2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 5-9, 5th (Tied/w. Quad City), 5.5 GB Des Moines
Bao-qing Chou hit a walk-off pinch-hit home run with nobody outs in the bottom of the ninth off St. Louis closer Ernesto Barbosa, to give Peoria a 6-4 win at Globe Life Park.
Barbosa failed to retire any of the batters he faced in the ninth, allowing singles to Victor Solano and Jon Leon before Chou belted the first pitch he saw 395 feet over the wall in right field to win it for the Rivermen.
Down 3-0 after Peoria had scored three times in the bottom of the first off St. Louis starter Xavier Wigfield, the Walkers took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth on a two-run homer from Nathaniel Dixon off Peoria starter Enrique Castillo.
A two-run double from Ryan Palmer had highlighted the Rivermen's three-run outburst.
Castillo allowed four runs on six hits over 7.1 innings. He struck out eight and didn't walked a batter.
Joey Simmons recorded the final four outs for Peoria, striking out three of them.

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Record: 5-10, 7th, 7.5 GB Des Moines
Victor Solano hit a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning off St. Louis reliever Yeison Santos to lift Peoria to a 6-5 win at Globe Life Field.
The win was the second in a row for the Rivermen which came in their final at bat, and it allowed them to complete a three-game sweep of the River Men.
St. Louis also has dropped five straight games.
Trailing 5-4, Peoria did all of its damage with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Pinch-hitter Josh Wood got things rolling with a two-out single off reliever Luke Dunkin.
Santos then took over and allowed a pinch-hit single to Jon Leon.
Randy Underhill then entered the game as a pinch-runner for Wood.
Solano then belted his double on an 0-2 pitch lining into the gap in left-center field.
At one point Peoria led 3-1 only to have the Walkers rally to take the lead.
Nathaniel Dixon hit an RBI double off Rivermen starter Shane Drago in the fifth.
Nick Shaw led off the sixth with a double off Drago and scored on a Jose Ramirez fly ball to tie the game.
The Walkers' lead grew to 5-3 in the seventh.
Alex Greene drove in a run with a triple off Drago and later scored on a Jared Thomas single.
Ryan Palmer connected for an RBI double off reliever Nick Ruffalo in the seventh, pulling the Rivermen to within 5-4.

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Record: 6-10, 6th, 6.5 GB Des Moines
Tied 2-2, St. Louis exploded for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and the River Walkers went on to defeat Kansas City 7-3 at Busch Stadium (2006).
After seeing lead-off batter be retired, the Walkers put six straight batters -- starting off with five consecutive hits -- Jae-hong Chang drove in the first run with a double.
Nathaniel Dixon collected the second with a single.
Jared Thomas did the rest with a three-run homer.
All of the run-scoring hits came off Monarchs reliever Mike Goodkin.
Despite the win, it was a rough game for the St. Louis pitching staff.
Angel Tiburcio lasted two innings, allowing two runs on four hits in the process, before having to exit with back tightness.
Ricky Cisneros replaced him and lasted just three batters before being pulled with a shoulder injury.
The left-hander will be sent to the injured list and could miss up to six weeks.
Josh Forgy (2-0) picked up the slack with 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed just one hit.
Scott Risler pitched the eighth, giving up a run.
Luke Dunkin gave up two hits, but no runs in the ninth.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed left-handed relief pitcher Ricky Cisneros on the injured list with a shoulder injury after he was forced to leave their 7-3 win over Kansas City on April 22.
Cisneros is expected to miss up to six weeks with the injury.
The 28-year-old has pitched in six games this season, going 1-0 with a 12.27 ERA.
In his career, Cisneros, who also has served as a starter, has gone 30-28 with 4.39 ERA in 271 games for St. Louis.
Getting the callup from AAA Memphis, and making his debut in the majors, is 29-year-old left-hander Jonathan Lucas.
Lucas has pitched in four games for Memphis this season, posting no record and a 2.57 ERA.
A 12th-round selection in the 2026 draft, Lucas owns a career mark of 27-19 with 81 saves in 345 minor league games.
His career ERA is 3.42.

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Record: 7-10, 5th, 5.5 GB Des Moines
Jesse McNaboe limited Kansas City to one run over seven innings, and St. Louis jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and the River Walkers went on for a 2-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
McNaboe (1-2) picked up his first win of the season, limiting the Monarchs to one run -- Adrian Del Castillo connected on an RBI double in the top of the third to make it 2-1 -- on eight hits. He struck out seven and didn't issue a walk.
Nick Ruffalo set the Monarchs down in order in the eighth.
Ernesto Barbosa did the same in the ninth for his fourth save.
St. Louis jumped out 1-0 in the bottom of the first.
Alex Greene opened the inning with a lead-off walk.
A bunt by Glenallen Hill Jr. moved him to second.
Greene scored on a Jose Ramirez single.
An inning later, Thairo Estrada led off with a double off KC starter Travis Rinker.
Another bunt, this one from Jovan Gill, moved Estrada to third.
McNaboe drove him home with a one-out single.

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Record: 8-10, 4th, 5.5 GB Des Moines
St. Louis hit three home runs in the first three innings, and rode that to a 4-2 win over Kansas City at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win gave the River Walkers a sweep of their three-game series of the Monarchs.
Jared Thomas connected for the first long ball, a solo shot with one out in the bottom of the second inning off KC starting pitcher Alexis Yanez.
The Monarchs tied it in the top of the third -- it also came via the home run -- as Ramon Puente took St. Louis starter Zack Hunsicker deep with two outs.
The Walkers reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third with a pair of blasts.
They came back-to-back.
Jose Ramirez struck first with a two-run homer off Yanez.
Nick Shaw followed two pitches later with a solo shot.
Hunsicker (1-2) turned in his best outing of the season, allowing two runs on five hits over 6.1 innings.
Cory Tiller finished the seventh inning for St. Louis.
Yeison Santos pitched around a walk in the eighth.
Ernesto Barbosa bounced back from a blown save in his previous outing, with a scoreless inning for his fifth save.

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MBL news: Week 3 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 8-11, 4th, 6.5 GB Des Moines
Already leading 2-0, Cedar Rapids pounded St. Louis starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall for five runs in the top of the fourth inning and rode that to a 8-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
The Grapplers jumped in front with single runs in the second and third innings.
Jordan Batista scored the second-inning run after he drew a lead-off walk.
A single from David Henderson moved him to second.
A two-out single from Rodolfo Cervantez made it 1-0 Cedar Rapids.
An inning later, Jose Morillo singled off Wigfall with one out. He later scored on a double by Batista.
In their five-run fourth, Morillo did much of the heavy lifting with a grand slam to make it 6-0.
Henderson later made it 7-0 with a double to score Eric Gerhardt, who had followed Morillo's slam with a walk.
Morillo would strike again, hitting a second homer this one leading off the sixth off Yeison Santos to make it 8-1.
Cervantez (2-1) worked seven innings, allowing one run on eight hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Cristofe Tineo took care of the final two innings without allowing a run.

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Record: 8-12, 5th, 7.5 GB Des Moines
Cedar Rapids scored five runs over the first three innings against St. Louis starting pitcher Jerry Tate, and the Grapplers rode that to a 7-2 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Eric Garhardt set things in motion for Cedar Rapids, hitting a two-out homer off Tate in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0.
Cedar Rapids struck for two more runs in both the second and third.
Travis Swaggerty led off the second with a double.
He scored when Jordan Batista followed with a single.
Batista later scored on a two-out single from Jose Morillo.
Batista struck again in the third with a two-run homer off Tate to make it 5-0.
It's lead down to 5-2, Batista capped his big day with a two-run single of Jonathan Lucas, who was making his major league debut, in the seventh to give the Grapplers a 7-2 lead.
Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Ivan Alonzo (1-2) earned his first win of the season.
He went five innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Four relievers -- Jose Alvarado (1.1 IP), Joel Glenn (0.2), David McLoughlin (1.1) and Alex Tapia (0.2) -- combined to finish the game without allowing a run.

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Record: 9-12, 5th, 7.5 GB Des Moines
Tied 5-5, Alex Greene hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of Cedar Rapids' Joel Glenn, giving St. Louis a 6-5 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
The homer allowed the River Walkers to avoid being swept in the three-game series by the Grapplers.
St. Louis overcame deficits of 3-0 and 4-2 while earning the win.
The Walkers trailed 4-2 before scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth.
Nick Shaw had an RBI double, Daniel Becerra a run-scoring single and Thairo Estrada drove in a run with a ground out, all coming off Cedar Rapids reliever Billy Weiner.
The Grapplers tied it in the top of the ninth when Tim Jurgensen hit a lead-off homer off St. Louis closer Ernesto Barbosa.
St. Louis starter Angel Tiburcio turned in one of his better starts of the season, but still was not very good.
He allowed four runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked one, while also throwing three wild pitches.
Cory Tiller and Nick Ruffalo both scored scoreless innings to get the game to the ninth.
Barbosa (1-0) blew his second save, but netted his first win thanks to Greene.

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Record: 10-13, 5th, 7.5 GB Des Moines
Akron pounded St. Louis starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe for seven runs in a little over an inning, and the Flying Feet downed the River Walkers 8-6 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Aided by two walks and a passed ball, Akron scored three times in the top of the first inning.
The game's first run, courtesy of Enrique Bradford who had led off the game with a single, scored on that passed ball.
Robby Martin plated the other two with a two-out double.
After the Walkers had scored a pair in the bottom of the first on a home run by Nick Shaw off Feet starting pitcher Jeremy Bangs, Akron tallied four times in the top of the second.
Harry Cummings led off the inning with a homer.
John Polk later provided a three-run blast which made it 7-2, and ended McNaboe's time on the mound.
Jovan Gill hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the second off Bangs, pulling St. Louis to within 7-4.
An RBI double from Danny Morrison with two outs in the top of the fourth off reliever Josh Forgy made it 8-4.
The Walkers did pull to within 8-6, but failed to score against the Akron bullpen over the final three innings.
Bangs endured a sluggish 4.2 innings in his start, allowing five runs on six hits.
Danny Espino finished the fifth and worked the sixth, allowing another run.
Matt Arnold, Tyler Williams and Phil Luis all pitched scoreless innings of relief.
Luis earned his second save.

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Record: 9-14, 5th, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Trailing 3-2, Akron put up single tallies in the seventh and eighth innings, and went on to defeat St. Louis 4-3 at Busch Stadium (2006).
A pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning off Flying Feet starting pitcher Orland Claude had put the River Walkers up 3-2.
That lasted until the seventh, when Akron tied it on a two-out home run from Jimmy Johnson off St. Louis reliever Cory Tiller.
An inning later, the Feet got to Tiller again.
Adam Vargas led off the inning with a single.
He scored what would be the game-winning run two batters later on a John Polk double.
Claude worked five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
James Carney (1-1) got his first win of the season after two innings of scoreless relief.
Matt Arnold and Phil Luis closed the game with an inning apiece of silent relief.
Luis earned his third save.

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Record: 10-14, 5th, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Daniel Becerra homered twice and Nick Shaw once over the first four innings, staking St. Louis to a 5-0 lead, and the River Walkers went on to defeat Akron 9-3 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Scoreless, Becerra put St. Louis up 1-0 with a solo homer off Flying Feet starting pitcher Jesus Pinto with one out in the bottom of the third.
Later in the inning, Glenallen Hill Jr. made it 2-0 with an RBI double.
In the third, Nick Shaw led off the inning with his fourth homer of the season.
Not long after, Becerra launched his sixth of the season -- a two-run shot -- as the St. Louis lead reached 5-0.
A three-run top of the sixth against Walkers starter Xavier Wigfall -- Jimmy Johnson led off the inning with a homer and Robby Martin (doubled) and Adam Vargas (single) later drove in runs -- to pull Akron within 6-3.
The Walkers busted it back open again with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Alex Greene plated the final two with a single off Feet reliever Cole Duensing.
Wigfall(2-2) was pretty good, with five shutout innings, before running out of gas in the sixth.
The young right-hander allowed three runs on five hits in 5.2 innings.
Jonathan Lucas had to come on to get the final out of the sixth.
Luke Dunkin (1.2 IP), Yeison Santos (0.1) and Nick Ruffalo (1.0) combined to shutout Akron the rest of the way.

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Walkers news: May 1 -- Player Development Report

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MBL news: May 1 -- Players and Pitchers of the Month for April 2033

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MBL news: May 1 -- Rookies of the Month for April 2033 and standings

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MBL news: May 1 -- American League leaders

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MBL news: May 1 -- National League leaders

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Walkers news: May 1 -- Team statistics for April 2033

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Player of the Month: Nick Shaw -- The 24-year-old first baseman batted .334 with four homers, 17 RBIs and 12 runs scored in 24 games. He got on base at a .417 clip and slugged .541.
Starting Pitcher of the Month: Xavier Wigfield -- The 24-year-old right-hander went 2-2 in five starts with a 5.02 ERA. He pitched 28.2 innings, during which he had a1.43 WHIP and struck out 26.
Relief Pitcher of the Month: Josh Forgy -- The 28-year-old lefty was 2-0 in nine appearances posting a 0.64 ERA over 14 innings. He struck out nine and had a 0.64 WHIP.