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

[rink23]

Record: 83-62, 1st, 4.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Down 1-0, Green Bay put up four runs in the top of the fourth inning -- and that was the end of the scoring -- as the Mallards downed Green Bay 4-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the loss, the River Walkers dropped to 3-13 for September and seen their division lead dropping from 12.5 to 4.5 games over Cedar Rapids.
Ben Shuster got things rolling for Green Bay in the top opf the fifth, hitting a lead-off homer off St. Louis starter Lenyn Crisp.
Alex Boychuk followed with a single, and after Byron Buxton reached on an error by third baseman Jordan Groshans - -on what looked to be an easy double play -- things really got bad.
Andy Black got a bunt down to move the base runners to second and third.
Porter Brown then belted a triple into right field, making it 3-1.
Kerry Fackelman chased Brown home with a fly ball to center.
Mallards starting pitcher Trevor Criswell lasted just two batters before having to leave with an elbow injury.
Six relievers combined to hold St. Louis to a single run over the next 8.2 innings.
Garrett Karp (1-2) got the win, after he finished off the bottom of the first and got the game to the fifth.
Karp did allow the lone RIver Walkers' run in the bottom of the second on an RBI double by Rick Scott.
Ben Hughes pitched scoreless fifth and sixth innings.
After that, it was Gerson Moreno, Scott Rissler and Armando Cintron for an inning apiece to close it out.
Cintron upped his save total to 37.

[rink23]

Record: 84-62, 1st, 4.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Ben Thompson hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off Green Bay's Steve Nilsen, to lift St. Louis to a 3-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win allowed the River Walkers to avoid being swept in the three-game series.
The Mallards had tied the game in the top of the ninth, when Austin Hendrick hit the first pitch from St. Louis closer Ernesto Barbosa 400 feet over the wall in right to tie the game at 2-2.
The Walkers had taken the lead just a half-inning before, when during the bottom of the eighth Mallards reliever Scott Rissler issued three walks, including one to Jean Carmona with the bases loaded to put St. Louis in front by a run.
Walkers starter Angel Tiburcio turned in a strong start allowing four runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out 13 and walked two.
Yeison Santos and Cory Tiller combined on a scoreless eighth.
Barbosa (5-1) gave up the homer in the ninth, marking his second blown save, but still came out with the win.

[rink23]

Record: 85-62, 1st, 5.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Rick Scott hit a two-run homer to give St. Louis the lead, and Izzy San Juan allowed one run over 6.1 innings as the River Walkers downed Cedar Rapids 3-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Phillip Dull led off the top of the third inning with a double off San Juan, and later scored on a Travis Swaggerty fly ball to put Cedar Rapids in front 1-0.
St. Louis grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fifth on Scott's 30th homer of the season, a two-run shot with no outs off Grapplers starter Rodolfo Cervantez.
The Walkers added an insurance run in the eighth when Ben Thompson and Daniel Becerra collected one-out singles off relieve Ivan Alonao.
Thompson scored when Alonzo uncorked a wild pitch.
San Juan (11-8) alllowed one run on six hits over 6.1 innings.
Josh Grissom finished off the seventh inning.
The eighth belonged to Yeison Santos.
Ernesto Barbosa set Cedar Rapids down in order in the ninth for his 24th save.

[rink23]

Record: 86-62, 1st, 6.5 GA Cedar Rapids
St. Louis answered a four-run top of the fifth inning by Cedar Rapids, with six in the bottom half and they rode that to a 9-6 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Trailing 2-1, the Grapplers hit a pair of two-run homers in the top of the inning, as Josiah Miller and Arnold Hammond both drove pitches from Walkers starter Zack Hunsicker over the wall.
St. Louis did that one better, going deep three times in the bottom of the inning.
Ben Thompson struck first with a two-run homer off Grapplers starter Jose Infante.
The inning's third run actually did not come via the long ball
Nathaniel Dixon singled with one out.
He moved to second on a Daniel Becerra ground out, and scored when Steve Rossi singled up the middle.
That spelled the end for Infante.
Nick Morcarski relieved, and 10 pitches later it was 8-5.
Jordan Groshans hit a 1-2 pitched over the wall in left field.
The next batter, Rick Scott, powered a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left center.
It was Scott's second homer of the game, as his solo shot off Infante in the fourth had put St. Louis ahead 2-1.
After Cedar Rapids had pulled within 8-6 in the top of the eighth, the Walkers got that run back in the bottom of the inning.
Three straight singles -- Jared Thomas, Ben Thompson and pinch-hitter Thairo Estrada -- opened the inning off reliever Evan Palmer.
Daniel Becrra plated Thomas with a one-out fly ball.
It was another bad start for the Walkers' Hunsicker, who allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings.
Ricky Cisneros (4-3) worked a scoreless fifth and earned the win.
Cory Tiller handled the sixth.
Robby Albarran worked a scoreless seventh before putting a runner on that would score in the eighth.
Elian Acosta got the final two outs of the eighth.
Yeison Santos sent Cedar Rapids down in order in the ninth for his fourth save.

[rink23]

Record: 87-62, 1st, 7.5 GA Cedar Rapids, Magic No.: 6
Rick Scott hit a 2-2 pitch from Cedar Rapids reliever Ivan Alonzo 418 feet over the wall in right field in the bottom of the ninth inning, to give St. Louis a 5-4 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
It was the fourth homer of the three-game series for Scott, and gave them a sweep of the Grapplers, who sit in second-place in the National League South Division some 7.5 games behind St. Louis with 13 games remaining.
The Grapplers had tied the game in the top of the ninth when pinch-hitter Josh Friedman led off with a solo homer off Walkers closer Ernesto Barbosa.
It marked his third blown save of the season.
Much, much earlier the Walkers had gone up 4-0 with a big first inning.
The outburst featured a pair of homers.
The inning's second batter, Daniel Becerra hit a solo homer. Jean Carmona later hit a three-run homer, both off Grapplers starter Pablo Lopez.
Cedar Rapids didn't go away.
Steven Williams hit a two-run homer off St. Louis starter Lenyn Crisp in the top of the second.
Josiah Miller went deep against rookie Nick Ruffalo in the eighth, pulling the Grapplers to within 4-3.
St. Louis had a short leash on starter Lenyn Crisp, and when he got into trouble in the fourth, runners on first and second with one out, it lifted him.
In his 3.1 innings, Crisp allowed two runs two hits.
Ricky Cisneros took over and wiggled out of the fourth-inning jam. He also recorded the first two outs of the fifth before giving way to Cory Tiller.
Tiller got the final out of the fifth and made quick work of three batters in the Grapplers' sixth.
Elian Acosta did the same in the seventh for the Walkers.
Ruffalo, a rookie, gave up a one-out homer to Miller in the eighth before issuing an intentional walk to Jose Morillo.
Josh Grissom replaced Ruffalo and got out of the inning with the score still 4-3.
Barbosa gave up the long ball to tie it to open the ninth.
He retired the next three.
Barbosa (6-1) earned the win.

[rink23]

MBL news: Week 24 -- Awards and standings

[rink23]

Record: 88-62, 1st, 8.5 GA Cedar Rapids, Magic No.: 4
St. Louis busted out of the gate with five runs in the top of the first inning -- and led 9-0 before Twin Cities even got on the board -- as the River Walkers on 9-4 at Metropolitan Stadium (1977).
St. Louis put seven of its first eight batters on bases -- featuring six singles, a hit by pitch and a walk -- before pitcher Jesse McNaboe made the second out, albeit with a sac bunt which scored a run.
That ended the outing of Twin Cities starting pitcher Jason Wasniewski, who had already surrendered RBI singles to Steve Rossi, Jean Carmona, Steve Kowal and Ricky Liriano.
Carmona drove in his second run of the game in the second inning, with a triple off of Cats reliever Noah Cutrona.
Jordan Groshans made it 9-1 with a three-run homer off Jim Messina in the sixth.
McNaboe (11-5) worked 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits.
Robby Albarran handled the next 1.2 innings.
Nick Ruffalo allowed a meaningless run in the ninth.

[rink23]

Record: 89-62, 1st, 9.5 GA Cedar Rapids, Magic No.: 2
Nathaniel Dixon drove in a run with a two-out single in the bottom of the 10th inning to snap a 2-2 tie, and St. Louis survived a hairy bottom of the inning to win 3-2 at Metropolian Stadium (1977).
Snow Cats reliever Jesse Gaither retired the first two River Walkers batters in the top of the 10th.
Twin Cities had lost its starting pitcher Hunter Barco just two batters into the game and already was dealing with a fatigued bullpen.
However, Rick Scott got things moving with a single, and Jean Carmona followed with a walk.
A wild pitch moved the base runners to second and third.
Dixon followed with his single, scoring Scott although Carmona was gunned down at the plate.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Walkers turned to closer Ernesto Barbosa, and his recent struggles continued.
Aaron Watson led off the inning by reaching on an error by shortstop Jean Carmona.
After a flyout by Alvaro Lovato, Barbosa walked Patrick Winkel followed by a single by Ric Roggio which loaded the bases.
Barbosa reached back to strike out Jim Peebles.
Mike Sartain followed with a ground out, giving Barbosa his 25th save.
A two-run homer from Jordan Groshans in the top of the sixth off Nick Wilson had planted the Walkers with a 2-1 lead.
Robbie Mackie tied it with a solo homer off Tiburcio in the seventh.
Tiburcio had another good start, but another no decision, he allowed two runs on three hits in eight innings. He struck out nine and didn't walk a batter.
Yeison Santos (0.2 IP) and Josh Grissom (0.1) combined on a scoreless ninth.
Grissom (5-0) earned the win.

[rink23]

The St. Louis River Walkers are set to welcome center fielder Jose Segura to their lineup after he missed eight weeks with a partially torn labrum.
Segura, who was injured in a July 28 game against, Louisville, ranked among the National League leaders in home runs (30) and RBIs (79) at the time of his injury.
Overall, he had played in 91 games and was hitting .229.
Segura, 26, did get in one rehab game with AAA Memphis, going 2 for 5 with two runs scored and a two-run homer as the Redbirds defeated Reno 10-0 to win Game 5 of the Pacific Coast League World Series.
Outfielder Steve Kowal will be removed from the major league roster.
Kowal, 25, got into 20 games with the Walkers batting .264 with four homers and 12 RBIs.

[rink23]

A three-run home run from Tim Tawa capped a six-run bottom of the sixth inning, and Fort Wayne went on to defeat Indianapolis 6-2 and clinch the American League West Division title.
The Mad Men own a 12-game advantage over second-place Grand Rapids with 12 games remaining.
Fort Wayne also has virtually wrapped up home-field advantage in the American League Championship Series, as the best AL East leader Cleveland (85-56) can do is hope to tie the Mad Men for the AL's best mark.
The playoff berth is the fourth for Fort Wayne, and its first since 2028 when the Mad Men won their only title.

[rink23]

Record: 90-62, 1st, 10.5 GA Cedar Rapids; NL Central champions
Jordan Groshans with 4 for 5 with a homer, four runs scored and two RBIs as St. Louis downed Twin Cities 10-8 at Metropolitan Stadium (1977).
The victory completed a three-game sweep for the River Walkers over the first-place team in the National League North Division.
It also clinched the NL South title for St. Louis as it sits 10.5 games ahead of second-place Cedar Rapids with 10 games remaining.
The Walkers own a three-game lead over the Snow Cats for the best record in the NL.
It is the second division title for St. Louis and its seventh overall since the formation of the Midwest Baseball League in 2018.
The Walkers last won the World Series in 2025, but were runners-up in 2026, 2028 and 2030.
St. Louis jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a big first inning against Cats starting pitcher Avery Williams.
Daniel Becerra hit one of their four homers in the game, while Groshans and the just-returned Jose Segura both had RBI doubles.
But Twin Cities pulled to within 3-2 with two runs off Walkers starter Izzy San Juan in the third.
St. Louis got one of those runs back in the sixth, Rick Scott with a two-out double off Noah Cutrona to score Groshans, who had opened the inning with a single.
A solo homer from Mike Sartain off San Juan int he sixth made it 4-3.
However, the Walkers seemed to put the game out of reach with three-spots in both the eighth and ninth.
Jean Carmona hit a three-run homer off Brian Hollister in the eighth, while the ninth featured solo homers from Groshans and Scott (both off Nicio Rodriguez) and a pinch-hit run scoring double from Heston Kjerstad off Nick Wilson.
But Twin Cites made it interesting with five runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Eddie Estrella hit a two-run homer off Argenis Batista while Jim Peeble cranked a three-run shot off Elian Acosta.
But Acosta struck around and got Drew Bowser to fly out to end it.

[rink23]

Record: 90-63, 1st, 10 Ga Springfield and Cedar Rapids; NL South champs
Josh McDonald shut out St. Louis over the first six innings and a trio of relievers did the same over the final three, as Ann Arbor downed the River Walkers 2-0 at Crosley Field (1958).
McDonald scattered five hits in his six innings. He struck out six and walked three.
Dylan Cloonan, Mason Montgomery and Joey Thacker each handled an inning.
Thacker, a former River Walker, earned his 31st save.
The Wolf Pack got the only run it turned it out they would need in the bottom of the first when Jorge Gill hit a two-out solo homer off St. Louis starter Zack Hunsicker.
Jorge Gill also scored Ann Arbor's second run after he drew a lead-off walk from Hunsicker in the fourth.
He scored when the next batter, Jovan Gill, doubled.

[rink23]

Record: 91-63, 1st, 10 GA Springfield and Cedar Rapids
Trailing 2-0, St. Louis scored three times in the top of the ninth inning, and went on to defeat Ann Arbor 3-2 at Crosley Field (1958).
After having earned a save in the previous night's victory, the River Walkers this time got to Wolf Pack closer Joey Thacker.
Thacker, who Ann Arbor acquired from St. Louis in a trade, walked Rick Scott to open the inning.
Thairo Estrada followed with a single, and after pinch-hitter Steve Sullivan drew a walk the bases were filled with no outs.
Thacker struck out Ben Thompson for the first out.
But Daniel Becerra got his bat on the ball, with a single to score Scott.
Jose Segura followed with a double, scoring two and putting St. Louis in front 3-2.
Walkers starter Lenyn Crisp went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out four but was hurt by four walks.
Rookie Nick Ruffalo got Crisp out of a sixth inning jam, recording a pair of outs with runners on first and second.
Robby Albarran, Argenis Batista and Cory Tiller all recorded two outs to cover three innings and get the game to the ninth.
Closer Ernesto Barbosa set the Wolf Pack down in order for his 26th save.

[rink23]

Record: 91-61, 1st, 9 GA Springfield and Cedar Rapids
St. Louis reliever Josh Grissom picked a bad time for what was probably his worst outing of the season, allowing four straight batters to reach bases to open the bottom of the eighth inning.
It paved the way for a seven-run inning for the Wolf Pack, who downed the River Walkers 7-3 at Crosley Field (1958).
Wenceel Perez got things rolling for Ann Arbor with a lead-off single off Grissom.
Brandon Comia followed with another single, as did Brian Mundell, which also featured an error by left fielder Nathaniel Dixon, as Perez scored to make it 3-2.
Kyle Westfall followed with a fourth straight single, this time scoring, two and putting the Pack ahead 4-3.
That also ended Grissom's outing.
But the fun was not over.
RJ Teijeiro greeted new St. Louis pitcher Ricky Cisneros with another single, the fifth in a row, this one putting runners at the corners.
Jorge Gil drew a walk to fill the bases.
Cisneroes struck out Drew Mendoza for the first out.
But Troy Smallwood plated a pair with a double.
Ramon Montes drove home Gil with a fly ball to left.
Ann Arbor starting pitcher Javier Vargas allowed three runs on six hits in four innings.
Jeremy Sudbury handled the next two innings, without incident.
Marcos Correa, Dylan Cloonan and Adam Wilkes all worked scoreless innings.
Cloonan (1-2) came out of it with the win.

[rink23]

MBL news: Week 25 -- Awards and standings

[rink23]

Record: 93-64, 1st, 10.5 GA Springfield and Cedar Rapids
Izzy San Juan limited Quad City to a run over the first 6.2 innings, and St. Louis downed the Thunder 4-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
San Juan (13-8) allowed one run -- on an RBI single from Chase Davis in the sixth inning that made it 3-1 -- on six hits. He struck out two and walked one.
The left-hander exited in the seventh inning after allowing a two-out hit to Bobby Wescott.
Andres Hernandez took over and struck out Paul Totten to end the inning.
River Walkers reliever Josh Grissom issued a lead-off walk in the eighth before recording a pair of outs.
Yeison Santos took over and struck out Davis with a runner on second to end the inning.
St. Louis closer Ernesto Barbosa was perfect in the ninth for his 27th save.
A two-out walk to Jose Segura from Thunder starter Bob Rios, followed by a Jordan Groshans double set up the game's first run in the bottom of the third.
Seguara scored when Rios uncorked a wild pitch on his first pitch to Steve Rossi.
San Juan and Nathaniel Dixon opened the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back doubles off Rios.
Daniel Becerra scored Dixon when he followed with a single.
Steve Rossi hit his 30th homer of the season in the eighth, off QC reliever Alex Claudio, to wrap up the scoring.

[rink23]

Walkers news: Oct. 1 -- Player Development Update

[rink23]

MBL news: Oct. 1 -- Top Player and Pitcher awards for September

[rink23]

MBL news: Oct. 1 -- Top Rookie Awards for September and standings

[rink23]

MBL news: Oct. 1 -- American League leaders