2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 84-63, 2nd, 2 GB Springfield
Jackson Miller connected on a bases-loaded single with one out in the bottom of the ninth to score Manuel Coke with the winning run of St. Louis' 4-3 win over Peoria at Busch Stadium (2006).
The Rivermen had tied the game with three runs in the top of the eighth against the River Walkers bullpen.
Brett McVey allowed three of the four batters he faced to reach base to open the inning.
The third hitter, Alex Greene, doubled to score Jose Rosas with Peoria's fist run.
Leo Hermosillo took over and after a strike out surrendered a double to Tony Gamez which tied the game.
Manuel Coke got things going for St. Louis in the bottom of the ninth with a one-out single off reliever Matt Broussard.
Nick Shaw then drew a walk.
Hans Aguiar replaced Broussard but allowed a single to Mark Waterson to load the bases.
Miller ended it when he singled between first and second on a 2-2 pitch.
Walkers starter Ming Xiang didn't allow a hit until he allowed one-out single to Jose Rosas with one out in the sixth.
Xiang ended up going seven innings, allowing just the one hit. He struck out seven and walked one.
Xiang left after having thrown 105 pitches.
McVey (0.1 IP) and Hermosillo (0.2) pitched the eighth when Peoria got back into the game.
Juan Munoz (2-0) earned the win after setting the Rivermen down in order in the top of the ninth.

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Record: 85-63, 2nd, 2 GB Springfield
Brad Monroe limited Peoria to one run over seven innings and Nick Shaw drove in four runs, as St. Louis defeated the Rivermen 5-1 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The only run Monroe allowed came on an RBI double by Jeff Neiderer in the top of the fourth inning.
It made the score 2-1 in favor of the River Walkers.
In his seven innings, Monroe allowed the one run on four hits. He struck out nine and walked one.
Monroe (14-5) joined Ming Xiang and Mark Hrdlicka was 14-game winners for St. Louis this season.
The Walkers took the lead with a pair of runs off Peoria starter Dan Motley in the bottom of the third.
Mark Herman and Manuel Coke got it going with consecutive one-out singles.
A double by Shaw scored Herman with the game's first run.
A fourth straight hit, a single by Mark Waterson, then loaded the bases.
With Danny Diaz at the plate, a wild pitch by Motley scored Coke.
Their lead now 2-1, the Walker added two more runs off Motley in the fourth.
Monroe, Ryan Wibbenmeyer and Herman opened the inning with three straight singles.
Monree scored when Coke hit into a double play.
Shaw collected his first RBI of the game, when he doubled off Matthew Buelow who had just relieved Motley.
Danny Diaz drew a lead-off walk from Jesus Velez in the seventh.
He later scored when Daylen Reyes got down a squeeze bunt with Lorenzo Mascorro on the mound.
A two-run homer from Shaw off Jamie Pugh capped the scoring in the bottom of the eighth.
Jake Gaither replaced Monroe and allowed a home run to Juan Feliz while pitching the eighth.
Maximilliano Minelli set the Rivermen down in order in the ninth.

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Record: 85-64, 2nd, 2 GB Springfield
Down 1-0, Peoria pummeled St. Louis starting pitcher Miguel Cisneros for five runs in the top of the fourth inning and went on for a 5-2 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
The victory allowed the Rivermen to avoid being swept in the three-game series.
Peoria put its first five batters on base against Cisneros to begin the top of the fourth.
Drew Bowser drew a lead-off walk.
That was followed by a Tony Gamez double, and RBI single from Bobby Dotson, a run-scoring single by Jeff Neiderer and an RBI single by Moises Vasquez.
Jesse Chappelow drove in the inning's final run with a fly ball to center.
Peoria starter pitcher Adam Wilkes (4-1) allowed two runs on four hits over the first six innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Hans Aguiar (1.2 IP) and Drew Dillard (1.1) combined to shut out the River Walkers the rest of the way.
Dillard earned his seventh save.

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MBL news: Sept. 20 -- Week 23 - Awards and standings

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The Fort Wayne Mad Men have owned the best record in the Midwest Baseball League much of the season, and on May 20 they became the first time to clinch a berth in the postseason.
The Mad Men sewed up the American League West Division title with a 3-2 win over Dayton.
At 90-69, Fort Wayne owns a 14-game advantage over second-place Grand Rapids with 13 games remaining.
It is the first playoff berth for Fort Wayne since 2031 and its fifth overall.
The Mad Men's only World Series appearance came in 2028 when they defeated St. Louis for the championship.

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Starting pitcher Jon Diaz and the Des Moines bullpen limited St. Louis to one run on four hits and the Harvesters hit a pair of solo home runs in a 2-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Diaz lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing one run -- on a solo homer from Manuel Coke in the bottom of the fourth innings -- on all four River Walkers hits in his time on the mound.
The Des Moines bullpen didn't allow a hit the rest of the way.
Jerry Tate (1-2), who came up through the St. Louis minor-league system, finished the fifth and also worked the sixth.
He earned the win.
After that, it was base-runnerless innings from Teddy Loetzch, Davey Matteson and Mark Polzin to close out the game.
Polzin earned his 31st save.
The Harvesters took a 1-0 lead on a Francisco Mendoza homer off Walkers starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall with one out in the first.
David Tapley snapped a 1-1 tie with a homer off Jesse Gaither in the fifth.
St. Louis first baseman Nick Shaw had to leave the game after suffering an undisclosed injury while running the bases.

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Record: 86-65, 2nd, 3 GB Springfield
Manuel Coke hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift St. Louis to a 7-6 win over Des Moines at Busch Stadium (2006).
It was a game where the River Walkers trailed 5-2 early, rallied to take a 6-5 lead only to have the Harvesters tie it in the top of the ninth.
Ryan Rivet hit a two-out solo homer off St. Louis closer Craig Fritzler to tie the game.
It marked Fritzler's fourth blown save of the season.
That set the stage for the bottom of the ninth.
Harvesters reliever Bobby Stover retired Ryan Wibbenmeyer and Mark Herman to begin the inning.
But with a full count, Coke turned on a pitch and drove it 404 feet over the right-field wall for his 39th home run of the season and a game-winner.
Des Moines jumped on Walkers starting pitcher Kevin Hrdlicka for three runs in the top of the first.
Rivet did the bulk of the damage, with his first long ball of the game a three-run shot.
A RBI single from Danny Diaz in the bottom of the first off Harvesters starter Pat Walters got St. Louis on the scoreboard.
The Walkers made it 3-2 in the bottom of the second.
Bob Saavedra led off with a double and scored on a Daylen Reyes ground out.
But the next two runs would be scored by Des Moines.
David Tapley hit a solo homer off Hrdlicka in the third.
Joe Allen later led off the fifth with a single off Hrdlicka.
He stole second and later scored on a Leo Cerna single off Juan Munoz.
But the Walkers wouldn't go away.
Jordan Quinto led off the fifth with a double off Walters.
He later scored on a wild pitch.
Jackson Miller drew a lead-off walk from Bill Gomez in the seventh.
A bunt by pinch-hitter moved him to second and a ground out placed him on third with two outs.
Herman then lifted a fly ball to right, which was muffed by Tapley allowing Miller to score.
The Walkers took their 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run homer from Mark Waterson off Davey Mattson.
Hrdlicka lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked three.
Munoz pitched 1.1 innings.
Kyle Smarr retired the only batter he faced to get out of a sixth-inning jam.
After that, Maximilliano Minelli and Jesse Gaither both pitched scoreless inning.
Fritzler (3-5) came on looking to get his 32nd save in the top of the ninth, but instead got his fourth blown save.
He did end up earning his third win after Coke homered to win it.

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With the days dwindling to catch Springfield in the race to win the National League South Division title, St. Louis has learned that first baseman Nick Shaw will miss the remainder of the regular season with a sprained ankle.
Sitting at 86-65, the Walkers trailed Springfield by three games with 11 games left in the regular season.
Shaw, 29, suffered the injury in a 2-1 loss to Des Moines on Sept. 20.
While it has been a bit of a disappointing campaign for Shaw, he has still hit .293 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs in 2038.
Getting the call up from AAA Memphis will be 33-year-old outfielder Chris Hyman.
Signed as a minor-league free agent in May, Hyman hit .249 with 16 homers and 39 RBIs in 74 games for the Redbirds.
Hyman has played 432 games at the major league level, mostly for Louisville, where he hit .244 with 76 homers and 185 RBIs.

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Record: 86-66, 3rd, 3 GB Springfield
Josh Crespo shut out St. Louis for the first seven innings and Des Moines pounded River Walkers starting pitcher Ming Xiang for seven runs in just 3.2 innings as the Harvesters won in a rout 7-1 at Busch Stadium (2006).
A Zach Wenman lead-off single in the top of the second was the lone hit Crespo allowed over the first seven innings.
Mark Waterson led off the bottom of the eighth with a homer, ending the shutout and ending Crespo's outing.
Waterson's homer made the score 7-1.
Crespo (9-9) exited with a line of one run on two hits over seven innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Josh Ashton took over and held the River Walkers scoreless over the remainder of the eighth.
Alex Rodriguez wrapped the game up with a scoreless ninth.
Des Moines jumped in front with a run in the top of the first of Xiang.
Noah Smith drew a lead-off walk to open the game.
A wild pitch moved Smith to second.
Ryan Rivet picked up an RBI with a single past the shortstop.
The Harvesters chased Xiang with a six-run fourth.
David Tapley drew a lead-off walk and went to second on a Leo Cerna single.
After a flyout, John Docherty made it 2-0 with a double.
Zigza Mukura was given an intentional walk to bring Crespo to the plate.
Crespo spoiled that strategy with a single, making it 3-0.
Smith drove in a run with a fly ball to center.
Joe Allen capped the outburst with a three-run home run.

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Record: 87-66, 2nd/(Tied/w. Cedar Rapids), 3 GB Springfield
Manuel Coke hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, his 40th of the season, and Brad Monroe earned his team-leading 15th win as St. Louis downed Grand Rapids 3-2 at the Polo Grounds (1923).
Ryan Wibbenmeyer reached base just in front of Coke, connecting for a one-out single off Traders starting pitcher Brian Southers.
Coke then smoked a 2-1 pitch 428 feet over the right-field wall to put the River Walkers in front.
Grand Rapids got within 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Zach Simon led off with a triple off Monroe and scored on a one-out single by Bruce Herrera.
That ended Monroe's time on the mound.
Juan Munoz gave up an infield single to John Gel Gaudio to put runners at first and second.
Munoz, however, got out of the jam by getting Ricardo Santillan to hit into a double play.
St. Louis got that run back when Jackson Miller led off the seventh with a home run off Southers.
The Traders made it 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh.
Sal Rendon and Jake Klingenstein both singled with one out off Leo Hermosillo.
Maximilliano Minelli took over and issued two consecutive walks to force in a run.
But Minelli got Herrera to ground out to end the inning with St. Louis still in front.
Monroe (15-5) allowed one run on four hits in his 5.1 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
Minelli returned to the mound for the eighth and struck out the first two Traders.
Kyle Smarr completed the strikeout hat trick by getting pinch-hitter Ubaldo Capponi to end the inning.
Grand Rapids' Edwin Palos opened the ninth by reaching on an error by Wibbenmeyer at second base.
But closer Craig Fritzler retired the next three for his 32nd save.

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Record: 87-67, 3rd, 4 GB Springfield
Rafael Pina allowed one run over the first 6.1 innings to help lead Grand Rapids to a 7-3 win over St. Louis at the Polo Ground (1923).
Pina (11-9) allowed the one run -- on a Mark Herman fourth inning home run, which made the score 2-1 -- on three hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Pina left the game after 101 pitches.
A two-run homer from Zach Simon off River Walkers starting pitcher Miguel Cisneros in the bottom of the first inning staked the Traders to a 2-0 lead.
It's lead at 2-1, Grand Rapids added two more runs off Cisneros in the fifth.
Bruce Herrera plated them both with a two-out single.
The Traders added another run in the seventh.
Jose Montano led off with a single off reliever Jesse Gaither, and went to second on a pinch-hit single by John Del Gaudio.
After Herrera hit into a double play, Chris Jensen made it 5-1 with a two-out single.
A RBI single by Ryan Wibbenmeyer in the top of the eighth off reliever Jorge Aristizabel made it 5-2.
But the Traders pretty much put it out of reach with two runs in the bottom of the inning off reliever Frank Jimenez.
After a double play got him to two outs with nobody on, Jimenes gave up a single to Jose Montana followed by an RBI double by Leonardo Rodriguez.
Herrera then drove in his third run of the game with a single.
Mark Waterson homered off Hector Gujardo in the ninth to complete the scoring.
Mike Law got the final out of the seventh for the Traders.
After that, it was Aristizabal (1.0 IP), Guajardo (0.2) and Mike Webb (0.1) who closed out the mound duties for Grand Rapids.
Webb earned his 38th save.

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Record: 88-67, 3rd, 4 GB Springfield
Tied 3-3, Manuel Coke hit a solo home run off Grand Rapids closer Mike Webb in the top of the 10th inning to help lift St. Louis to a 4-3 win at the Polo Grounds (1923).
The homer was the second of the game for Coke, who hit a two-run shot off Traders starting pitcher Victor De Leon to power a three-run top of the first for the River Walkers.
Coke's 42 home runs tops the National League.
St. Louis third run of the top of the first came from Danny Diaz, who doubled and later scored on a two-out single by Zach Wenman.
Grand Rapids would scramble back to tie it against Walkers starting Xaiver Wigfall.
Bruce Herrera drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the first.
He later scored when John Del Gaudio hit into a fielder's choice.
The Traders tied it in the bottom of the third.
Herrera again got it going, this time with a one-out double.
He scored on a Del Gaudio single.
Zach Simon, who had walked with two outs, scored on a Nick Velez single.
Wigfall worked five innings allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked four.
Brett McVey (1.1 IP) and Leo Hermosillo (0.2) combined to pitch the sixth and seventh innings.
Juan Munoz (3-0) earned the win after pitching the two scoreless innings before Coke's homer.
Craig Fritzler walked Herrera to open the 10th but retired the next three for his 33rd save.

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Record: 88-68, 3rd, 5 GB Springfield
This one could prove to be fatal.
St. Louis starting pitcher Kevin Hrdlicka shut out Grand Rapids over the first seven innings, but the Traders bludgeoned the River Walkers bullpen for six runs in the bottom of the eighth on their way to a 6-3 win at the Polo Grounds (1923).
The win allowed Grand Rapids to split the four-game series. The loss dropped St. Louis five games behind National League South Division leading Springfield with six games remaining.
Hrdlicka dominated during his time on the mound scattering four singles while striking out eight and walking none over the first seven innings as the Walkers took a 3-0 lead.
But Hrdlicka also threw 103 pitches in that span leading it up the St. Louis bullpen to finish the game.
They were not up to the task.
Rookie Maximilliano Minelli got the first shot.
He was greeted by a lead-off single by Jose Montano before issuing a walk to Christian Moore.
Minelli, however, did get Bruce Herrera to hit into a fielder's choice , with Moore being retired at second, for the first out.
Enter Leo Hermosillo who had allowed one run on three hits in his previous seven outings.
He didn't retire a batter.
Sal Rendon doubled on the first pitch he saw, scoring Montano.
Pinch-hitter Edwin Palos followed with a single, scoring Herrera to make it 3-2.
Another pinch-hitter, Ricardo Santillan, drew a walk.
It was now Jesse Gaither's turn.
All he did was allow three consecutive singles to, Nick Velez, Roberto Hernandez and Savion McMullen, as the game turned from a 3-2 St. Louis lead to 6-3 in favor of the Traders.
Grand Rapids starting pitcher Mark MacDougall went five innings, allowing one run -- on a Mark Waterson solo homer in the fourth -- on five hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Andy Burnam pitched a scoreless sixth for Grand Rapids.
The Walkers tallied twice in the seventh against Pablo Ochoa to take their 3-0 lead.
Zach Stella handled the eighth, retiring St. Louis in order.
Mike Law started the ninth, giving up a lead-off single to Ryan Wibbenmeyer, before exiting with a hamstring injury.
Chris Patton faced just two batters to end it, getting Danny Diaz to hit into a double play for the final two outs, for his first save.

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MBL news: Sept. 28 -- Week 24 - Awards and standings

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Record: 89-68, 3rd, 4.5 GB Springfield
Pinch-hitter Manuel Coke connected on one-out single in the top of the 12th inning to score pinch-runner Rece Hinds with what proved-to-be the game-winning run in a 4-3 St. Louis win over Rockford at RFK Stadium (2005).
The victory kept the River Walkers in the National League South Division race, as they sit in third-place 4.5 games behind first-place Springfield with five games remaining.
Zach Wenman had led off the top of the 12th with a single off Lightning relief pitcher Travis Gettemy.
Hinds replaced Wenman and he moved to second on a Daylen Reyes bunt.
Coke then connected on his single, driving a 1-1 pitch from Gettemy into right field.
St. Louis jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a base-loaded double by Jordan Quinto off Rockford starting pitcher Luke Madden.
The Lightning fought their way back into it tying the game when Wade Martin homered off Juan Munoz with one out in the top of the eighth.
That homer probably denied Walkers starting pitcher Ming Xiang his 15th win of the season.
Xiang went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.
Munoz (0.2 IP) and Greg Sones (1.0) combined to pitch that eighth inning.
Kyle Smarr worked two innings of relief without allowing a run.
Maximilliano Minelli (0.1 IP) and Ron Cox (0.2) divided up the 11th for St. Louis.
Despite allowing Rockford to load the bases in the 12th, Craig Fritzler picked up his 34th save.

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Record: 89-69, 3rd, 5.5 GB Springfield; Eliminated from playoff contention
St. Louis jumped out to leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Rockford took control with four runs in the bottom of the third and rolled to a 9-4 win at RFK Stadium (2005).
The loss eliminated the River Walkers from playoff contention, as they sit in third place in the National League South Division, 5.5 games in back of first place Springfield with four games remaining.
St. Louis' Mark Herman connected on an RBI double off Lightning starting pitcher Gregg Krawczyk in the top of the first inning to put the Walkers ahead 1-0.
After Rockford tied it in the bottom of the second, the Walkers retook the lead in the top of the third when Mark Waterson connected for a single off Krawczyk to score Manuel Coke who had led off with a double.
Going for his team-leading 16th win of the season, St. Louis starter Brad Monroe unraveled in the bottom of the third.
After retiring the lead-off batter, he allowed the next two batters to reach base, Ernesto Ferreras with a double and a walk to David Blanton, before Yui Wantanbe hit a three-run homer to put the Lighting in front.
Rockford wasn't done either.
Erik Stowe and Joel Petrucci followed the homer with singles.
Wen He, who Rockford acquired from St. Louis during the season, made it 5-2 with a single.
The Lightning would continue to build on their lead with a run in the fourth.
Ferreras doubled off Monroe and scored when Eric Stowe reached on an error by second baseman Jordan Quintos.
They later piled on two in the seventh.
Greg Sones allowed three straight batters to reach to open the inning.
Pinch-hitter Duncan Littleton later plated a pair with a single off Ron Cox.
Stowe's RBI double off Cox in the eighth made it 9-2.
Krawczyk (8-7) worked the first five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Michael Steinberg worked the sixth and seventh innings without allowing a run.
Francisco Claros gave up a two-run homer to Manuel Coke to cap the scoring.

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Record: 89-70, 3rd, 5.5 GB Springfield; Eliminated from playoff contention
Tied 5-5, Ernesto Ferreras connected on a two-run double off St. Louis reliever Kyle Smarr with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and Rockford went on for an 8-7 win at RFK Stadium (2005).
The win was the third for the Lightning in the four-game series.
The first of two Chris Hyman homers put the River Walkers up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
The Lightning charged into the lead with five runs in the bottom of the second.
A single by Gary Snelling off rookie starting pitcher Billy Hermann drove in the first two runs
Duncan Littleton contributed the next two with a single off Kyle Smarr.
Yui Wantanbe made it 5-2 with another single off Smarr.
St. Louis tied it in the top of the third.
Hyman led off with a homer off Snelling.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr drove in the second run with a double.
An RBI single by Mario Villa tied it at 5-5.
Rockford responded by taking the lead for good in the bottom of the third.
Joel Petrucci singled with one out off Smarr.
Smarr walked the next two, St. Louis pitchers combined to issue nine in the game.
Ferreras then snapped the tie with a double.
The Walkers tallied a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to draw within 7-6.
Rockford made it 8-6 with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Watanabe drove in his second run of the game with a double off Shuta Kimura.
A Rece Hinds solo homer off Jose Vergara in the ninth ended the scoring.
Snelling lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
Raul Espinoza (1-0) also pitched three innings. He would earn the win.
Jonathan DiGiovanni (2.0 IP) and Juan Vergara (1.0) handled the final three innings.
Vergara earned his 31st save.

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MBL news: Oct. 1 -- Players and Pitchers of the Month for September

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MBL news: Oct. 1 -- Rookies of the Month for September and standings

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MBL news: Oct. 1 -- American League leaders