2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 34-23, 1st, 5 GA Cedar Rapids
Detroit broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the fourth inning and four more in the sixth, as the Diesels downed St. Louis 9-3 at Tiger Stadium (1980).
A hit by pitch of Harry Christensen by River Walkers starting pitcher Jim Martin got things rolling for Detroit in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Juan Herrera followed with a single, and when Cade Doughty drew a walk the bases were loaded.
Martin struck out Bill Pena for the second out.
But Alejandro Crespo forced the second walk of the inning to start the scoring.
Raul Collazo then connected on a fly ball to center to score Herrera with the second run.
Detroit really got the bats going in the fifth putting its first six batters on base.
In that sequence, Jimmy Gorman hit a two-run homer and Doughty had a two-run single.
It's lead at 6-1, the Diesels tacked on two more runs in the sixth.
Herrera plated them both with a two-out single off Juan Munoz, as Detroit went up 8-1.
Diesels starting pitcher Chris Terry (1-1) went seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
Adam George worked a scoreless eighth.
Jorge Ariza did the same in the ninth.

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Record: 34-24, 1st, 4.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Detroit's Harry Christensen started the scoring with a two-run home run off St. Louis starting pitcher Josh McDonald in the bottom of the third inning, and the Diesels just piled it on from there routing the River Walkers 19-5 at Tiger Stadium (1980).
After Christensen's homer, the Diesels put up crooked numbers in the next five innings -- three in the fourth, five in the fifth, three in the sixth and sixth and the seventh -- in what probably is one of the most lopsided losses in Walkers' history.
Having big days at the plate for Detroit were:
Roc Riggio was 2 for 4 with four runs scored and four RBIs.
Juan Herrera was 2 for 5 with a run scored and four RBIs.
Christensen was 3 for 5 with two runs scored and six RBIs.
Luke Oakley was 3 for 4 with four runs scored.
Diesels starting pitcher Wally Gibbs didn't last long enough to earn the win.
He pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits.
Jordan Harrison finished off the fifth inning.
Jorge Ariza (1-1) pitched the sixth and earned the win.
Bill Russell worked a scoreless seventh.
Nate Wilson handled the eighth and ninth.

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MBL news: June 3 -- All-Star fan voting update

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Record: 34-25, 1st, 3.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Jimmy Gorman led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double off St. Louis relief pitcher Nick Strother, two batters later he scored on a wild pitch to give Detroit a 5-4 win and a four-game sweep at Tiger Stadium (1980).
After he doubled, Gorman moved to third when Juan Herrera grounded out.
With a 2-1 count, Strother's fourth pitch eluded catcher Zach Wenman and brought Gorman home with the winning run.
At one point, St. Louis led 4-1.
The Diesels came back scoring once in the sixth (Harry Christensen with an RBI double off Walkers starter Shane Drogo) and twice in the seventh (Austin Hendrick with an RBI double and Herrera, as a pinch-hitter, with a run-scoring single both off Scott Rissler) to tie it.
Detroit starting pitcher Pablo Maldonado went 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on four hits.
Rob Pillsbury finished the fifth inning, and worked a scoreless sixth.
After that, it was a scoreless inning each from Josh Crespo, Nestor Quito and Jeff Hoffman.
Hoffman (4-2) earned the win.

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MBL news: Week 9 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 32-25, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids
Jesse McNaboe allowed five hits over six shut-out innings and the St. Louis bullpen did the rest, as the River Walkers edged Des Moines 1-0 at Busch Stadium (2006).
McNaboe (7-0) gave up nothing but singles during his time on the mound. He struck out two and walked one.
He exited after allowing a one-out single by Kyle Roberts in the top of the seventh.
Greg Sones took over and allowed another single, putting runners at first and third.
But Sones struck out Kellum Clark and got Royce Lewis to fly out to keep it 1-0.
The game's lone run came on a one-out homer from Daniel Becerra in the bottom of the first off Harvester starter Jason Dexheimer.
Sones stuck around to get the first out of the eighth.
Angel Tiburcio recorded the final two outs of the eighth.
Nick Strother set Des Moines down in order in the ninth for his 12th save.

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Record: 36-25, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids
Nick Shaw capped a five-for-five day at the plate with a lead-off double in the bottom of the 10th inning, he later scored the winning run on a Zach Wenman single as St. Louis downed Des Moines 6-5 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Shaw's 10th-inning double came off Harvesters relief pitcher Brian Stewart.
Dan Hillard moved Shaw to third with a ground out.
Nathaniel Dixon was then issued an intentional walk.
Wenman, who already had three hits, then collected his fourth grounding a 1-2 pitch down the third-base line to score Shaw.
Earlier, with the Walkers down 5-2, Shaw had tied the game with a three-run homer with two outs in the sixth inning off Des Moines starting pitcher Keith Talley.
Walkers starting pitcher Eric Kunselman went five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.
Zachary Stella pitched a scoreless sixth for St. Louis.
Scott Rissler stepped in with a pair of innings.
Nick Ruffalo worked the ninth and got the first two outs of the 10th.
Juan Munoz (2-2) stepped in for a tiring Ruffalo to finish off the 10th.
This also set him up for the win.

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Record: 37-25, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids
Picking up right where he left off the previous game, Nick Shaw hit a two-run homer to highlight a three-run bottom of the first inning and spur St. Louis to a 10-4 win over Des Moines at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win gave the River Walkers a sweep of their three-game series with the Harvesters.
A day before, Shaw had gone 5-for-5 including a three-run homer and a lead-off double in the bottom of the 10th inning, which led to the winning run to help lift St. Louis to a 6-5 win over Des Moines.
Shaw's homer came off Harvesters starting pitcher Hugh Fisher.
It drove in the final two runs of the inning.
Bob Saavedra scored the first run.
He led off with a single off Fisher, and moved to second on a wild pitch.
A Daniel Becerra bunt moved Saavedra to third.
Jose Ramirez made it 1-0 when he hit into a fielder's choice.
The Walkers, however, were no where near done scoring.
They broke the game open with a four-run bottom of the fourth.
Pitcher Jim Martin drove in the first two runs with a single off Fisher.
Dave Vacarri took over for Fisher, but was greeted by a two-run double by Saavedra.
Two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, all off Martin, drew the Harvesters back to within 7-4.
But the Walkers would reclaim their comfortable margin with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
The inning's first run, scored by Wenman, came on an error by first baseman Leo Cerna.
Nathaniel Dixon and pinch-hitter Manuel Coke both drove in runs with ground outs.
Martin (3-5) worked the first six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked three.
Four relievers, Zachary Stella (0.1 IP), Juan Munoz (1.1), Greg Sones (0.1) and Micah Andrew (1.0), combined to finish the game.

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Record: 37-26, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids
Trailing 5-4, Springfield scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and went on to defeat St. Louis 9-5 at Oracle Park.
The River Walkers actually owned leads of 4-0 and 5-3, only to have the Railers coming roaring back.
Alex Otero connected on an RBI single against St. Louis starter Josh McDonald in the fifth inning, making it 5-4.
An inning later, Marty Park ignited a big inning with a one-out walk off McDonald.
Matthew Lugo followed with another single.
Carlton Randall then tied it a double, as Lugo crossed the plate.
Billy Salas made it four straight batters to reach base, when shortstop Aaron Nixon booted a ground ball to put runners at the corners.
That spelled the end of McDonald's outing.
Zachary Stella took over, only to walk Alex Otero and load the bases.
Justin Schneider then delivered the biggest hit of the game, connecting on a single which scored two.
The Railers added two more runs in the eighth.
Matthew Lugo led off the inning with a triple off Walkers reliever Scott Rissler.
He scored when Randall hit a deep fly ball to left.
But Springfield was not finished.
Billy Salas singled, and moved to second when pinch-hitter Dylan Crews drew a walk.
Rissler struck out Justin Schneider for the second out.
Greg Sones took over and allowed a single to Ruben Villanueva, scoring Salas with the game's ninth run.
Railers starting pitcher John Haynes lasted just three innings, allowing four runs on six hits.
Nick Thiel worked the next two innings, and recorded the first out of the sixth.
Tony Aceves (3-0) got the final two outs of the sixth, and would earn the win.
After that, it was an inning apiece from T.J. Darr, Alan Albanese, and Steve Nilsen to close out the win.

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Record: 38-26, 1st, 4 GA Cedar Rapids and Quad City
Bob Saavedra snapped a 3-3 tie with a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to help lift St. Louis to a 5-4 win over Springfield at Oracle Park.
Before Saavedra hit his seventh home run of the season, Dan Hillard had drawn a two-out walk from Railers relief pitcher Jon Santiago.
A balk moved Hillard to second.
But it really didn't play into what happened next, as Saavedra blasted a 2-2 pitch from Santiago 396 feet over the wall in left field.
Springfield did get a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but not the two it needed.
Kole Cottam and Ruben Villanueva led off the inning with back-to-back doubles off Walkers relief pitcher Nick Ruffalo.
Ruffalo, however, got Alex Otero to ground out for the first out.
Pinch-hitter Ben Rortvedt then hit a deep fly ball to left, Villanueva tried to score but was thrown out at the plate by Hillard.
St. Louis led 2-0 early only for the Railers rally to tie it.
A solo homer from Matthew Lugo off Walkers starter Shane Drogo in the bottom of the fifth evened it at 2-2.
Drogo lasted 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Juan Munoz finished the sixth inning, and worked two more scoreless innings after that.
Greg Sones (3-0) finished the eighth, setting himself up to earn the win.
Ruffalo allowed run in the ninth but still earned his second save.

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MBL news: June 10 -- All-Star fan voting update

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Record: 39-26, 1st, 4 GA Cedar Rapids
After pitching seven shutout innings in his previous outing, this time Jesse McNaboe went the distance with a 4-0 shutout of Springfield at Oracle Park.
McNaboe (8-0) allowed five hits, four singles and a double, while striking out three and walking one over the nine innings.
The River Walkers went up 2-0 in the top of the second inning, when Manuel Coke hit a two-run homer off Railers starting pitcher Martino Banditelli.
St. Louis other two runs came in the eighth.
Coke collected his third RBI of the game with a double off reliever Alan Albanese.
Manny Martinez made it 4-0 with a single, scoring Coke.

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MBL news: June 11 -- Week 10 - Awards and standings

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Record: 39-27, 1st, 4 GA Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities
Jim Peebles led off the top of the seventh inning with a homer run, snapping a 5-5 tie, helping lift Twin Cities to a 6-5 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (2006).
Peebles' 12th home run of the season came on a 1-1 pitch from River Walkers relief pitcher Zachary Stella.
St. Louis had tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a solo homer from Jose Segura off Snow Cats relief pitcher Noah Cutrona, who had just entered the game.
Daniel Sanabria had given Twin Cities a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth with a solo shot off Walkers starting pitcher Edward Kunselman.
Snow Cats starter Travis Mayr lasted just four innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Noah Cutrona (1-1) earned the win after finishing the first inning and getting the game to the eighth.
Ruben Lopez pitched a scoreless eighth for Twin Cities.
Jim Messina gave up two hits, but no runs, in the ninth for his 13th save.

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Record: 39-28, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids and Quad City
Tied 2-2, Daniel Sanabria hit a three-run home run to highlight a four-run top of the fifth inning, powering the Snow Cats to an 8-4 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (2006).
The Cats saw their first four batters in the fifth connect for hits off River Walkers starting pitcher Jim Martin.
The first three were singles -- from Shane King, Jim Peebles and Mike Sartain, the third plating the inning's first run - and the fourth was Sanbria's homer, it coming on the first pitch he saw from Martin.
St. Louis climbed back to within 6-4 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Nick Shaw doubled with one out off Twin Cities starting pitcher Danny Patino.
He scored on a two-out double from Jose Ramirez off reliever Brian Dowdy, who had just entered the game.
Zach Wenman then scored Ramirez with a single.
The Cats would get two late solo homers.
The first came from Sartain, off Greg Sones with one out in the seventh.
The second came from Josse Manhanas, with one out off Juan Munos in the eighth.
Patino didn't pitch long enough to earn the win, working just 4.2 innings during which he allowed three runs on eight hits.
Dowdy got the final out of the fifth.
Brandon Jollay (2-0) pitched a pair of scoreless innings, and would earn the win.
Keith Brennan held the Walkers scoreless in the eighth and ninth.

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Record: 40-28, 1st, 4 GA Quad City and Cedar Rapids
St. Louis struck early for five runs over the first two innings, and then had to hold on late as the River Walkers downed Twin Cities 8-7 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The victory allowed St. Louis to avoid being swept in the three-game series by the Snow Cats.
The Walkers jumped on Twin Cities starting pitcher Vern De san Miguel for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first.
Three straight one-out singles -- from Daniel Becerra, Jose Segura and Nick Shaw -- keyed the outburst.
Shaw's single drove in the inning's first run.
A two-out single by Zach Wenman plated the other.
St. Louis' three-run second was much simpler, Segura hit a three-run homer off De san Miguel, which made it 5-0 and ended De san Miguel's outing.
The Cats started their comeback in the top of the fifth against Walkers starting pitcher Josh McDonald.
It all happened with two outs.
Noah Cutrona singled, and he scored on Shane King triple.
Jim Peebles made it 5-3 with a two-run homer.
Twin Cities pulled to within 5-4 with a run in the seventh off reliever Nick Ruffalo.
Pinch-hitter George Crockett and Shane King opened the inning with back-to-back single.
Bill Savage finally scored Crockett with a one-out fly ball off Scott Rissler.
The Walkers regained a sizeable lead with three-runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Rookie Manuel Coke led off with a double off reliever Nick Wilson.
After a walk to Jose Ramirez, Wenman scored Coke with a single.
Aaron Nixon got down a bunt putting runners on second and third.
Zach Caddell scored Ramirez with a fly ball to right.
Bob Saavedra then made it 8-4 with a single to left.
The Cats made it very interesting in the top of the ninth.
Their first three batters -- King with a double, Peebles with a walk and Sartain with an RBI double -- all reached base against Angel Tibucio.
Closer Nick Strother then got the call for St. Louis.
He was greeted by a two-run double by Bill Savage, making it 8-7.
But Strother buckled down.
He got Aaron Watson on a fly out and Jeff Waddell on a ground out.
Josse Monhanas was given an intentional walk.
Kurt Baty ended it with a ground out to first baseman Nick Shaw.
McDonald (4-7) earned the win after allowing three runs on eight hits in five innings.
He struck out seven and didn't issue a walk.
After that, Ruffalo (1.1 IP), Rissler (0.2), Tiburcio (1.0) and Strother (1.0) closed out the game for St. Louis.
Strother posted his 13th save.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed right-handed relief pitcher Juan Munoz on the 10-day injured list with a pulled abdominal muscle.
Munoz, 27, suffered the injury on June 12 in an 8-4 loss to Twin Cities.
In his first season with the Walkers, Munoz has pitched in 26 games in 2035 going 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA.
He'll be replaced on the roster by Oscar Martinez, who is coming off a stint on the 10-day injured list.
Martinez has been out since May 29 with a back injury.
The left-hander has pitched in 19 games this season, going 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA.

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Record: 40-29, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids and Louisville
Tied 4-4, Jim Peebles hit a grand slam in the seventh inning off St. Louis relief pitcher Nick Ruffalo to help lift Twin Cities to an 8-4 come-from-behind win at Target Field.
At one point down 4-0, the Snow Cats had tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-out solo homer from Aaron Watson off River Walkers starting pitcher Shane Drogo.
Still on the mound to begin the seventh, Drogo gave up a lead-off single to Twin Cities' Kurt Baty.
That spelled the end of Drogo's outing.
Scott Rissler took over and struck out Jeff Waddell and got Jonathan Knapp to fly out.
Baty had stolen second while Knapp was at the plate.
Shane King was given an intentional walk.
Mike Sartain then drew a conventional walk from Rissler, loading the bases.
This brought Ruffalo into the game.
His 2-2 pitch was pulverized by Peebles landing 426 feet over the left-center field wall as the Cats took the lead for the first time in the game.
The Walkers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first.
Bob Saavedra led off the game with a homer off Twin Cities starting pitcher Garrett Karp.
Jose Segura added a two-run homer later in the inning.
The Walkers lead reached 4-0 in the top of the second.
Aaron Nixon doubled off Karp with one out and scored on a two-out Saavedra single.
Twin Cities quickly got back into it with three runs off Drogo in the bottom of the second.
Bill Savage drove in two of the runs with a double.
Jeff Friedman drove in the third with a ground out, scoring Karp who had reached on an unsuccessful sacrifice bunt attempt.
Karp lasted just four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.
After that four relievers combined to shutout St. Louis the rest of the way.
Keith Brennan worked the fifth and got the first out of the sixth.
Alex Gutierrez (1-1) finished the sixth and handled the seventh.
He also earned the win.
Nick Wilson and Jim Messina both pitched an inning to close out the win.

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Record: 40-30, 1st, 1.5 GA Cedar Rapids
After eight consecutive victories to start the season, Twin Cities became the first team to hand St. Louis starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe a loss as the Snow Cats downed the River Walkers 5-1 at Target field.
Down 1-0, the Cats got to McNaboe for a pair of runs in the second inning and then got a three-run homer Mike Sartain in the fifth.
McNaboe played a part in his first-inning issues as he committed an error trying to make a play while lead-off hitter Kurt Baty was at the plate.
Jim Peebles drove in Baty when he followed with a double.
Peebles moved to third on the throw to the plate.
Sartain drove in Peebles with a ground out, as the Cats went up 2-1.
In the fifth, Elliott Calleson led off with a single off McNaboe (8-1).
He later issued a one-out walk to Peebles.
Sartain then powered an 0-1 pitch over the wall in right field.
Twin Cities starting pitcher Elliott Calleson (3-10) worked five innings, allowing one run on four hits, before exiting with a groin injury.
Calleson is expected to miss up to six weeks.
The Walkers were held scoreless the rest of the way by getting inning each from Ruben Lopez and Brandon Jollay and the final two from Mike Harney.

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MBL news: June 17 -- All-Star game fan voting update