2026 River Walkers: Ready to defend what we've earned

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MBL news: Week 14 awards and standings

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Record: 54-44, 1st, 3 GA Springfield and Quad City
Quad City built a 4-0 lead after 3.5 innings and held on for a 6-3 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Thunder staked itself to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning against River Walkers starter Jimmy Lambert.
Kameron Misner led off the inning with a single, and a Carter Kieboom double chased him to third.
Jacob Gonzalez scored them both with a double.
Pitcher Matt Ruppenthal later scored Gonzalez with a long fly ball.
Ruppenthal collected his second RBI of the game in the fourth, when he tripled to scored Thomas Dillard who had been hit by a pitch.
St. Louis quickly closed that gap to 4-3 in the bottom half of the inning when Fernando Tatis hit a three-run homer off Ruppenthal.
But the Walkers would not score again, while Quad City would score two.
The first Thunder run came in the fifth.
Lambert hit Yeikel Blandin with a pitch to lead off the inning.
Two walks loaded the bases and Carter Kieboom scored Blandin with a sacrifice fly.
The game's final run came in the ninth, Chase Davis hitting a solo homer off reliever John Curtiss.
Ruppenthal (6-4) worked five innings, giving up three runs on four hits. He struck out six and walked one.
Five relievers -- Rafael Antonio Gomez (0.1), Evan Steele (0.2), Garrett Williams (1.0), Arodys Vizcaino (1.0) and John Daley (1.0) -- combined to finish the game.
The save was the 19th of the season for Daley.

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Record: 55-44, 1st, GA Springfield
Alex Faedo shutout Quad City deep into the top of the eighth inning and St. Louis held on for a 4-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The River Walkers led 3-0 going into the eighth, but Faedo saw a batter reach on his own error and Duke Kinamon single to put two runners on with two outs.
Williams Jerez took over and struck out Jacob Gonzalez to keep the lead in tact.
St. Louis made its lead 4-0 in the eighth, Larry Ernesto, had had homered earlier in the game, doubled and scored on a JT Schwartz double.
But Quad City made it interesting in the top of the ninth.
Nick Gonzalez opened it up with a double off Jerez, and scored on a one-out single by Karmeron Misner.
Yeikel Blandin followed with another single, putting two runners aboard.
Closer Edwin Diaz got the call, but didn't seem to bring his best stuff, as Thomas Dillard singled to load the bases.
Miguel Gomez hit a grounder to first baseman Rhys Hoskins, which he mishandled scoring a run.
It was now 4-2.
Diaz, however, buckled down and got both Josh Bell and Duke Kimanon to fly out and earn himself his 17th save of the season.
In his 7.2 innings, Faedo (11-4) scattered just three hits while striking out 11 and walking none.
The River Walkers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
Andrew Benintendi singled with one out off Thunder starter Daniel Ritcheson and scored on a JT Schwartz sacrifice fly.
That lead grew 3-0 in the sixth.
Ernesto led off with a homer off Ritcheson.
Schwartz singled with two outs and scored when Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled with two-outs off Arodys Vizcaino.

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Record: 56-44, 1st, 4 GA Springfield
Making his second major league start, Jason Froelich allowed one run on five hits over 5.2 innings to help St. Louis to a 4-1 win over Quad City at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win gave the Walkers their second straight win to take the three-game series.
Froelich ended up giving up one run on five hits in his 5.2 innings. He struck out three and walked four.
Down 1-0, St. Louis tied the game in the bottom of the fifth -- JT Schwartz led off with a single and scored on a two-out double from Jean Carmona -- and took the lead with two runs an inning later.
Pinch-hitter Vidal Brujan led off with a triple off Thunder starter Brad Beshirs and scored on a two-run homer from Andrew Benintendi.
St. Louis pushed its lead to 4-1 in the eighth after pinch-hitter Carlos Vidal led off the inning with a homer off Thad Ward.
After Froelich exited, Luis Palomo (3-0) got the final out of the sixth inning and earned himself the victory.
Angel Tiburcio shutout the Thunder over the seventh and eighth.
Jake Brentz took care of the ninth to earn his seventh save.

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Record: 56-45, 1st, 3 GA Springfield
Mario Galvez silenced St. Louis for five innings and trio of relievers kept it that way over the final four innings as Cedar Rapids shutout the River Walkers 6-0 at Shibe Park (1949).
Galvez allowed just two hits during his time on the mound. He struck out four and walked none.
Dave Schaffer handled the sixth inning. The seventh and eighth belonged to Trevor Bauer, and Todd Peterson allowed three hits but no runs in the ninth.
It was a rough outing for Walkers rookie pitcher Tanner Bibee as he was roughed up for six runs on 11 hits in just 5.2 innings.
The Golden Grapplers jumped on Bibee right away with a two-run bottom of the first inning.
Matt McLain led off the inning with a double and scored when Enrique Bradfield followed with a single.
A triple from Dominic Smith later scored Bradfield.
The lead doubled to 4-0 in the fourth inning.
James Gamble singled off Bibee with one out and scored on Terrin Vavra's double.
McLain later plated Vavra with a single.
Smith doubled off Bibee in the fifth and scored on an RJ Teijeiro single.
The Grapplers chased Bibee in the sixth after McLain singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Bradfield's second run-scoring hit of the game.

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MBL news: Players and Pitchers of the Month for July 2026

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MBL news: Rookies of the Month for July 2026 and standings

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MBL news: American League leaders on August 1, 2026

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MBL news: National League leaders for August 1, 2026

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Player of the Month: C Jared Thomas -- The 25-year-old Thomas got into 20 games during which he batted .352 with one homer, 13 RBIs and six runs scored. He got on base at a .412 clip and slugged .479.
Starting pitcher of the Month: Alex Faedo -- The 30-year-old right hander went 2-1 in four starts with a 1.06 ERA. He worked 23.1 innings during which he struck out 26 and had a WHIP of 0.81.
Relief pitcher of the Month: Luis Palomo --The 25-year-old right-hander got into 11 games and posted a record of 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA. He pitched 17 innings, during which he struck out 14 and had a 1.00 WHIP.

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Walkers news: Season statistics on August 1, 2026

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Walkers news: Player Development Report for August 1, 2026

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Record: 56-46, 1st, 3 GA Springfield
It's one 4-3 lead cut down to a run, Cedar Rapids scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to help give the Golden Grapplers a 6-3 win over St. Louis at Shibe Park (1949).
Cedar Rapids put together four runs over the first three innings - one in the first, two in the second and one in the third -- to go up 4-1.
But St. Louis would slice it to a run in the top of the fourth.
Jean Carmona with a two-run triple off Cedar Rapids starter Sean Harp.
The Walkers, however, would not score again.
Cedar Rapids then got its comfortable lead back again by scoring twice in the seventh.
Pinch-hitter Enrique Bradfield led off with a double off reliever Williams Jerez and scored on an one-out double from Jerrion Early off Luis Palomo.
Jose Leyva would later scored Early with a two-out single.
Cedar Rapids first-inning run came on a Dominic Smith double off Walkers starter Steven Brault.
Matt McLain, who had led off the inning with a single, scored on the hit.
McLain had a two-run single in the second to make it 3-1.
Leyva singled with one out off Brault in the third and scored on a two-out single from James Gamble.
Golden Grapplers starter Sean Harp lasted just four innings, allowing three runs on six hits.
However, a quartet of relievers prevented the Walkers from scoring again.
Dave Schaeffer (1-0) handled the first two innings and would earn the win.
Thomas Burrows, Evan Palmer and Jose Leclerc all worked an inning apiece.
Leclerc earned his 15th save.

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Record: 56-47, 1st, 2.5 GA Springfield
Jose Leyva and Jerrion Early hit back-to-back homers off St. Louis starting pitcher Jimmy Lambert to turn a 1-0 lead into 5-0 and help propel Cedar Rapids to a 7-1 win at Shibe Park (1949).
The win helped the Golden Grapplers claim a sweep of their three-game series with the River Walkers.
Leyva's homer was of the three-run variety.
Ealy followed with his solo shot off Lambert.
The Grapplers would add single runs in the fifth -- Early with double off Lambert which scored Leyva -- and eighth -- Enrique Bradford and Terrin Vavra with back-to-back doubles off reliever John Curtiss -- to eventually go up 7-1.
Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Andy Harper lasted just 4.1 innings, but allowed just one run on seven hits. He struck out one and walked five.
Four relievers followed him to the mound -- Trevor Bauer (1.0 IP), Zach Schellenger (2.0), Todd Peterson (0.2) and Evan Palmer (1-0) -- as the Walkers didn't score a run the rest of the way.
Bauer (2-4) came out of it with the victory.

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MBL news: Week 15 awards and standings

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Record: 56-47, 3.5 GA Springfield and Des Moines
St. Louis' offense broke out of a three-game losing streak putting up 11 runs in an 11-5 win over Kansas City at Busch Stadium (1997).
Down 1-0, the River Walkers took the lead in the top of the third when Andrew Benintendi connected for a two-out, two run home run off Pit Masters starting pitcher Dominic Pipkin.
Kansas City seized the lead back an inning later, Yordan Alvarez hitting a two-run shot off Walkers ace Alex Faedo.
But that deficit was gone by the time the bottom of the fourth inning ended.
The Walkers banged out four singles in the inning off Pipkin, including run-scoring two-out hits from Faedo and Carlos Vidal.
Kansas City tied it again in the fifth, after Danny Cushing tripled and scored on a Jayson Gonzalez single.
St. Louis, however, continued the back and forth in the fifth.
Rhys Hoskins drew a one-out walk, and found his away to third on a Jared Thomas single.
Fernando Tatis Jr. scored Hoskins with a long fly ball.
This time, though, St. Louis would not be tied or trail again.
The Walkers finally broke the game open with a five-run seventh.
Four walks and two singles opened the inning -- Jean Carmona drove in a run with his bases-loaded walk, while Bo Bichette did the same with a single -- JT Schwartz then doubled to score two more.
All of this came off Masters relief pitcher Mike Tucker.
Carlos Vidal drove in the final run of the outburst with a sacrifice fly.
Faedo (11-4) didn't have one of his better games of the season -- he allowed four runs on 11 hits over 5.1 innings - -but still came out of it with the win.

Six relievers -- Williams Jerez (0.1 IP), Luis Palomo (0.1), Nick Lodolo (0.1), Angel Tiburcio (0.2), John Curtiss (1.1) and Edwin Diaz (0.2) -- combined to close out the win which ended a three-game losing streak.

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Record: 58-47, 1st, 3.5 GA Springfield
Rookie Jason Froelich came within one batter of tossing a shutout and St. Louis completed a quick two-game sweep of Kansas City with a 2-0 win at Busch Stadium.
Froelich took a shutout into the ninth inning but was removed after giving up a two-out double to Jayson Gonzalez.
Closer Edwin Diaz entered the game and walked Carlos Correa on a 3-2 pitch to put the go-ahead run aboard.,
But Diaz struck out Nander De Sadas to end it and earn his 18th save.
Froelich's line for his third major league start, no runs over 8.2 innings. He allowed four hits while striking out four and walking three.
The River Walkers got the only run they would need in the bottom of the first.
Carlos Vidal drew a lead-off walk from Pit Masters starter Kyle Wright.
A bunt from Larry Ernesto moved him to second and when Andrew Benintendi doubled, Vidal crossed the plate.
St. Louis' second run came in the seventh.
Jean Carmona led off with a single off reliever Jamie Callahan.
A walk to Bo Bichette moved him to second.
Froelich got a bunt down to put runners at second and third.
Callahan was called for a balk, giving Carmona free reign to walk across the plate.

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Record: 59-47, 1st, 4.5 GA Springfield and Quad City
Making his first start after a brief stint on the injured list because of a back issue, Adonis Medina limited Des Moines to two runs (both unearned) over 6.1 innings to help lead St. Louis to a 4-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Andrew Benintendi staked the River Walkers to a 1-0 lead with a solo homer off Harvesters starting pitcher Sixto Sanchez in the bottom of the fourth inning.
A throwing error by St. Louis second baseman Vidal Brujan allowed Des Moines to grab a brief lead by scoring both of its runs in the top of the sixth.
But the Walkers answered right back in the bottom half, Rhys Hoskins getting to Sanchez for a two-run homer, his 21st of the season, to put the Walkers back in front for good.
St. Louis added an insurance run in the seventh when Jean Carmona drew a wak from reliever Reyes Moronta, stole second and scored on a Carlos Vidal two-out single.
In his 6.1 innings, Medina (7-7) allowed the two unearned runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked two.
Williams Jerez got the final two outs of the seventh.
Jake Brentz handled the eighth and got the first out of the ninth before allowing a single to Thairo Estrada.
Angel Tiburcio then got the ball and needed just three pitches to end it, as he got Andrew Foley to ground into a double play for his second save of the season.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed shortstop Jean Carmona on the 10-day disabled list after he suffered a hand injury while running the bases in a 4-2 win over Des Moines on August 8.
For the season, the 26-year-old Carmona is batting .266 with six homers and 28 RBIs.
Coming up from AAA Memphis will be 26-year-old outfielder Dahaindy Johnson.
The left-handed hitter has batted .282 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs this season for the Redbirds.
In an earlier stint with the Walkers, Johnson got into 10 games, where he hit .333 with two RBIs.

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Record: 60-41, 1st, 4.5 GA Springfield and Quad City
Steven Brault allowed one run over 6.1 innings to help carry St. Louis to a 4-1 win over Des Moines at Busch Stadium (1997).
The River Walkers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead following a pair of home runs.
A two-run homer from Fernando Tatis Jr. in the bottom of the first inning and a solo shot from Larry Ernesto in the second.
Both came off Harvesters starter Ray Spencer
Des Moines got its lone run off Brault in the sixth, after Spencer led off the inning with a double and later scored.
St. Louis got that run back in the bottom half of the seventh when Ernesto doubled off reliever Addison Reed and scored on a Reed wild pitch.
Brault allowed the one run on five hits over his 6.2 innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Angel Tiburcio got the final out of the seventh.
Luis Palomo (0.2 IP) and Williams Jerez (0.1) combined to allow a pair of hits in the eighth, but no runs.
Jake Brentz got the final three outs for his second save in as many games and his eighth overall.