2031 St. Louis River Walkers: The ring is the thing

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Player of the Month: C Jared Thomas -- The 31-year-old Thomas batted .375 with seven homers, 24 RBIs and 20 runs scored in 23 games. He got on base at a .458 clip and slugged .675.
Starting Pitcher of the Month -- Kaneo Kawamoto -- The 33-year-old left-hander went 3-0 in five starts with a 2.23 ERA. He pitched 32.1 innings, during which he struck out 27 and had a 0.90 WHIP. A shoulder injury suffered in his last start will end his season.
Relief Pitcher of the Month: Josh Grissom -- The right-hander was 3-0 in 13 games with a 1.80 ERA. He pitched 15.0 innings during which he struck out 15 had a 0.73 WHIP.

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Walkers news: Sept. 1 -- Team totals for 2031 season

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The game between the St. Louis River Walkers and Chicago G-Men at Wrigley Field (1979) has been postponed by rain.
It will be made up as a doubleheader on Sept. 2

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Record: 80-50, 1st, 8.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Trailing 8-6, Chicago scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to defeat St. Louis 8-6 in the opening game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field (1979).
The River Walkers actually jumped out to a 5-0 lead after an inning and a half, only to have Chicago rally to tie it.
The G-Men hit three homers -- solo shots from Jake Gelof and Luis Tejada, followed by a walk and a two-run homer from Cruz Calderon -- in a span of three batters with two outs in the bottom of the third off St. Louis rookie starter Rich Haas to wipe out much of that deficit.
Chicago took the lead with two more runs off Haas in the fifth.
Gelof and Tejada led off the inning with back-to-back triples.
Matt Walczak drove in Tejada with a single, as the G-Men went up 6-5.
But St. Louis tallied three times in the top of the sixth to regain the lead.
A two-run pinch-hit homer from Heston Kjerstad off Jesus Mercano drove in the first two runs.
A two-run homer from Walczak off Argenis Batista in the seventh tied it for Chicago.
An inning later, Paul Broyles connected for an RBI double off Batista to snap the tie.
Danny Gutierrez added an insurance run with a single which scored Broyles.
G-Men starting pitcher Kirby McIntyre lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.
Five relievers -- Michael Steinberg (3.1 IP), Jesus Mercano (1.0), Justin Stokes (1.0), Zane Almy (1.0) and Steven Von Lehmden (1.0) -- combined to finsh the game.
The final four all working an inning apiece.
Almy (5-5) earned the win. Von Lehmden earned his 25th save.

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Record: 80-51, 1st, 8.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Tied 2-2, Matt Walczak led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single and later scored on a Cruz Calderon sacrifice fly, as Chicago completed a doubleheader sweep of St. Louis with a 3-2 win at Wrigley Field (1979).
Walczak, who had hit a two-run homer off River Walkers starter Angel Tiburcio in the bottom of the first to give the G-Men a 2-0 lead, moved to second in the ninth when pinch-hitter Antonio Camey doubled off St. Louis reliever Yeison Santos.
Santos also allowed Walczak's hit.
Andres Hernandez replaced Santos, but Calderon's fly to center field was more than deep enough to score the winning run.
G-Men starting pitcher Shintaro Fujinami allowed one run on four hits over seven innings.
Rafael Espinoza pitched the eighth -- and allowed the tying run when Rick Scott connected on an RBI double.
Ben Harris (4-3) pitched around a pair of walks in the ninth, but still earned the win.

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Record: 81-51, 1st, 9 GA Cedar Rapids
In a game in which it once trailed 6-1, St. Louis scored three times in the top of the 10th inning to defeat Chicago 9-6 -- and avoid a three-game sweep -- at Wrigley Field (1991).
Thairo Estrada led off the top of the 10th with a double off G-Men relief pitcher Jose Bestances.
A bunt from pinch-hitter Steve Sullivan moved Estrada to third.
When Nathaniel Dixon and Daniel Becerra followed with back-to-back doubles, St. Louis had two runs and were ahead 8-6.
A Jared Thomas single later scored Becerra to make it 9-6.
A four-run third inning against River Walkers starter Izzy San Juan had given Chicago its 6-1 lead.
An RBI single from pinch-hitter, and rookie, Steve Kowal off Chicago starter Brandon Birdsell in the fifth had made it 6-2.
The Walkers then had a four-run inning of their own in the seventh.
Estrada hit a two-run homer off Rhett Daniel.
Dixon later plated a run with a double.
An RBI single from Steve Rossi off Jimmy DaPra tied it.
San Juan lasted just four innings, allowing six runs on seven hits.
Robby Albarran, back in the majors for the first time since suffering an elbow injury in August of 2030, pitched two scoreless innings.
Yeison Santos handled the seventh without incident.
Josh Grissom (4-0) earned the win following two scoreless innings.
St. Louis hoped Elian Acosta could handle the ninth, but after two allowed two baserunners closer Ernesto Barbosa got the call.
He got the only batter he faced, Cruz Calderon, to ground out to earn his 22nd save.

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Record: 81-52, 1st, 8.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Cesar Salazar hit a solo homer run off St. Louis reliever Andres Hernadez in the top of the ninth inning to snap a 2-2 tie, and lift Indianapolis to a 3-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Racers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, with single runs in the second and third innings.
A bases-loaded walk from River Walkers starter Zack Hunsicker to Indy pitcher Brent Autin scored the game's first run in the second inning.
Jake Parker connected on an RBI single in the third, pushing the lead to 2-0.
The Walkers tied it with runs in the fourth -- Jean Carmona led off the inning with a single off Autin and scored on a Ricky Liriano fly ball -- and seventh -- Steve Rossi with a homer off reliever Bryan Garcia -- to tie it in the late innings.
Autin worked just four innings, allowing one run on four hits.
Kevin Abel and Glenn Dunn sandwiched two innings of work, around a single inning from Garcia.
Dunn (2-3) came out of the game with the win.

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Record: 82-52, 1st, 8.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Making his first start in the majors since May 8, Lenyn Crisp limited Indianapolis to one run over seven innings -- he also hit a three-run homer -- as St. Louis won 4-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Replacing the injured Keno Kawamoto in the River Walkers rotation, Crisp scattered three hits over his seven innings, while striking out eight and walking two.
The lone run he allowed came in the top of the sixth, when a Mike Courtney single scored Tony Galvan, but by that time St. Louis led 4-0.
Three of those runs came on Crisp's home run off Racers starting pitcher Greg Keith in the bottom of the fourth.
St. Louis got its first run in the bottom of the third when Ben Thompson was hit by a pitch with one out, and scored on a Steve Rossi double.
Ricky Cisneros pitched the final two innings for the Walkers without an incident.
It earned him his fifth save of the season.

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Record: 82-53, 1st, 8.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Trailing 4-3, Indianapolis scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and held on for a 5-4 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
The River Walkers had scored three times in the bottom of the fourth to wipe out a 3-1 deficit.
Rookie Steve Kowal drove in two of the runs with a single.
But the Racers tied it in the top of the fifth when Jake Parker and Greg Colvin connected on back-to-back one-out doubles off St. Louis reliever Rich Haas.
An inning later, Indy took the lead.
Peter Alonso drew a one-out walk from Hernandez.
Yeison Santos took over and got Tony Galvan to fly out for the second out.
Kyle Soloman, who had homered earlier in the game, connected on a double to score Alonso, as the Racers took the lead for good.
Racers starting pitcher Micah Bell (8-10) earned the win despite allowing four runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
Johnny Kuhn Jr. followed with a pair of scoreless innings.
Kelly Schmitzer and Nate Green put up zeros in the eighth and ninth, respectively, with Green earning his 28th save.

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Record: 82-54, 1st, 7.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Angel Alvarez limited St. Louis to one run over seven innings, and Indianapolis downed the River Walkers 2-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
The victory over St. Louis gave the Racers victories in three of the games in the four game series.
Alvarez (8-11) allowed the no runs on seven hits. He struck out just two but didn't walk a batter.
Glenn Dunn pitched the eighth, and allowed the only run for the Walkers on a Nathaniel Dixon homer.
Kyung-Tae Choi worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.
Tony Galvan drove in both Indy runs with hits off St. Louis starter Angel Tiburcio.
In the third inning, Matt Fulton led off the inning with a single and scored on a two-out single by Galvan.
Fulton led off the fifth with a single, and made it 2-0 when Galvan belted a double.

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MBL news: Week 22 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 82-55, 1st, 7.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Scorelees through seven innings, Rockford scored five times in both the eighth and ninth innings to post a 10-0 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Much of the damage was inflicted by Thunder second baseman Raynel Delgado, who hit a three-run double in the eighth inning (off Yeison Santos) and a grand slam in the ninth (off Argenis Batista).
TJ Reeves actually started the scoring for Rockford in the eighth, leading off the inning with a homer off Andres Hernandez.
Jonathan Vaughns drove in Delgado with the final run of the eighth, via ground out.
Jake Holland led off the ninth for Rockford with a homer off Batista.
Thunder starting pitcher Miguel Cisneros allowed one hit over five innings.
John Curtiss, Bill Singer, Jake Woodford and Yuki Matsui all pitched one inning.
Singer (7-1) earned the win.
St. Louis finished with three hits, its final two coming in the bottom of the ninth.

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Record:82-56, 1st, 6.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Leading 1-0, Rockford added four more runs in the top of the fifth inning, and rode that to a 6-3 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Coming off a four-hit, seven-RBI game the day before, Raynel Delgado got the Thunder rolling in the second game of the series with a lead-off singfe off River Walkers starter Zack Hunsicker in the opening inning.
He later scored on a Onofredo Hernandez two-out single as Rockford went up 1-0.
Rockford's four-run fifth off Hunsicker all came with two outs, beginning with a solo homer from Wade Martin.
Two singles later, from Hernandez and Alex Freeland, Jonathon Vaughns made it 5-0 with a three-run blast.
The River Walkers climbed back to within 5-2 in the seventh thanks to rookie Steve Kowal's first major-league homer, a two-run shot off St. Louis ace Alex Faedo.
An inning later, it was 5-3 as Ben Thompson opened the bottom of the eighth by taking Yuki Matsui deep.
The Thunder got that run back in the top of the ninth when Martin hit his second homer of the game, and 30th of the season, off Argenis Batista.
Former Walkers farmhand Kurt Halter handled the first four innings, allowing no runs on just one hits.
Faedo (3-0) handled the next two, setting himself up for the win.
Mark Henderson pitched the seventh, allowing the two-run homer by Kowal.
Matsui (0.2 IP) and Luis Palomo (0.1), another former St. Louis pitcher, combined to pitch the eighth.
Luke Dunkin set the Walkers down in order in the ninth for his 37th save.

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Record: 82-57, 1st, 6.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Trailing 2-1, Rockford hit three home runs and scored seven runs total in the top of the fourth inning off St. Louis starter, and the Lightning rolled to a 9-7 win over St Louis at Busch Stadium.
The victory completed a three-game sweep for Rockford.
Raynel Delgado went 3-for-3 and finished the series 9-for-13 with two doubles, two homers, eight RBIs and six runs scored.
Delgado homered in this game, but it didn't come in the Lightning's seven-run inning.
He drew an intentional walk, right in front of a three-run homer from Wade Martin.
Earlier in the inning, TJ Reeves had drove in the frame's first run with a triple.
Drew Ellis followed with a two-run homer, Lenyn Crisp was on the mound for St. Louis for all of the damage.
Onofredo Hernandez batted after Martin, and inflicted the third homer of the inning.
Delgado's homer came in the top of the sixth off Ricky Cisneros, making it 9-3.
A Jean Carmona three-run homer off reliever in Jake Woodford helped draw the Walkers to within 9-6 in the sixth.
An RBI single from Heston Kjerstad off Luis Polomo in the seventh made it 9-7.
But St. Louis didn't put a run on the scoreboard in the eighth or ninth, as Rockford completed the sweep.
Lightning starting pitcher Travis Gettemy (6-3) worked the first five innings, allowing three runs on four hits.
Jake Woodford (0.1 IP) and John Curtiss (0.2) combined on the Walkers' three-sixth.
Polomo, Bill Singer and Luke Dunkin all pitched an inning apiece at the back end.
Dunkin notched his 38th save.

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Record: 82-58, 1st, 6.5 GA Cedar Rapids
With the score tied, 1-1, Jae-hong Chang connected on a two-run double in the bottom of the third inning to put Cincinnati in front, and the River Sharks held on for a 3-2 win over St. Louis at Riverfront Stadium (1984).
A solo homer from Rick Scott, off Cincy starter Hugo Vasquez, had put the River Walkers in front 1-0 in the top of the second inning.
The Sharks tied it in the bottom of the second, when St. Louis starting pitcher Rich Haas loaded the bases with three consecutive one-out walks and then allowed a run on a single by Vasquez.
Walks got Haas in trouble again in the third, as he again walked the bases full with free passes to three of the inning's first four batters.
Chang made him pay, with a two-run double which made it 3-1.
An RBI single from Daniel Becerra in the top of the fifth off Vasquez made it 3-2.
But neither team would score again.
Vasquez (11-9) pitched 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits.
Mike Reeves completed the sixth inning.
Cole Duensing, Jose Alvarado and Sean Williams all pitched an inning apiece -- without giving up a run -- to close out the win.
Williams earned his 26th save.

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Record: 81-59, 1st, 5.5 GA Cedar Rapids
A 5-0 lead, No. 1 starter Angel Tiburcio on the mound going into the bottom of the eighth inning.
All seemed to be pointing toward St. Louis ending six-game losing streak.
Think again.
Tiburcio dug the grave.
He allowed two singles and a walk to the inning's first three batters to load the bases.
Reliever Yeison Santos then allowed the deluge to begin.
He actually struck out Aaron Bracho for the second out.
But, than, his control deserted him.
He hit Vladdy Guerrero Jr. with a pitch to drive in a run.
Alex Richards drew a walk to drive in another run.
John Hardeman drew the third walk of the inning, and second in a row, to plate another run and make it 5-3.
Elian Acosta got the call to the mound, and the second pitch he threw to Baek-ho Kang traveled 430 feet over the wall in left-center for a grand slam and a 7-5 River Sharks' lead.
Cincy starter Josh Sundheim worked five innings, allowing four runs on three hits.
Two of those hits were two-run homers from rookie Steve Kowal.
Michele Vassolotti pitched a scoreless sixth for the Sharks.
Antonio Gonzalez (11-2) worked the seventh and eighth, and would earn the win.
Sean Williams walked two batters in the ninth, but didn't allow a hit as he earned his 27th save.

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Record: 82-60, 1st, 5.5 GA Cedar Rapids
The St. Louis River Walkers continued to find ways to lose -- as their losing streak reached eight games -- with Cincinnati scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the River Sharks to a 5-2 win at Riverfront Stadium (1984).
Pinch-hitter Heston Kjerstad hit a homer off Cincy reliever Joe Blakely in the top of the eighth to put the River Walkers in front 2-1.
But the long ball proved to be St. Louis' demise once again.
Robby Albarran took the mound to begin the bottom of the eighth, and was greeted by a homer from Hector Lucero on the first pitch he threw.
Aaron Bracho followed with a walk.
A sacrifice bunt attempt by Jae-Hong Chang, ended up with both base runners safe.
Andres Hernandez took over and struck out Alex Richards for the inning's second out.
But Vladdy Guerrero Jr. drove a 1-1 pitch 436 feet over the wall in right-center to make it 5-2.
Cincy starting pitcher Jared Kelley allowed one run on three hits over the first 5.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.,
Michele Vassolotti recorded the final out of the sixth.
Blakely (3-1) pitched the seventh and eighth innings, and earned the win.
Jose Alvarado (0.2 IP) and Cole Duensing (0.1) combined to pitch the ninth.
Duensing earned his second save of the season.

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Record: 83-60, 1st, 5.5 GA Cedar Rapids
It took a huge late-game rally, but the St. Louis River Walkers finally snapped their eight-game losing streak with an 12-8 win over Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium (1984).
The victory also helped St. Louis from being swept in its four-game series with the River Sharks.
The Walkers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, only to have Cincinnati moved ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the inning.
The Sharks added four runs in the fifth-- chasing Walkers starting pitcher Zack Hunsicker in the process -- with Gus Trancoso scoring three of the runs with a bases-loaded double to go up 6-1.
St. Louis started its comeback in the sixth, when Daniel Becerra doubled with one out and scored on a two-out balk by Cincy starter Karl Sansom.
The Walkers took a big chunk out of the lead an inning later, scoring three times.
Pinch-hitter Heston Kjerstad plated two of the runs with a triple off reliever Mike Reeves.
Kjestad later scored on a Nathaniel Dixon ground out.
St. Louis broke the game open with seven in the top of the eighth,
Steve Rossi got things rolling when he reached on an error by Sharks first baseman Shaun Young.
The next six St. Louis batters would reach base.
Jordan Groshans drove in the inning's first run with a double off reliever Joe Blakeley.
Thairo Estrada, pinch-hitter Jean Carmona and Dixon all connected for RBI singles off Cole Duensing.
The next run scored on a wild pitch by Duensing.
Ricky Liriano drove in the inning's final two runs with a single.
Hunsicker continued his late-season mound struggles for St. Louis, he lasted five innings allowing six runs on seven hits. He walked five batters.
Robby Albarran, Yeison Santos and Ricky Cisneros all pitched a scoreless inning to get the game to the ninth.
It took three batters to get three outs in the ninth.
Andres Hernandez retired a batter but gave up two hits.
Nick Ruffalo also retired the first batter he faced, but gave up two more hits and as two runs crossed the plate.
That meant closer Ernesto Barbosa had to get the call.
He threw one pitch, getting Tony Esparza, to hit into a fielder's choice and he earned his 23rd save.

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MBL news: Week 23 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 83-61, 1st, 5.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Tied 1-1, Green Bay busted loose for four runs in the top of the sixth inning, and the Mallards rolled on for a 6-1 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Making his first start since a stay on the injured list, Jesse McNaboe pitched fairly well until the bottom three in the Mallards order -- Andy Black, Byron Buxton and pinch-hitter Julio Resendiz -- led off the top of the sixth with three straight singles.
Resendiz hit scored Black to put Green Bay ahead 2-1.
Jordan Lawlar then reached on an error by shortstop Jean Carmona to reload the bases.
That was the end of McNaboe's outing.
With a series of left-handed batters due to bat, southpaw Yeison Santos took over.
Things did not go according to plan.
Kerry Fackleman connected on a fly ball to score Buxton.
Austin Hendrick followed with a double, bringing home Resendiz.
Pavin Smith did strike out for the second out, before Alex Boychuk was granted an intentional walk.
Cory Tiller took over on the mound, and was greeted by a Ben Shuster single, scoring another run.
Hendrick was thrown out at the plate by right fielder Heston Kjerstad to end the inning.
The Mallards added an insurance run in the eighth against Nick Ruffalo.
Lawlar led off the inning with a single. Smith drove him im with a two-out double.
Green Bay starter Ryan Rollison (10-5) worked the first five innings, allowing one run on four hits.
Four relievers -- Josh Bankes (1.0 IP), Steve Nilson (2.0) and Armando Cintron (1.0) -- combined to finish the game.
Nilson recorded all six of his out via strikeouts.
The four Mallards pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts in the game.