2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 40-31, 1st, 0.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Jim Peebles hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to open the scoring, and the Snow Cats went on to defeat St. Louis 6-1 at Target Field.
The win gave the Cats a sweep of their three-game series, and wins in five of their six games in their back-to-back series with the River Walkers.
Peebles, who would homer a second time in this game, went 8 for 23 in the series, a .347 batting average, with five home runs, nine runs scored and 10 RBIs.
After Peebles long ball, the Cats added a second run in the first inning.
The next batter, Mike Sartain, reached on an error by Walkers first baseman Nick Shaw.
Sartain stole second and scored on a single by Josse Manhanas.
Twin Cities would add singles runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
Peebles second homer came in the sixth inning off reliever Oscar Martinez.
Sartain hit a solo shot off Greg Sones in the eighth.
Twin Cities starting pitcher Travis Mayr (2-5) worked 5.2 shut-out innings, allowing four hits. He struck out four and didn't issue a walk.
Brian Dowdy finished the sixth for Twin Cities.
After that, relievers Noah Cutrona (1.0 IP), Nick Wilson (1.2) and Mike Harney combined to finish the game.

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MBL news: June 18 -- Week 11 - Awards and standings

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Record: 41-31, 1st, 1.5 GA Cedar Rapids
St. Louis put up six runs in the top of the first inning and never seemed to stop scoring, as the River Walkers routed Peoria 15-5 at Globe Life Field.
It only took St. Louis four batters to take a 3-0 lead against Rivermen starting pitcher Brad Monroe.
Bob Saavedra led off the game with a single.
Daniel Becerra followed with a walk.
Then, after Jose Segura struck out, Nick Shaw lined a three-run homer over the left-field wall.
The Walkers, however, were not finished
Manuel Coke followed Shaw's long ball with a single.
Zach Wenman planted Coke on third with a double.
After a ground out by Jose Ramiez, Aaron Nixon scored both with a double.
Nixon later scored on a single by pitcher Jim Martin.
Peoria did score three times off Martin in the bottom of the first.
Joey Wilson drove in two of the runs with a homer.
The Walkers netted another run in the top of the second, when Saavedra led off with a double and later scored on an error by Peoria second baseman Ryan Edwards.
Peoria again kept it interesting by scoring a run in the bottom of the third, Randy Underhill led off with a double and scored on a Wilson single, making the score 7-4.
St. Louis finally busted it open for good in the top of the fourth -- it came on a pair of two-run homers.
First, from Jose Segura off reliever Clyde Rayner.
Jose Ramirez delivered the second, a 363 footer off Carlos Aguirre to make it 11-4.
St. Louis would continue to add to its advantage with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and two in the ninth.
Martin (4-6) wasn't great but with all the offense didn't need to be.
The right-hander went six innings, allowing five runs on nine hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Greg Sones handled the seventh and eighth innings, without allowing a baserunner.
Angel Tiburcio pitched a scoreless ninth.

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Record: 41-32, 1st, 0.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Wes Cohen led off the bottom of the 12th innings with a home run off St. Louis closer Nick Strother to lift Peoria to a 6-5 win at Globe Life Field.
Cohen, who the Rivermen acquired via trade from St. Louis, drove a 3-1 pitch from Strother 451 feet over the wall in right center for his 10th homer of the season.
Peoria had forced extra innings by scoring four times in the bottom of the eighth to tie it at 5-5.
Mike Clay had drew a lead-off walk from Zachary Stella to open the inning.
Victor Solano followed with a single.
Stella struck out Randy Underhill for the first out.
Johnny Castagnozzi drove in the inning's first run with a single.
Joey Wilson did the rest with a three-run home run, driving a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right.
Rivermen starting pitcher Frank Garcia went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.
Rodolfo Cervantez finished the fifth inning, and also worked a scoreless sixth.
Ryan Faucher pitched two innings for the Rivermen, allowing an RBI single to Manuel Coke which made it 5-1 in the seventh, before giving way to Danny Flores who went three innings.
Former St. Louis reliever Josh Forgy (3-2) worked the 12th, and earned the win.

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Record: 42-32, 1st, 1.5 GA Cedar Rapids
Nick Shaw connected on a two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to snap a 2-2 tie, and lift St. Louis to a 4-2 win over Peoria at Globe Life Field.
Bob Saavedra got the River Walkers rolling in the top of the ninth inning with a two-out single off Rivermen relief pitcher Rodolfo Cervantez.
With Daniel Becerra at the plate, Saavedra stole second which led to Becerra being given an intentional walk.
Jose Segura also drew a walk -- on four pitches -- to load the bases.
Shaw then connected on his game-winning single, driving a 1-1 pitch past the shortstop with Saavedra and Becerra crossing the plate.
Peoria got something going against St. Louis closer Nick Strother in the bottom of the ninth.
Ryan Edwards doubled with one out and a Mike Clay single put runners on the corner with two outs.
Zachary Stella got the call to end the game.
He got it done striking out Joey Wilson to end it.
Walkers starting pitcher Shane Drogo shut out Peoria over the first six innings, before giving up the pair of runs in the seventh.
Relief pitcher Carlos Aguirre connected on a two-out, two-run double off Drogo to tie the game.
Overall, Drogo went 6.2 innings allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Micah Andrew finished the seventh and got the first out of the eighth.
Nick Ruffalo (2-0) completed the eighth inning. He would earn the win.
Strother (0.2 IP) and Stella would combined to pitch the ninth.
Stella earned his second save.

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Record: 43-32, 1st, 1 GA Cedar Rapids
Jose Segura connected on a game-winning single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give St. Louis a 6-5 win over Peoria at Busch Stadium (2006).
The River Walkers entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 2-1, but Jose Ramirez and Aaron Nixon set things in motion with back-to-back singles off David Flores to lead off the inning.
Nathaniel Dixon struck out for the inning's first out.
But Bob Saavedra connected on an RBI double, scoring Ramirez, to tie it at 5-5.
Flores walked Daniel Becerra to bring Segura to the plate.
Segura then connected on a 1-1 pitch, ground a ball past the shortstop, to bring home Nixon with the winning run.
The Rivermen had tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth.
Walkers reliever Oscar Martinez allowed singles to Wes Cohen and Ryan Rickard.
Jeremiah Jackson then singled off Angel Tiburcio to score Cohen and tie it at 4-4.
Ray Began, who had reached on a fielder's choice, later scored when Tiburcio unleashed a wild pitch.
St. Louis starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked two.
The Walkers used five relievers -- Scott Rissler (1.0 IP), Greg Sones (0.2), Martinez (0.2), Tiburcio (0.0) and Zachary Stella (1.1) -- to close out the game.
Stella (3-1) earned his third victory of the season.

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Record: 43-33, 1st, 1 GA Cedar Rapids
Ryan Palmer hit a solo home run off St. Louis relief pitcher Nick Ruffalo with one out in the top of the ninth inning, giving Peoria a 2-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Palmer's seventh home run of the season came on a 1-1 pitch.
It traveled 376 feet over the wall in right field.
The Rivermen had tied the game in the top of the sixth against River Walkers starting pitcher Edward Kunselman.
Victor Solano scored the run after he led off the inning with a single.
Solano stole second and moved to third when Randy Underhill singled.
Solano scored when Johnny Castagnozzi hit into a double play.
Peoria starting pitcher Carlos Amill went seven innings, allowing one run on five hits.
Former Walker pitcher Lenyn Crisp (3-7) earned the win for pitching scoreless eighth.
David Flores set St. Louis down in order in the ninth for his second save.

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MBL news: June 24 -- All-Star game fan voting update

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Record: 44-33, 1st, 1 GA Cedar Rapids
Jim Martin allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings, and St. Louis defeated Peoria 8-3 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win gave the River Walkers a win in the weekend three-game series, and coupled with a two out of three with the Rivermen to begin the week, gave St. Louis wins in four of six games in the week long series.
The only hits Martin allowed were singles to Ryan Palmer in the top of the second and Jeremiah Jackson in the sixth.
Martin struck out four and walked two.
He exited after throwing 111 pitches.
Angel Tiburcio handled the final two innings for St. Louis.
He allowed a three-run homer to Johnny Castagnozzi in the eighth.
It made the score 7-3.
The Walkers took the lead for good with a pair of runs off Peoria starting pitcher Brad Monroe in the bottom of the second.
Jose Segura reached on an error by Palmer at first base to begni the inning.
A Zach Wenman single moved Segura to third.
Nathaniel Dixon then opened the scoring with another single.
Chris Duncan made it 2-0 with a deep fly ball, scoring Wenman.
A two-out, two-run double by Jose Ramirez off Monore doubled the Walkers' advantage.
Wenman extended the lead to 6-0 with a two-run homer off Monroe in the sixth.
Wenman is hitting .365 while filling in behind the plate for the injured Jackson Miller.
Miller is currently on an injury rehab at AAA Memphis, and is expected to return next week.
Ramirez collected a third RBI in the seventh, when his one-out ground ball scored Saavedra, who had singled to open the inning.
Jose Segura capped the scoring with his 21st homer of the season to lead off the eighth.
It came off Carlos Aguirre.

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MBL news: June 26 -- Week 12 - Awards and standings

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The St. Louis River Walkers have called up catcher Jackson Miller from AAA Memphis, where he was on an injury rehab after missing five weeks with a sprained knee.
Miller, 33, has not played in the majors since May 17, when he was injured in an 8-2 win over Ann Arbor.
He played in four games at Memphis, hitting .333 with one homer and one RBI.
Rookie catcher Manny Martinez will be sent down to Memphis.
Martinez, 23, got into seven games with the Walkers, hitting .200 with five RBIs.
It was his first time in the majors.
The return of Miller, who was St. Louis' big free-agent acquisition in the off-season will mean the return to the bench of Zach Wenman.
Wenman 26, tore it up at the plate while Miller was out.
For the season, Wenman is hitting .365 with one homer and 25 RBIs in 48 games.

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Record: 45-33, 1st, 2 GA Cedar Rapids
St. Louis' Bob Saavedra broke up a 2-2 tie with a two-run homer in the top of the third inning, the River Walkers later broke it open with a six-run sixth as they won 9-3 over Rockford at RFK Stadium (2005).
Saavedra's ninth homer of the season came with two outs off Lighting starting pitcher Miguel Cisneros.
The six-run sixth included plenty of miscues by Rockford, as it walked three batters (two intentional), hit one batter, threw a wild pitch and had an error committed by shortstop Daylen Reyes.
Nick Shaw drove in the inning's first run with a double off Cisneros.
Zach Wenman plated the second with a single, also off Cisneros.
The Walkers' third run scored on a wild pitch.
Pitcher Josh McDonald picked up an RBI with a squeeze bunt, scoring Wenman.
That ended Cisneros' time on the mound.
Matt Broussard replaced Cisneros with the bases loaded, and after getting a fly out, proceeded to walk in a batter and then hit a batter scoring two more runs and make it 9-1.
McDonald (5-7) went seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Oscar Martinez gave up a run while pitching the eighth for St. Louis.
Angel Tiburcio handled the ninth without issue.

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Record: 45-34, 1st, 1 GA Cedar Rapids
Greg Krawczyk pitched six scoreless innings, and the Rockford bullpen handled the rest as the Lightning shutout St. Louis 3-0 at RFK Stadium (2005).
The Walkers actually outhit the Lighting 8-7, but all of their hits were singles.
Krawczyk (2-3) allowed four of them during his time on the mound.
After that, Stephen Von Lehmden and Omari Gordon both worked an inning for the Lightning.
Marshall Larcombe got the first two outs in the ninth, but also allowed the River Walkers to load the bases.
Fernando Fernando came on the get rookie sensation Bob Saavedra to ground out to end the game.
It was the second save of the season for Fernando.
Rockford went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning.
St. Louis starting pitcher Shane Drogo had trouble finding the plate, walking three batters including Erik Stowe with the bases loaded to open the scoring.
Marcos Francis made it 2-0 in the fifth, when he tripled off Drogo and scored on a David Blanton single.
Daylen Reyes tallied the Lightning's third run in the seventh.
He led off with a single off reliever Scott Rissler.
Reyes stole second.
Wade Martin then drew a walk.
The runners then attempted a double steal, and when catcher Conner Miller's throw landed in center field, Reyes crossed the plate.

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Record: 45-35, 1st/(Tied/w. Cedar Rapids), 4 GA Quad City
Tied 1-1, Rockford scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning, and the Lightning went on to defeat St. Louis 4-3 at RFK Stadium (2005).
The win was the second in a row for Rockford to close out the three-game series.
Rockford put four of its first five batters on to begin the bottom of the second against River Walkers starting pitcher Jesse McNaboe.
McNaboe hit with a pitch Joel Petrucci to begin the inning.
Greg Bernier followed with a single.
Pitcher Melvin Chavez got down a bunt to put runners at second and third.
Wade Martin followed with a single, scoring Petrucci
Erik Stowe then drew a walk to load the bases.
David Blanton made it 3-1 with a fly ball to left.
Javy Monjaraz connected for another single, scoring Martin with the inning's third run.
Lightning starting pitcher Melvin Chavez (4-2) went five innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out four and walked four.
Former St. Louis relief pitcher Luke Dunkin worked the sixth, giving up a run on an Aaron Nixon sacrifice fly.
Another former Walker, Stephen Von Lehmden, pitched a scoreless seventh.
Fernando Fernando allowed the Walkers to pull within a run -- Jackson Miller tripled to drive in a run, but was stranded at third -- while working the eighth.
Omari Gordon set the Walkers down in order in the ninth for his fourth save.

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Record: 46-35, 1st/(Tied/w. Cedar Rapids), 5 GA Quad City and Springfield
St. Louis pummeled Kansas City for eight runs in the top of the first inning, and that was more than enough to power the River Walkers to an 11-1 win at Kauffman Stadium.
Rookie Manuel Coke set the tone with a one-out homer off Monarchs starting pitcher Alexis Yanez.
Yanez, not surprisingly, didn't last long allowing six runs on eight hits with two walks while recording just one out.
Dan Hillard drove in two runs with a double.
Aaron Nixon hit a two-run home run.
Pitcher Edward Kunselman had an RBI double, which ended Yanez's time on the mound.
Coke drove in the inning's final run with a fly ball off reliever Miguel Peralta.
On the mound, Kunselman (5-5) went seven innings allowing one run on six hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Angel Tiburcio handled the final two innings for St. Louis.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed catcher Zach Wenman after he suffered a thigh injury in their 11-1 win over Kansas City on June 29.
Wenman, 26, has had a great season at the plate hitting .365 with one homer and 25 RBIs in 48 games.
Getting the callup from AAA Memphis is Manny Martinez.
This happens just three games after he had been demoted following starting catcher Jackson Miller's return from the injured list.

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Record: 46-36, 2nd, 1 GB Cedar Rapids
Tied 1-1, Kansas City's Josh Shuler hit a two-run home run with two outs in the third inning to give the Monarchs the lead, and they went on to defeat St. Louis 8-3 at Kauffman Stadium.
Shuler's homer, his 12th of the season, came off River Walkers starting pitcher Jim Martin.
It drove in Nick Jernigan, who had singled with one out.
After getting a run in the fourth, Travis Hawkins drove in Jonathan Vaughns with a single off Martin, KC broke the game open with four runs in the sixth.
Pinch-hitter T.J. Leitch and Jernigan both went deep to drive in the two runs, Martin surrendering both homers.
With a runner on first, Oscar Martinez took over for Martin.
He allowed the Monarchs to load the bases before Vaughns connected on a double, which scored two more runs making it 8-2.
Monarchs starting pitcher Travis Rinker (8-3) went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out seven and walked three.
Jeff Hammer pitched a scoreless seventh for KC.
Jose Patricio handled the eighth and got the first out of the ninth.
David Rufillo finished the game, getting the final two outs.

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Walkers news: July 1 -- Player Development Report

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Walkers news: July 1 -- Mid-season note from owner

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MBL news: July 1 -- All-Star game fan voting update