2030 St. Louis River Walkers -- This could be the last time

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Record: 36-32, 3rd (Tied/w. Des Moines), 5 GB Quad City
Down 2-0 after spotting Columbus a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, St. Louis scored the next five and held on for a 5-4 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Two-time American League MVP Neil Assenbjerg spotted the Golden Bears that early lead with a two-run homer off River Walkers starting pitcher Trey Benton.
Benton, however, who has had his share of struggles this season settled down to shutout Columbus over the next four innings while the Walkers grabbed the lead.
They started by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the third.
It all came together with two uts.
Jean Carmona drew a walk from Bears starter Chris D'Alessandro.

Thairo Estrada, Steve Rossi and Jared Thomas all followed with singles,the latter two earning RBIs as St. Louis tied the game.
The Walkers took a three-run advantage in the fifth.
Benton, himself, led off with a double and scored on a two-out double from Rossi.
Thomas then collected two more RBIs with his 10th homer of the season.
Benton came out to start the sixth, but quickly exited after allowing a lead-off homer to Kevin Kendall.
Kendall would also lead off the eighth with a homer off Ricky Ciseneros to make it 5-4.
Chris Hery later drew a one-out walk from Cisneros.
Cisneros then struck out Chad Wolff for the second out.
Closer Ernesto Barbosa then got the call, only to give up a single to Ian Happ, putting runners at first and second.,
But Barbosa struck out Raymond Torres to end the inning.
Barbosa sent the Bears down in order in the ninth for his 13th save.
Benton (4-6) earned the win after allowing three runs on five hits in five innings.
Yeison Santos finished off the sixth without allowing.
Cisneros recorded five outs before giving way to Barbosa.

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Record: 37-32, 3rd (Tied/w. Des Moines), 5 GB Quad City
Izzy San Juan gave up a first-inning run, but followed with seven shutout innings which helped St. Louis rally for a 6-2 win over Columbus at Busch Stadium (1997).
San Juan walked Noah Smith to begin the game, and Ian Happ followed with a double as the Golden Bears grabbed a quick 1-0 lead.
The River Walkers tied it in the bottom inning's bottom half -- Cris Rosario with a solo homer off Fernando Fernando -- and by the time the Bears scored again in the top of the ninth, they trailed 6-2.
St. Louis used the long ball to take the lead in the fourth -- Jose Segura with the first of his two homers in the game, a solo shot off Fernando.
The Walkers' lead reached 3-1 in the fifth after Cris Rosario singled off Fernando with two outs, and scored on a Jose Ramirez triple.
Segura's second homer, also a solo blast, came off reliever David Peterson to lead off the sixth.
St. Louis added a second run when Joshua Rivera drew a walk and scored on a Thairo Estrada two-out double.
Jared Thomas scored the Walkers' sixtrh run in the top of the eighth, after he drew a lead-off walk from Edward Kunselman.
A double by Estrada moved Thomas to third.
He crossed the plate on a pinch-hit single from Alek Thomas.
San Juan (9-2) allowed one run on four hits over seven innings. He struck out six and walked four.
Cory Tiller pitched a scoreless eighth.
Yeison Santos surrendered a homer to Gorman in the ninth.

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MBL news: June 16 -- All-Star game fan voting update for June 16

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Record: 37-33, 4th, 5 GB Quad City
Casey Mize limited St. Louis to a single run over the first 4.2 innings, and the Columbus bullpen shut out the River Walkers the rest of the way as the Golden Bears won 2-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
The loss allowed Columbus to avoid a four-game sweep. It also ended a six-game win streak for St. Louis.
The Bears notched both their runs before the Walkers got on the board.
Noah Smith led the game off with a single off St. Louis rookie starter Wilson Lara.
A walk to Kevin Kendall and a passed ball by catcher Hayden Jones moved Smith to third.
He scored on a bases-loaded walk to Alex Richards.
Columbus went up 2-0 in the third.
Oscar Rodriguez singled with nobody out, and stole second, it was an attempted double steal with Nolan Gorman thrown out at third, and scored when Mize singled.
Mize worked 4.2 inning, allowing one run -- Jose Ramirez with an RBI single to score Thairo Estrarda who had drawn a lead-off walk in the fifth -- on five hits.
Mize struck out five and walked two.
After that, it was Jose Lopez (1.1 IP), Josh Grissom (2.0) and Mike LaFramoise (1.0) who combined to complete the win for Columbus.
Lopez (1-1) earned the win.
LaFramboise earned his 14th save.

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MBL news: Week 9 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 38-33, 2nd (TIed/w. Springfield and Des Moines), 4 GB Quad City
Down 5-2, St. Louis got a pair of two-run home runs in the top of the seventh inning -- from Jordan Groshans and Jean Carmona -- to help the River Walkers rally for an 8-5 win over Quad City at Fenway Park (1976).
Jose Segura drew a lead-off walk from Thunder reliever Edwin Ortega to open the top of the seventh.
Gorshans followed with his homer, his second of the game.

He had hit a solo homer off Quad City starter Danny Garza in the fifth to make it 4-2.
Thairo Estrada later doubled with two outs, and he scored when Carmona followed with his two-run blast.
The River Walkers would add an insurance run in the top of the eighth, when Estrada drew a bases-loaded walk from Billy Weiner.
The free pass drove in Edward Olivares, who had doubled off Matt Ruppenthal with one out.
Earlier, Olivares had opened the scoring with a solo homer off Garza in the second inning.
Quad City took a 4-1 lead in the third with back-to-back homers off Walkers rookie starter Jerry Tate, who was making his Midwest Baseball League debut.
Ben Nelson struck first with a three-run homer. Nick Gonzalez followed with a solo blast.
Gonzalez took Tate deep again in the fifth, making it 5-2.
That was the last batter Tate would face, he lasted 4.2 innings allowing five runs on six hits.
Travis Krogman finished the fifth and worked a scoreless sixth.
Krogman (3-1) would earn the win.
Jake Brentz, Cory Tiller and Ernesto Barbosa all pitched a scoreless inning.
Barbosa notched his 14th save.

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Record: 38-34, 4th (Tied/w. Springfield), 5 GB Quad City
Andy Harper shut out St. Louis over the first five innings while his team was building a 3-0 lead, and Quad City hung on to defeat the River Walkers 3-1 at Fenway Park (1976).
Harper (5-2) allowed just one hit in his five innings -- a lead-off single by Jordan Groshans in the top of the third inning -- while striking out sevedn and walking one.
Groshans left the game with an injury after his hit.A diagnosis is pending.
The Thunder went up 2-0 in the fourth inning.
Nick Gonzalez hit his third homer in as many games when he led off the inning by going deep off St. Louis starter Kaneo Kawamto.
QC added another run later in the inning, Angel Solis with a two-out RBI double to score Bobby Wescott, who also doubled.
Solis made it 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out homer off Kawamoto.
After Harper mad his exit, five relievers combined to pitch the final four innings for the Thunder.
Travis Hailey and Matt Ruppenthal both pitched an inning apiece to get it to the eighth.
Billy Weiner got the first two outs of the eighth -- along with allowing the lone Walkers' run when Steve Rossi hit a pinch-hit homer -- while Edwin Ortega finished the inning.
Craig Fritzler pitched around a walk in the ninth for his 12th save.

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St. Louis River Walkers have placed third baseman Jordan Groshans on the 10-day injury list after he suffered an Achilles' injury while running the bases in a 3-1 loss to Quad City on June 18.
In 30 games this season, the 30-year-old Groshans has hit .194 with 15 homer and 31 RBIs in 62 games.
Getting recalled from AAA Memphis is 25-year-old first baseman/outfielder Rick Scott.
Scott started the season in St. Louis, batting .250 with a homer and three RBIs in six games.
At Memphis, he has gotten into 59 games and hit .184 with 13 homers and 35 RBIs.

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Record: 38-34, 4th, 6 GB Quad City
Alex Gallegos took a shutout into the ninth inning, and Quad City bludgeoned St. Louis starting pitcher Trey Benton for six runs in three innings as the Thunder routed the River Walkers 7-1 at Fenway Park (1976).
The victory gave Quad City victories in the final two games of the three-game series.
Gallegos (3-2) limited the Walkers to three hits over the first eight innings, while striking out three and walking three.
He exited after allowing a lead-off double in top of the ninth to Jose Ramirez on his 135th pitch of the game.
Bob Rios took over and did all Ramirez to score, a ground out moved him to third and he scored on a wild pitch, but the game was already a rout.
It became lopsided over four-run second inning and a two-run third.
The Thunder hit three consecutive homers -- from Nick Gonzalez, Bobby Wescott and Myles Austin -- off Benton to begin the third inning.
Angel Solis scored the inning's fourth run when he followed the homer spree with a single.
He later scored on a Jacob Gonzalez ground out.
In the third, Ben Nelson, Nick Gonzalez and Wescott opened the inning with three consecutive singles off Benton.
Nelson scored on Wescott's single.
Gonzalez scored on an Austin ground out.

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Record: 39-35, 3rd, 6 GB Quad City
Jared Thomas hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to put St. Louis in front, and Izzy San Juan turned in another strong outing to earn his 10th win of the season as the River Walkers won 4-2 over Toledo at Braves Field (1946).
Down 2-1, Thomas hit a 3-2 pitch from Mud Hens reliever Jamie Barria 368 feet over the wall in right field to put the Walkers in front.
Jose Segura, who had led off the inning with a single, scored in front of Thomas.
St. Louis added an insurance run in the ninth after Steve Rossi led off with a single.
A ground out and Joshua Rivera single later moved him to third. He scored on a Jared Thomas fly ball.
San Juan (10-2) allowed two runs on six hits over 7.1 innings. He struck out three and walked one.
The left-hander exited after recording the first out of the eighth, and with a string of right-handed hitters due to bat.
Walkers closer Ernesto Barbosa allowed a couple of hits, but no runs and recorded the second out.
Jake Brentz took over to complete the inning.
He also handled the ninth for his third save.

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Record: 40-35, 2nd (Tied/w. Des Moines), 5 GB Quad City
Peter Ahn snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning and St. Louis held on for a 3-2 win over Toledo at Braves Field (1946).
Rookie Joshua Rivera led off the top of the eighth with a walk from former River Walkers reliever John Curtiss.
Ahn, hitting for pitcher Travis Krogman, then untied it on a 1-2 pitch knocking it 370 feet over the wall in right field.
The Mud Hens pulled to within a run in the bottom of the eighth when William Glynn led off with a homer off St. Louis reliever Jose Alvarado.
But Alvarado retired the next three.
Ernesto Barbaso then set the Hens down in order in the ninth for his 15th save.
St. Louis rookie starter Wilson Lara was good, allowing one run on eight hits over the first six innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Krogman struck out the side in the seventh.

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Record: 40-36, 2nd (Tied/w. Springfield and Des Moines), 5 GB Quad City
Trailing 5-0, Toledo exploded for six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to set the stage for a 6-5r win over St. Louis at Braves Field (1946).
The River Walkers' Jose Segura had hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning off Mud Hens reliever Sam Stoutenbourgh to put his team up 5-0.
St. Louis starting pitcher Angel Tiburcio took the mound in the eighth having allowed just one hit.
But he exited after walking Tyler Carter to lead off the inning and then allowing a single to Luis Victorino Garcia.
Cory Tiller took his place, and was greeted by an RBI double by Kyren Paris.
It didn't get any better as Jason Thomason followed with an RBI single.
Ronny Maurcio also singled to put runners at first and second.
The call then went to left-hander Jake Brentz.
He got Matt Bryant to hit a flare into left field, but shortstop Jean Carmona saw the ball go in-and-out of his glove to keep the inning alive and load the bases.
William Glynn made them pay with a bases-clearing double to put Toledo in front 6-5.
Mud Hens starting pitcher Cristofe Tineo lasted 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out six and walked one.
John Curtiss finished the sixth, but not before allowing another un.
Jamie Barria worked a scoreless seventh before Stoutenborough allowed Segura's homer in the eighth.
Stoutnenbourgh (1-4) still came out of the game with the win.
Luke Dunkin struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth for his 14th save.

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MBL news: June 23 -- All-Star game fan voting update

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Record: 41-36, 2nd, 5 GB Quad City
St. Louis rallied from an early 3-0 deficit, getting three runs in the top of the fourth inning and one in the fifth to take the lead, and the River Walkers went on to defeat Toledo 5-4 at Braves Field (1946).
The Mud Hens' Matt Bryant hit a two-run homer and William Glynn a solo shot, off Walkers starter Kaneo Kawamoto in the bottom of the first inning, to stake their team to a 3-0 lead.
St. Louis wiped that advantage out in the top of the fourth.
Thairo Estrada led off the inning with a double off Toledo starting pitcher Josh Fleming.
A balk moved him to third, and Estrada scored on a Jose Ramirez ground ball.
An error by Hens catcher Jason Thomason later allowed Steve Rossi to reach, and Cris Rosario made them pay with a homer to tie it at 3-3.
An inning later, the Walkers took the lead.
Hayden Jones led off with a single off Fleming, and he moved to second when Kawamoto got down a bunt.
A two-out single from Estrada scored Jones, to put St. Louis in front 4-3.
The Walkers added an insurance run in the ninth, Rossi led off with a double off Jaime Barria and scored when Rosario singled.
It proved big, as Luis Victoriano Garcia homered off Jake Brentz to make it 5-4.
But Brentz retired the next two batters to earn his fourth save.
Kawamoto (9-6) collected the win after his rough first inning.
He allowed three runs on six hits over 6.2 innings.
Jose Alvarado got the last out of the seventh.
Ernesto Barbosa set the Hens down in order in the eighth.

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MBL news: Week 10 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 42-36, 2nd, 5 GB Quad City
Tied 2-2, St. Louis scored three times in the top of the ninth inning and went on to defeat Springfield 5-2 at Oracle Park (2020).
Cris Rosario wasted little time putting the River Walkers in front, hitting a lead-off homer off Railers reliever Mike Fagan.
But St. Louis was not through, as Fagan walked the next two batters -- Jared Thomas and Jean Carmona -- and Rick Scott chased them both home with a double.
Earlier, the Walkers had trailed 2-0 but had tied it up on a two-run homer by Thairo Estrada in the top of the fourth off Springfield starter, and former Walkers pitcher, Jason Froehlich.
Presse into the St. Louis rotation to replace the struggling Trey Benton, Ricky Cisneros turned in a solid start allowing two runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings.
With two runners on base, Travis Krogman took over and got Jake Rogers on a ground out and struck out Wander Samuel Franco to keep it 2-2.
Cory Tiller, Yeison Santos and Danny Amador all offered a scoreless inning apiece to close out the game.
Santos (1-0) earned his first win of the season.
Amador notched his third save.

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Record: 43-36, 2nd, 4 GB Quad City
Izzy San Juan allowed two runs over the first 6.1 innings on his way to his 11th victory, and St. Louis built itself an 8-1 lead en route to an 8-3 win over Springfield at Oracle Park (2020).
San Juan (11-2) allowed the two runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked one.
With the River Walkers already leading 8-1, the left-hander exited in the seventh after allowing four of the Railers' first five batters to face.
Included in that was an RBI double by Wander Samuel Franco.
Coming in with the bases loaded, Travis Krogman struck out Matthew Lugo and Dylan Crews to keep it 8-2.
Jose Alvarado allowed a homer to Justin Schneider in the bottom of tghe eighth, making it 8-2.
Trey Benton made his first appearance as a reliever and ended it by setting Springfield down in order.
The Walkers jumped in front in the first inning when Jose Ramirez, making his first appearance in the lead-off role, led off with a double off Railers starter Jared Kelley and scored on a Thairo Estrada single.
St. Louis added another run in the second.
Jared Thomas led off with a triple and scored on a Jean Caromona sacrifice fly.
A 2-1 St. Louis lead became 5-1 in the fifth, when Jean Segura hit his 27th homer of the season, a three-run shot off Kelley.
The Walkers added three insurance runs in the seventh.
Ramirez drove in the first run with a single off Mario Reyes.
Estrada then stroked a triple to make it 7-1.
Segura picked up his fourth RBI of the game with a single to score Estrada.

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Record: 43-37, 2nd, 4 GB Quad City
Down 1-0, Springfield got a two-run homer in the first inning from Alex Otero and a solo shot from Jake Rogers in the second to grab the lead, and eventually go on for a 7-2 win over St. Louis at Oracle Park (2020).
The victory allowed the Railers to avoid a three-game sweep by the River Walkers.
Matthew Lugo led off the bottom of the first inning with a double off St. Louis starter Wilson Lara.
He scored two batters later on Otero's 22nd home run of the season.
An inning later, Rogers led off the bottom of the second with a homer to make it 3-1.
Lara hit Ruben Villanueva with the next pitch he threw, leading to a bench-clearing brawl.
Both Lara and VIllanueva were ejected.
St. Louis' Jose Segura hit a solo homer off Railers starter Raul Ahumada in the top of the sixth, to pull his team within 3-2.
But that was as close as the Walkers would get, as Springfield managed to pull away.
Most of that came with a four-run sixth.
Justin Schneider led off the inning by reaching on an error by shortstop Thairo Estrada.
He moved to third when Riley Greene doubled off reliever Trey Benton.
Cory Tiller took over for St. Louis, and the right-handers 2030 struggles continued.
He allowed RBI singles to Rogers and Wander Samuel Franco, and also allowed a run to score with a bases-loaded walk to Dylan Crews
Matthew Lugo capped the scoring with a run-scoring double off David Amador in the eighth.
Ahumada (8-3) worked the first six innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Kevin Gadea, Reyes and Justin Jarvis wrapped the game with a scoreless inning apiece.
After the game, it was announced Lara has been suspended for six games and Villanueva will have to sit for three games.

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Record: 44-37, 2nd, 3 GB Quad City
Jared Thomas hit a solo homer with one out in the top of the 10th inning to help lift St. Louis to a 5-4 win over Des Moines at Green Canyon Park.
Thomas homer came on a 2-2 pitch from Harvesters relief pitcher Jeremy Bouchard.
It travelled 378 feet over the wall in right field.
Earlier, the River Walkers had trailed 2-0, only to rally for a 4-2 lead and then see Des Moines rally in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.
St. Louis tied it at 2-2 in the top of the seventh.
Rookie Rick Scott led off with a double off Des Moines starter Chris Rybicki and Jean Carmona followed with a double, landing Scott at third.
Jonathan Cooper took over on the mound for Des Moines, and he was greeted by an RBI single from Peter Ahn to score Scott.
Pinch-hitter Chris Rosario followed with a single to load the bases.
Thairo Estrada later scored Carmona with a fly ball to tie it.
St. Louis grabbed a 4-2 lead in the top of the ninth, Ramirez connecting on a two-run homer off Harvesters closer Omar Benitez.
But Des Moines answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.
Jake Brentz got the call to earn the save, only to give up a walk and a pair of singles to load the bases.
The ball went to closer Ernesto Barbosa, who saw Omar Torres score on a ground out.
David Lewis followed with a double, scoring Fernando Tatis Jr., tying it at 4-4.
The Walkers back in front, Barbosa would stick around to pitch the bottom of the 10th and pitched around a one-out walk by getting Jimmy Glowenke to ground into a double play to end it.
The win was the first of the season for Barbosa (1-0).
Walkers starter Angel Barbosa allowed two runs on three hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked none.
Yeison Santos and Travis Krogman both pitched scoreless innings.
Brentz had all kinds of trouble when he came out to pitch the ninth.

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Record: 44-38, 2nd, 3 GB Quad City
Des Moines ripped St. Louis starting pitcher Kaneo Kawamoto for three home runs in the first four innings, helping it build a 5-0 lead, and the Harvesters went on to rout the River Walkers 7-0 at Green Canyon Park.
Rafael Devers hit a solo shot and Wayne McHaney a two-run homer off Kawamoto in the bottom of the second to put Des Moines up 3-0.
Justin Oates torched Kawamoto for another two-run shot in the fourth, as that lead grew to 5-0.
The Walkers' offense managed just one hits through the first eighth inning.
Juan Amezquita (5-7) handled the first 6.1 innings, allowing just a lead-off single to Hayden Jones in the third.
John Nippard finished off the seventh and recorded the first two outs of the eighth for the Harvesters, before a shoulder injury hastened his exit.
Kellan Tulio finished it off, allowing two meaningless singles in the ninth.