Appalchian League. Rosario hit his 12th home run of the season, tying him for third in the league. Sano hit his league-leading 15th homer, giving him nine home runs in his last 17 games and a .276/.335/.605 overall line through 53 games.

AROUND THE MINORS

Drew Pomeranz, lhp, Rockies: The Rockies' newest farmhand was nearly perfect in his first start for Double-A Tulsa, throwing seven shutout innings with two hits, no walks and four strikeouts, showing why he immediately becomes the organization's top prospect.

Travis d'Arnaud, c, Blue Jays: Catching and then serving as DH in the second game of a doubleheader, d'Arnaud went a combined 3-for-8 and hit his 18th home run of the season for Double-A New Hampshire. Once Jesus Montero and Devin Mesoraco graduate, d'Arnaud is building a strong case as the top catching prospect in the minors.

Matt Moore, lhp, Rays vs. Manny Banuelos, lhp, Yankees: The pitching matchup of the day was in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, though Moore and Banuelos were both kept on tight leashes. Moore allowed one run on a hit (a solo homer from Greg Golson) and three walks over four innings, striking out eight of the 16 batters he faced. Banuelos allowed two runs in his four innings, striking out five with two walks.

Trevor May, lhp, Phillies: For the seventh time in 24 starts, May struck out at least 10 batters, fanning 11 with one walk over six innings for high Class A Clearwater, though he did allow four runs. With 189 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings (a rate of 12.1 K/9), May pushed one whiff past Moore to move into second in the minors in strikeouts, ranking only behind Rockies high Class A lefty Edwar Cabrera (192).

Jarrod Parker, rhp, Diamondbacks: It took Parker some time to get his feel back on the mound after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he's shown improvement in the second half of the season. He struck out six with three walks over six shutout innings yesterday for Double-A Mobile, lowering his ERA since the all-star break to 2.80 over 54 2/3 innings.

Hector Gomez, ss, Rockies: A three-hit game for Double-A Tulsa that included a home run, a triple and a double was one of the best of the year for Gomez, but the 23-year-old is still hitting just .229/.270/.403 in 89 games on the season.

Andrelton Simmons, ss, Braves: A 3-for-5 night that included Simmons' first home run of the year and a triple for high Class A Myrtle Beach bumped the 21-year-old's line up to .306/.344/.401 through 115 games.