2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 52-42, 3rd, 5 GB Springfield
Quad City piled up seven runs in just less than five innings against St. Louis starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall, the Thunder then added eight more against the River Walkers bullpen over the remaining innings as it rolled to a 15-3 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
QC scored two runs in the second, three in the fourth, two in the fifth before really busting loose with a seven-run top of the seventh.
After that, for good measure, the Thunder scored once in the ninth for its 15th run.
The game actually was tied 2-2 going into the top of the fourth.
Jacob Gonzalez wiped out that with a three-run homer off Wigfall to make it 5-2.
An inning later, Collins Allen connected on for an RBI single off Wigfall.
Wigfall stayed in the game to face Paul Totten, who doubled to make it 7-
2.
seven-run eighth featured just one batter who drove in more than one run.
That was from Bruce Navarette who plated the frame's first two runs with a single off Brett McVey.
Thunder starting pitcher Jesse Blount (2-3) allowing two runs on three hits over the first five innings. He struck out two and walked four.
Sal Avila and Sean Gilley both pitched two innings to close out the game.

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Record: 53-42, 3rd, 5 GB Springfield
Kevin Hrdlicka took a shutout into the sixth inning and St. Louis steadily built up a 5-0 lead on its way to a 5-1 win over Quad City at Busch Stadium (2006).
Hrdlicka (8-8) held the Thunder to one hit over the first five innings before running into trouble in the top of the sixth.
After a strike out, Hrdlicka sandwiched two walks around a single to load the bases.
Leo Hermosillo replaced Hrdlicka and got a pair of fly outs to keep the St. Louis lead at 3-0.
The Walkers had built that lead with two runs in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth off QC starting pitcher Bobby Wheeler.
Mark Waterson drove in both the third inning runs with a two-out single.
Bob Saavedra led off the fourth with his fourth homer of the season, also off Wheeler.
St. Louis would eventually push its lead to 5-0.
Saavedra led off the sixth with a double off Jesus Pina and scored when Jackson Miller followed with another double.
Mark Herman led off the seventh with a double off Cole Duensing.
He scored on a Nick Shaw single.
Hermosillo recorded the first out of the seventh before giving way to Alex Rios who gave up a pair of hits and got the second out.
Jesse Gaither finished off the seventh and got the first two outs of the eighth
Frank Jimenez struck out the only batter he faced to end the eighth.
Ron Cox pitched a scoreless ninth to end it.

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Record: 54-42, 3rd, 4 GB Springfield
Down 3-2, St. Louis scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead and went on to defeat Quad City 7-3 at Busch Stadium (2006),
The win gave the River Walkers wins in two of the final three games of their series with the Thunder. The teams split their six consecutive games against each other.
QC actually took the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth off St. Louis starting pitcher Ming Xiang.
The Thunder banged out four straight two-out hits, including three consecutive RBI doubles from pitcher Antonio Ceja, J.P. DiePietro and Bruce Almarez.
The Walkers answered right back in the bottom half with Ryan Wibbenmeyer leading off with a single off Ceja.
Two batters later, Wibbenmeyer scored when Mark Herman tripled.
Justin Davis replaced Ceja only to give up a deep fly ball to Nick Shaw which put St. Louis in front 4-3.
St. Louis added another run an inning later.
Alex Nunez led off with a triple off Davis.
He scored on Ryan Wibbenmeyer's one-out single off Jesus Pina.
A two-run seventh expanded the St. Louis advantage to 7-3.
Cole Duensing issued two straight walks to open the inning before uncorking a wild pitch.
Bob Saavedra drove in the inning's first run with a single.
The second run scored on a wild pitch.
Xiang (10-3) went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out eight and walked none.
Brett McVey came on with runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth and struck out Bruce Navarette to get out of the jam.
McVey also worked a scoreless seventh.
After that, it was Leo Hermosillo and closer Craig Fritzler for an inning apiece to close the inning.

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MBL news: July 26 -- Week 15 -- Awards and standings

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55-42, 3rd, 3 GB Springfield
With two runs in the bottom of the second inning and five in the third, St. Louis jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never looked back in an 11-4 win over Springfield at Busch Stadium (2006).
Mark Herman, who went 5 for 5 with two doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs, began the top of the second with his first hit, a lead-off single off Railers starting pitcher Alejandro Moto.
Mark Waterson followed with a double, moving Herman to third.
Herman scored on a Zach Wenman ground out,
Waterson later scored on a wild pitch.
A throwing error by Moto on a ball hit by lead-off batter Bob Saavedra set things in motion for the River Walkers in the third.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer followed with a single.
After a fly out, Nick Shaw singled, scoring two as Saavedra scored and Wibbenmeyer did as well following a throwing error by right fielder Carlton Randall.
Mark Herman then connected on a double, making it 5-0.
Manuel Santiago replaced Ceja.
His fourth pitch, with a 3-1 count, landed 423 feet over the wall in left-center courtesy of Waterson.
The score was now 7-0.
Springfield did get its offense going in the seventh, banging out four hits including a pinch-hit grand slam Vincent Villaviencio.
But 7-4 was as close as the Railers would come as St. Louis added a pair of runs both in the bottom of the seventh and eighth.
Wenman drove in the two seventh-inning runs with a single off Mike Framboise.
Manuel Coke and Herman both drove in runs in the eighth with doubles off Jesse Edwards.
Brad Monroe (9-3) pitched six shutout innings for St. Louis before exiting after allowing a lead-off single in the seventh.
For the game, Monroe allowed one run on five hits. He struck out eight and didn't issue a walk.
Jesse Gaither got the first two outs of the seventh and allowed the Villavicencio grand slam.
Kyle Smarr finished off the eighth.
Alex Rios held the Railers scoreless in the eighth and ninth.

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Record: 56-42, 2nd, 2 GB Springfield
Bob Saavedra connected on an RBI two-out double in the bottom of the ninth inning off Springfield's Ozzie Soto to lift St. Louis to a 2-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Soto struck out the first two batters of the inning before issuing a walk to Mark Waterson.
Saavedra then drove a 1-1 pitch into the left-field corner scoring Waterson with the winning run.
The game was scoreless until the top of the eighth inning when the Railers struck first,
Jason Nolan led off the inning with a double off St. Louis starter Miguel Cisneros.
He later scored on a Billy Salas sacrifice fly.
Pinch-hitter Danny Diaz tied it in the bottom of the inning with a lead-off homer off Alan Albanese.
Cisneros was credited with pitching seven innings, during which he allowed one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Brett McVey finished off the eighth inning.
Frank Jimenez (0.2 IP) and closer Craig Fritzler (0.1) combined on a scoreless ninth.
Fritzler (2-1) was given the win.

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Record: 57-42, 2nd, 1 GB Springfield
Trailing 6-4, St. Louis scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 7-6 win and completed a three-game sweep of Springfield at Busch Stadium (2006).
The River Walkers actually began their comeback in the bottom of the seventh when a solo homer from Jackson Miller off Railers relief pitcher Mike LaFramboise had drawn them to within 6-4.
St. Louis put its first five batters on base to begin the bottom of the eighth, all of it against Roger Cresswell.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer and Manuel Coke opened the inning with back-to-back singles.
Mark Herman followed with a double, scoring Wibbenmeyer.
Nick Shaw then tied it with a single, scoring Coke.
Pinch-hitter Danny Diaz then drew a walk.
But Bob Saavedra put St. Louis in front for good with a deep fly to center, scoring Herman.
Walkers starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall worked 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Ron Cox wasn't good recording just one out and allowing a two-run homer to Jorge Goto.
Alex Rios got the Walkers out of the fifth.
After that it was nothing but scoreless innings.
Brett McVey worked the sixth.
Leo Hermosillo got the first two outs of the sixth.
Jesse Gaither closed out the sixth and kept the Railers from scoring in the seventh.
Gaither (2-1) earned the win.
Craig Fritzler allowed two hits, but no runs in the ninth for his 25th save.

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Record: 58-42, 2nd, 1.5 GB Springfield
Kevin Hrdlicka pitched seven innings of shutout ball and Manuel Coke provided the game's lone run with a homer as St. Louis downed Chicago 1-0 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Hrdlicka (9-8), who has gone 8-3 after a 1-5 start, allowed just two singles while striking out 12 and walking just one in his time on the mound.
Jesse Gaither worked a scoreless eighth inning.
Leo Hermosillo handled the ninth for his first save since joining the River Walkers in a July 3 with the G-Men.
Coke hit his 25th homer of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning off Chicago starting pitcher Ryan Keefe.
A 3-1 pitch, it traveled 388 feet over the wall in right field.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed veteran catcher Jackson Miller on the 14-day injured list after he had to leave their 1-0 win over Chicago on July 30 with back stiffness.
It was the second trip to the injured list of the season for the 36-year-old Miller.
Earlier, he missed well more than a month with an oblique injury. He had returned to the lineup July 19.
For the season, Miller has played in just 43 games, batting .237 with six homers and 17 RBIs.
Getting recalled from AAA Memphis is 25-year-old Mario Villa.
In an earlier callup, also due to a Miller injury, Villa got into 11 games (10 starts) during which he hit .250 with four RBIs.

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Record: 58-43, 2nd, 1.5 GB Springfield
Chicago hit four home runs off St. Louis starting pitcher Ming Xiang to power the G-Men to a 5-2 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
The barrage began in the top of the first with a two-run shot from Luis Tejada, which was immediately followed by the first of two homers from Josh Rosborough.
The River Walkers used some long balls of their own to get back into it -- getting solo sots from Manuel Coke in the bottom of the first and Mark Waterson in the second to make it 5-2.
G-Men starting pitcher Greg Sadler allowed both homers.
Solo homers by Chicago would account for the rest of the scoring.
Rosborough cranked his second in the game in the top of the sixth.
Tony Nolasco ended Xiang's outing when he hit a two-out solo shot in the seventh to make it 5-2.
Sadler (10-7) earned the win by working 6.1 innings, during which he allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out one and didn't walk a batter.
Efrain Borja worked the seventh and a scoreless eighth.
Adam Olmstead earned his 20th save with a scoreless ninth.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have completed a trade-deadline deal with the Cleveland Juke Box Heroes which would land them right-handed relief pitcher Juan Munoz in exchanged for minor-league right-hander Kirk Proctor.
Munoz, 30, has served as the closer for the Heroes this season having pitched in 36 games during which he has gone 2-4 with 20 saves and a 3.41 ERA. He also has three blown saves.
For his career, Munoz has pitched in 594 games and posted a record of 30-38 with 113 saves and a 3.36 ERA. He has 37 career blown saves.
This will be the second time Munoz has played for the Walkers.
He spent part of the 2035 season with St. Louis, during which he went 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 38 games.
Munoz was traded along with utility player Dan Hillard and starting pitcher Jim Martin to Madison in a deal which brought in relievers Bobby Westerman and Nestor Perez.
In Proctor, Cleveland is receiving a 23-year-old right-hander who was selected in the 15th round of the 2035 draft
This season, Proctor has played at AA Springfield where he has gone 3-12 with a 5.56 ERA in 21 starts.

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MBL news: August 1 -- Players and Pitchers of the Month for July

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MBL news: August 1 -- Rookies of the Month for July and standings

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MBL news: August 1 -- American League leaders

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MBL news: August 1 -- National League leaders

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Walkers news: August 1 -- Team statistics for July

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Walkers news: August 1 -- Team statistics for 2038 season

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Player of the Month: Mark Herman: The 25-year-old left fielder batted .450 with three homers, 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored in 21 games. He got on base at a 5.11 clip and slugged .787. Herman was named National League Player of the Month,
Starting Pitcher of the Month: Kevin Hrdlicka: The 26-year-old right-hander went 3-1 in four starts with a 1.09 ERA. He pitched a total of 24.2 innings, during which he struck out 38 and had a 0.81 WHIP.
Relief Pitcher of the Month: Craig Fritzler: The 31-year-old right-hander got into eight games during which he was 1-0 with four saves and a 2.45 ERA. He worked a total of 7.1 innings, during which he struck out eight and had a 1.09 WHIP.

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Walkers news: August 1: Player Development Report

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Record: 58-44, 2nd, 2.5 GB Springfield
Chicago roared back from an 8-0 deficit to tie it 8-8 after six runs in the top of the eighth inning -- the G-Men later won it after scoring a run in the top of the 10th as they defeated St. Louis 9-8 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win was the second in a row for Chicago to complete the three-game series.
The River Walkers cruised through the early portion of the game.
Mark Waterson hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning off Chicago starting pitcher Juan Gomez to highlight a three-run inning.
The bottom of the fifth was even bigger with a Danny Diaz grand slam highlighting a five-run outburst which pushed the advantage to 8-0.
But the G-Men got things going with a pair of runs off River Walkers starting pitcher Brad Monroe in the top of the sixth.
Then came the top of the eighth when the Walkers bullpen fell apart.
Jesse Gaither allowed the first two batters of the inning to reach bases.
That set the stage for a three-run homer from Nate Carey.
Kyle Smarr then took over for St. Louis, but the hits continued to come with Alfredo Cano and George Phelps both connecting for singles.
Smarr finally did get an out, but it came on an Art McKee sacrifice bunt which moved the runners to second and third.
Brett McVey then got the call.
He promptly surrendered a double to pinch-hitter Jim Carr, which scored two and make it 8-7.
Tony Nolasco was next.
He continued the onslaught with a single to tie the game.
When the carnage was over, the G-Men had scored six runs on eight hits.
Two innings later, it was over, as Walkers closer Craig Fritzler could no keep Chicago from scoring.
Ken Turner doubled with one out.
He scored two batters later on a Jessie Willoughby double.
Gomez lasted four innings, allowing four runs on six hits for the G-Men.
He was followed by six relievers -- Devin Eyre, Joel Wisniewski, Keith Kirby, Lenyn Crisp, Nick Wilson and Adam Olmstead -- who all pitched an inning apiece.
Wilson (1-0) earned his first win of the season.
Olmstead notched his 21st save.