2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 64-80, 6th, 25.5 GB Des Moines
Hisanori Yasuda hit a two-run home run off St. Louis starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe in the bottom of the second inning to stake Louisville to a 2-0 lead, and the Sluggers never trailed downing the River Walkers 6-1 at Dodger Stadium.
Bradley Mondesir got on back in front of Yasuda in the bottom of the second inning with a one-out single.
Yasuda then followed with his sixth home run of the season, a 389 foot shot over the right-field wall.
The Sluggers went up 3-0 in the fourth with another run of McNaboe.
Mondesir scored for the second time, after he singled with one out.
A Yasuda ground out moved Mondesir to second.
He scored on a two-out single by Jario Diaz.
It's lead at 3-1, Louisville broke the game open with a three-run bottom of the sixth.
Gamaliel Gonzalez got it rolling with a lead-off single off Zachary Stella.
The rest came against Stephen Von Lehmden.
With two outs and one on. Dan Boyle singled to score Gonzalez and make it 4-1.
Boyle moved to third on a wild pitch while Chris Hyman was at the plate.
Hyman drew a walk, as did Bobby Chapman to load the bases.
Mondesir completed his big day with a two-run single.
Louisville starting pitcher Tony Arroyo worked the first five innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out five and walked five.
Victor Ortiz and Corey Wood both pitched one scoreless inning.
Grayson Rodriguez pitched a scoreless eighth and got the first out of the ninth.
Joe Wahl handled the rest in a non-save situation.

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Record: 65-80, 6th, 25.5 GB Des Moines
Tied 5-5, St. Louis scored single runs in the fifth and seventh innings and the River Walkers went on to defeat Louisville 7-6 at Dodger Stadium.
The Walkers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning -- Jared Thomas with a two-run double and Daniel Becerra with a two-run single off Sluggers starting pitcher Esteban Serma -- only to see Bobby Chapman cut that advantage in half with a two-run homer off Angel Tiburcio in the bottom of the inning.
St. Louis extended its lead to 5-2 in the top of the third when Nick Shaw homered off Serna.
It didn't take long for the Sluggers to tie it, as they got a two-run homer from Dan Boyle and solo shot from Chase Davis off Tiburcio in the bottom of the third.
It remained tied until the top of the fifth.
The Walkers took the lead when Freudis Nova led off with a single off reliever Elvis Pool.
Nova stole second and later scored on a two-out single by Kevin Melendez.
St. Louis went ahead 7-5 in the top of the seventh.
Wayne McHaney drew a one-out walk from Willie Mendoza and scored when Shaw doubled.
Louisville got back to within a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Jario Diaz led off with a single off Tiburcio.
He scored on a two-out single by Chris Ring off St. Louis reliever Scott Rissler.
That, however, was the end of the scoring.
Tiburcio (9-8) pitched 6.1 innings. allowing six runs on 10 hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Josh Forgy got the second out of the seventh, before being replaced by Scott Rissler.
Rissler worked a scoreless eighth.
Nick Ruffalo set the Sluggers down in order in the ninth for his 12th save.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed outfielder Jose Segura and catcher Jared Thomas on the injured list, after both had to leave their 7-6 win over Louisville on Sept. 12.
Segura, 29, suffered a back injury in the game. He could miss up to two weeks.
In 125 games this season, Segura has hit .237 with 26 homers and 74 RBIs.
Thomas, 33, suffered a knee injury in the game against Louisville.
Thomas has played in 109 games this season for St. Louis, hitting .254 with nine homers and 43 RBIs.
Coming up from AAA Memphis, which is in the midst of the Pacific Coast League playoffs, are outfielder Jose Ramirez and catcher Zach Wenman.
Ramirez, 31, was on a rehab assignment with the Redbirds, and has not played in the majors since July 25 because of a strained oblique.
The veteran outfielder has batted just .203 with nine homers and 38 RBIs in 88 games this season.
Wenman, 25, will be making his second trip to St. Louis.
Earlier, he got into four games for the Walkers batting .333 with three RBIs.
At Memphis in 2034, Wenman has batted .270 with two homers and 49 RBIs in 91 games.

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Record: 66-80, 6th, 25.5 GB Des Moines
Trailing 3-1, St. Louis scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning and went on to defeat Louisville 6-3 at Dodger Stadium.
The victory was the second in a row for the River Walkers to close out the three-game series.
St. Louis got its first run in the top of the seventh to cut into a 3-0 deficit.
Daniel Becerra and Zach Wenman had consecutive one-out singles off Sluggers starting pitcher Kirby McIntyre.
Becerra later scored on a two-out single by Dan Hillard.
The Walkers went right to work against Louisville reliever Willie Mendoza in the top of the ninth, lashing out three-straight singles from Jose Ramirez, Becerra and Wenman.
Noah Cutrona took over the mound duties and got Chris Duncan to fly out for the first out.
Cutrona walked Wayne McHaney before striking out Nathaniel Dixon for the second out.
Corey Wood took over and immediately found trouble with a walk of Freudis Nova to drive in a run.
He then threw a pitch which got past catcher Jacob Campbell to score another un.
Hector Tavarez followed with a double which plated a pair and make it 6-3.
St. Louis starting pitcher Shane Drogo allowed two runs on three hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Luke Dunkin finished the sixth, allowing Louisville's final run of the game.
Justin O'Rourke pitched two scoreless innings.
Stephen Von Lehmden handled the ninth and earned his first save since joining the Walkers.

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Record: 67-80, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 25 GB Des Moines
St. Louis scored five runs in the fifth inning -- turning a 1-0 lead into 5-0 -- and the River Walkers went on to defeat Rockford at Busch Stadium (2006).
Rookie catcher Zach Wenman put St. Louis ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the second with an RBI double off Lightning starting pitcher Melvin Chavez.
Wenman also played a role in the Walkers' big fifth inning.
Wayne McHaney led off the inning with a single, and batting next, Wenman doubled to put runners at second and third.
Chavez retired the next batter, but pitcher Justin O'Rourke got down a bunt to score McHaney.
Chavez then walked Nova to load the bases.
He followed that with another walk, this one to Daniel Becerra, to score Wenman and make it 3-0.
Ricky Cisneros, a long-time Walker, took over for Chavez, and after retiring Tavarez gave up a two-run single to Nick Shaw.
Ramirez drove in another run with a single.
St. Louis later added single runs in the sixth -- Wenman singled and scored on a Dan Hillard ground out -- and eighth -- Daniel Becerra with an RBI single off Ferrie Stolk -- to complete the rout.
Walkers starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall exited the game in the second inning with an undisclosed injury.
It is the right-hander's second significant injury of the season.
The bullpen did the rest for the Walkers -- Zachary Stella (3.0 IP), Justin O'Rourke (1.2), Oscar Martinez (1.2), Stephen Von Lehmden (0.1) and Josh Forgy (1.0) -- with Stella (1-3) earning his first save of the season.

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Record: 67-81, 6th, 25 GB Des Moines
Rockford got solo home runs from Wade Martin and Blaze Jordan and that was enough to carry the Lightning to a 2-1 win over St. Louis at Busch Stdium (2006).
The River Walkers got a solo shot from Hector Tavarez off Lightning starting pitcher Miguel Cisneros in the bottom of the first, staking them to an early 1-0 lead.
Martin tied it in the top of the second, a lead-off shot off St. Louis starter Jim Martin, it was his 38th homer of the season.
Jordan then delivered the homer which would win it, in the fourth his 40th, it was a one-out homer also off Martin.
Cisneros (7-9) pitched the first six innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.
After that, it was an inning apiece from Omari Gordon, Mario Serna and Nate Green.
Green raised his save total for the season to 40.

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Record: 68-81, 5th, 24 GB Des Moines
Down 1-0, St. Louis scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on to defeat Rockford 3-1 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win gave the River Walkers' victories in the final two games of the three-game series.
The outburst began with back-to-back doubles from Daniel Becerra and Dan Hillard off Lightning starting pitcher Gregg Krawczyk, tying the game at 1-1.
Wayne McHaney was then given an intentional walk.
Krawczyk got Hector Tavarez to fly out.
But Nick Shaw followed with the third double of the inning, scoring both runners to put St. Louis ahead 3-1.
Walkers starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe (8-8) worked a strong first six innings, allowing one run on two hits. He did strike out three while walking four.
Luke Dunkin pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Scott Rissler (0.2 IP) and Nick Ruffalo (0.1) combined on a scoreless eighth.
Zachary Stella earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

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MBL news: Week 22 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 68-82, 6th, 24 GB Des Moines
Springfield homered three times off St. Louis starting pitcher Angel Tiburcio in the first two innings to build a 6-1 lead, the Railers went on to defeat the River Walkers 8-5 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Joseph Hughes got things rolling for the Railers, with a two-run shot off Tiburcio with two outs in the first inning.
With its lead down to 2-1, Springfield used the long ball again in the second getting a three-run homer from Marty Park and a solo shot from Ryan West to make it 6-1.
Billy Salas hit a solo homer off Justin O'Rourke in the fifth to later make it 7-2.
St. Louis would try to get back into it after falling behind, as a two-rn homer from Daniel Becerra in the bottom of the fifth pull it to within 7-4.
The Railers got that run back in the top of the sixth on an RBI double from Hughes off reliever O'Rourke.
A solo homer from the Walkers' Hector Taveras, off Cristian Sanchez in the bottom of the seventh, capped the scoring.
Railers starting pitcher Marcos Zaragoza (14-9) lasted 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.
Zaragoza struck out six and walked two.
Sanchez (1.2 IP), Alan Albanese (1.0) and Jon Santiago (1.0) combined to close out the game.
Santiago earned his 42nd save.

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As if the 2034 season has not been bad enough, the St. Louis River Walkers have already gotten some bad news when it comes to next season.
Right-handed starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall has been diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow and is expected to be out for up to 14 months.
The 2034 season had been a pretty good one for the 25-year-old Wigfall, who went 9-8 in his 22 starts with a 2.71 ERA.

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Record: 68-83, 6th, 25 GB Des Moines
Raul Ahumada handled the first six innings, and a trio of relievers did the rest as Springfield shut out St. Louis 3-0 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Ahumada (8-1) scattered four hits over his six innings. He struck out three and walked one.
After that, it was a scoreless inning apiece for Alan Albanese, Carlos Aguirre and Jon Santiago to close out the whitewashing.
Santiago posted his 43rd save.
The Railers broke open a scoreless game with a pair of runs off River Walkers starting pitcher Shane Drago in the top of the fifth.
Springfield got three straight singles -- from Matthew Lugo, Hideaki Taguchi and Billy Salas to open the inning, Salas hit drove in the game's first run -- to open the frame.
Dylan Crews later scored Taguchi with a fly ball to center.
The Railers got their third run an inning later.
Bon Rortvedt led off with a single off reliever Josh Forgy.
A bunt by Ahumada moved Rortvedt to second.
Matthew Lugo planted him at third with a single.
The inning's third single, this one from Taguchi, scored Rortvedt to make it 3-0.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have added four players from the roster of the AAA Memphis Redbirds to their roster for the final 11 games of the season.
The Redbirds just completed a three-game sweep of Reno in the Pacific Coast League championship series.
Memphis went 90-49 in the regular season, and then defeated Iowa 3-1 in the first-round of the PCL playoffs.
Those players getting called up are:
Third baseman: Bob Saavedra -- The 23-year-old spent just the last 70 games of the regular season in Memphis, but played a huge role batting .361 with five homers and 44 RBIs in those 70 games.
Saavedra also had a huge postseason batting .517 with four runs scored and three RBIs in seven games.
This will be Saavedra's first time in the majors.
Relief pitcher: David Amocacci -- The right-hander pitched in 32 games for the Redbirds, going 4-0 with eight saves and a 1.36 ERA.
The 26-year-old Amocacci did spend some time with the Walkers this season, getting into seven games durin which he was 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA.
Relief pitcher: Greg Sones -- The left-hander began the season in St. Louis before getting sent down to Memphis where he served as the Redbirds primary closer.
In 39 games at AAA, the 26-year-old Sones was 2-4 with 28 saves and 1.88 ERA.
During his time in the majors, Sones got into nine games for St. Louis. He accumulated no record or saves and had a 3.68 ERA.
Starting pitcher: Tom McClurg -- The 30-year-old left hander went 4-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 11 starts for Memphis.
He did not pitch in the majors for St. Louis in 2034, did make one start in 2033. He did not receive a decision in that game, but did boast a 11.25 ERA at game's end.

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Record: 69-83, 6th, 25 GB Des Moines
Trailing 4-3, St. Louis scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Springfield 7-4 and avoid getting swept in a three-game series at Busch Stadium (2006).
A pair of walks -- one-out passes to Nick Shaw and Jose Ramirez from relief pitcher Carlos Aguirre -- got things rolling for the River Walkers in the bottom of the eighth.
After the walk to Ramirez, Mike LaFramboise took over for the Railers.
He was greeted by a pair of singles.
The first, from rookie Bob Saavedra, the first of his career in the majors, loaded the bases.
Zach Wenman then tied it with his single.
Izaac Pacheco attempted to get a bunt down, only to have Ramirez thrown out at home.
Pinch-hitter Chris Duncan, however, got things moving again with a two-run single.
Nathaniel Dixon capped the outburst with another RBI single.
Making his first start in the majors since 2033, Tom McClurg did all right allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked four.
David Amocaci, Oscar Martinez. Luke Dunkin and Nick Ruffalo all pitched an inning of relief.
Dunkin (2-2) earned the win.
Ruffalo collected his 13th save.

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Record: 70-83, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 24 GB Des Moines
Jim Martin allowed two runs on five hits over the opening 5.1 innings, and that was enough to help St. Louis defeat Evansville 4-2 at Yankee Stadium (1968).
Tied 1-1, the River Walkers actually took the lead for good in the top of the third inning against Bosses starting pitching Sam Stoutenborough.
Nathaniel Dixon tripled with one out and scored on a fly ball by Bob Saavedra, as the rookie collected his first RBI at the major league level.
St. Louis increased its lead to 3-1 in the fourth, Nick Shaw hitting his 26th homer of the season, this one off Stoutenborough, while also collecting his 100th RBI of the season.
The Bosses' Jeff Waldron had an RBI single off Martin in the fourth, making it 3-2.
The Walkers completed the scoring in the fifth.
It all happened with two outs after reliever Matthew Liberatore entered the game.
Hector Tavarez greeted him with a single.
Tavarez stole second, and scored when Evansville shortstop Brian Vargo misplayed a ball hit by Shaw.
Martin (11-11) allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Scott Rissler worked out of a jam in the sixth, recording to outs and keeping the score 4-2.
Rookie Greg Sones retired all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth.
Zachary Stella pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

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Record: 71-83, 5th, 24 GB Des Moines
St. Louis jumped out to a 3-0 in the top of the first inning, and never trailed while defeating Evansville at Yankee Stadium (1968).
Nathaniel Dixon opened the game with a lead-off double off Bosses starting pitcher Antonio Ceja.
A bunt by Freudis Nova moved Dixon to third, and he scored on a Hector Tavarez single.
Tavarez then stole second, and he moved to third when shortstop Tommy Gardner botched a ground ball hit by Jose Ramirez.
Tavarez then scored when Zach Wenman reached on Gardner's second error of the inning, this one coming with two outs.
Chris Duncan made it 3-0 with a two-out single.
After Evansville had made it 3-1 with a run off River Walkers starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe in the bottom of the second.
St. Louis quickly got that run back, when Tavarez led off the third with a homer off Ceja.
Dixon scored his second run of the game in the fifth.
He led off with a Single of Ceja and scored on a two-out single by Ramirez.
At this point, St. Louis led 5-1.
It's lead at 5-2, the Walkers tallied twice in the seventh.
Dixon scored his third run of the game after he led off with a single, this one off Stephon Harrison.
Nova singled and scored when Bob Saavedra singled with two outs and Bosses center fielder Royce Lewis booted the ball.
Evansville got a pair of solo homers in the eighth from Danny Ocampo and Gardner, both off Oscar Martinez, to make it 7-4.
St. Louis answered with two runs of its own in the top of the ninth.
Ramirez earned another RBI with a run-scoring single off Jeff Young.
The Walkers final run was scored by Tavarez while Evansville was turning a double play.
McNaboe (9-8) allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out six and issued two walks.
Martinez gave up the two homers and lasted just 0.2 innings.
Scott Von Lehmden finished the eighth and got the first two outs of the ninth before allowing a walk, a single and an RBI double to Ocampo which made it 9-5.
Josh Forgy struck out Chris McFadden to end it.
Forgy now has five saves.

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Record: 71-84, 5th, 25 GB Des Moines
Down 1-0, Evansville jumped on St. Louis starting pitcher Angel Tiburcio for three runs in the bottom of the season, and the Bosses rode that to a 6-2 win at Yankee Stadium (1968).
The Bosses banged out three singles in the inning -- Danny Ocampo drove in the inning's first run with his, while the other two scored on a single by Royce Lewis -- but they also benefited from a walk, a hit batter and an error by shortstop Chris Duncan.
The River Walkers did draw to within 3-2 in the top of the third, a bases-loaded single by Duncan off Bosses starting pitcher Ramon Lewis scored Nick Shaw, but that was all they could mange.
The rest of the scoring was done by Evansville.
Leon drove in one of their two runs in the fourth with a single. Lewis plated the other, earning his second RBI of the game, with a fly ball to center.
Andrew Allison drove in Tommy Gardner with a single off Tiburcio in the fifth.
Leon didn't last long enough to earn the win, in his four innings he alowed two runs on eight hits.
Stephon Harrison (3-0) netted the victory with scoreless fifth and sixth innings.
After that, it was scoreless innings from Ray Pocock, Travis Krogman and Craig Martinez.

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Record: 71-85, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 25 GB Des Moines
Evansville beat up on St. Louis starting pitcher Shane Drogo for seven runs in just three innings, and the Bosses went on to defeat the River Walkers 9-6 at Yankee Stadium (1968).
The win gave Evansville a split of the four-game series.
The Walkers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-run home run from Jared Thomas off Bosses starting pitcher Cory Maddox in the top of the first.
Evanvillle quickly wiped that deficit out in the bottom of the frame.
Drogo gave up a pair of early singles, leading to a Luke Leto RBI.
Than with two outs, Brian Schlegel cranked a two-run homer to put the Bosses in front.
That lead grew to 5-2 in the second when Royce Lewis spanked a two-out, two-run homer off Drogo,
An inning later, with the score now 5-3, Drogo was done but not before Schlegel drove in his third run of the day with a single.
Cesar Salazar followed with another single as the Bosses lead grew to 7-3.
Nathaniel Dixon hit a two-run home run for St Louis off Maddox in the top of the fifth, drawing the Walkers within two runs.
Salazar capped the scoring with a two-run homer off Josh Forgy in the bottom of the seventh.
Maddox lasted just four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.
Matthew Liberatore (2-3) earned the win for working the fifth inning and recording the first two outs of the sixth.
Jose Castaneda retired the only batter he faced to finish the sixth.
Travis Krogman, Jeff Young and Mike Moore all worked scoreless innings to close out the win.
Moore earned his 33rd save.

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MBL news: Sept. 25 -- Week 23 - Awards and standings

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Record: 71-86, 6th, 26 GB Des Moines
Down 1-0, Madison took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and later broke the game open with three runs in both the sixth and seventh, as the Muskies downed St. Louis 8-2 at Comiskey Park (1969).
The River Walkers' Nick Shaw opened the scoring with an RBI double off Madison starting pitcher Alex Ochoa in the top of the fourth.
That lead was gone by the time of the bottom of the inning had ended.
Wyatt Olson got the Muskies' first hit of the game of St. Louis starting pitcher Tom McClurg with a single to lead off the bottom of the fourth.
Olson then stole second, and reached third on a throwing error by Walkers catcher Jared Thomas.
Olson scored when Alex Greene reached on an error by shortstop Chris Duncan.
Greene would later score the inning's second run on a two-out single by Justin Moore.
McClurg hit Jordan Groshans to open the bottom of the sixth and later gave up a one-out double to Kevin Militello before exiting the game.
Rookie David Amocacci took over, only to be greeted by a two-run double by Phil Thornton.
A rookie reliever also played a role in the Muskies two seventh-inning runs.
Armando Trevino led off the inning with a homer off rookie lefty Greg Sones.
Sones then walked Groshans.
Groshans later scored when Militello doubled off Stephen Von Lehmden.
Madison starting pitcher Alex Ochoa (8-11) barely lasted long enough to earn the win.
He pitched 5.1 innings. allowing one run on five hits.
Joseph Sales retired the final two batters of the sixth.
Caden Lemons followed with two innings of relief.
Marshall Hornby worked a scoreless ninth for Madison.

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The Des Moines Harvesters defeated the Springfield Railers 9-6 on Monday to clinch the National League South Division title, and be the first team to punch its ticket in the Midwest Baseball League postseason.
The win gave the Harvesters (97-60) a 6.5-game lead over second-place Quad City with five games remaining in the season.
The Thunder dropped their Monday game 8-3 to Toledo.
Des Moines also has wrapped up home-field advantage in the National League championship series.
North Division leader Rockford (90-66) cannot equal the Harvesters' win total for the season.
The playoff berth is the fifth in the Harvesters history, and their first since 2032.
Des Moines won the championship that season, one of three titles claimed by the Harvesters.