2039 and beyond -- St. Louis River Walkers thread

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Record: 12-18, 7th, 6 GB Quad City
Juan Farias limited Evansville to two runs over the first 6.2 innings as he earned his first major-league victory in St. Louis' 3-2 win over the Bosses at Yankee Stadium (1988).
Urias, who was making his fourth major league start, allowed the two runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked two.
The right-hander exited the game after allowing a two-out home run to Sam Muszynski which made it 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Leo Hermosillo took over and struck out Brian Schlegel to end the inning.
Hermosillo also pitched a scoreless eighth.
Craig Fritzler set Evansville down in order in the ninth for his fifth save.
St. Louis went up 2-0 in the top of the first on solo homers off Bosses starting pitcher Gaspere Cattaneo from lead-off hitter Jose Ramon and two batters later Manuel Coke.
Evansville got on the board in the bottom of the third against Frias.
Schlegel with an RBI single to score Cattaneo, who had led off the inning with a single.
The Walkers got that run back in the top of the third when Joe Allen led off with a triple off Cattaneo.
He scored on a Zach Wenman single.

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Record: 13-18, 7th, 5 GB Kansas City
Miguel Cisneros took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout into the eighth while St. Louis scored 14 runs on 14 hits in a 14-3 rout of Evansville at Yankee Stadium (1988).
A three-run homer from Nick Shaw off Bosses starting pitcher Lorenzo Cedra in the top of the first inning staked the River Walkers to a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Cisneros didn't allow a base runner until he walked George Phelps with two outs in the fifth.
The Bosses first hit came an inning later when Danny Atkins connected on a lead-off single.
Evansville, which now trailed 11-0, finally scored in the bottom of the eighth when Cisneros had appeared to have tired.
He gave up three hits -- including two with two outs which scored runs, Danny McCauley with a single and Chris McFadden with a double -- before exiting the game.
Victor Rosiles took over and surrendered a single to Sam Muszynski, making it 11-3.
That was the end of the scoring for the Bosses.
Meanwhile, St. Louis had busted the game open with a seven-run top of the seventh.
The inning featured five hits, an error and a bases-loaded walk.
The big hit was a three-run homer from Jose Ramon, which ended the outburst.
Shaw and Daylen Reyes both had RBI singles.
The Walkers would add another run in the eighth.
Joe Allen hit a three-run homer in the ninth to cap the scoring.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have announced the signing of shortstop Kerry Fackleman to a one-year contract.
Fackelman, 31, signed a contract worth $9.5 million for the remainder of the 2039 season.
The Walkers didn't intend to make the move, but when the re-signing of Daylen Reyes didn't pay off and the team got off to a horrible start, they opted to go after Fackleman.
Fackleman spent the 2038 season with Columbus, where he hit .303 with six homers and 57 RBIs in 151 games (145 starts).
For his career, Fackelman,who made it to the majors with Green Bay in 2028 and played there through 2036, is a .311 career hitter with 33 homers and 351 RBIs in 972 games (781 starts).
Fackelman will play a few games at AAA Memphis before joining the Walkers.

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Record: 14-18, 6th, 4 GB Des Moines and Kansas City
Ming Xiang limited Evansville to one run on four hits while throwing a complete game in St. Louis 4-1 win over the Bosses at Yankee Stadium (1988).
The only run Xiang allowed came in the bottom of the fifth when Josse Manhanas led off with a double and later scored on an Emilio Delgado ground out.
That made the score 3-1.
Overall, Xiang (4-1) allowed the four hits while striking out six and walking one. He threw just 92 pitches.
The River Walkers jumped in front with single tallies in the first and second innings off Bosses starting pitcher Jim Martin.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer doubled with one out in the first and scored on a two-out double by Nick Shaw.
Rookie R.J. Gomez got his first major league hit in the second, a homer to make it 2-0.
Chris Gibbs and Zach Wenman connected for consecutive one-out doubles off Martin in the fourth to make it 3-0.
Shaw singled off reliever Justin Lopez to lead off the sixth.
He later scored on a two-out double by Gomez off Nick Ferretti.

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Record: 14-19, 6th/(Tied/w. Springfield), 5 GB Kansas City
Ben Wilson limited St. Louis to one run over the first five innings and the Evansville bullpen shutout the River Walkers the rest of the way, as the Bosses avoided a four-game sweep with a 2-1 win at Yankee Stadium (1988).
Wilson (3-2) allowed one run on three hits during his time on the mound.
St. Louis took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Nick Shaw drew a lead-off walk from Wilson and later scored on a Jose Ramon single.
Wilson struck out three but walked five.
After that, it was Ed Sutherland, Roman Watson, Ed Cobbs and Mike Koontz with a scoreless inning apiece to close out the win.
Koontz notched his 12th save.
The Bosses tied it in the bottom of the second when Esteban Dominguez led off with a homer off St. Louis starting pitcher Agustin Perdomo.
Evansvile took the lead an inning later when Wilson was hit by a Perdomo pitch to open the ning.
A double by Brian Schlegel moved Wilson to third.
Jeff Waldron made it 2-1 with a fly ball to center.

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MBL news: May 9 -- Week 7 - Awards and standings

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Record: 15-19, 6th, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis pounded out 15 runs on 18 hits and Kevin Hrdlicka tossed eight shut-out innings as the River Walkers routed Louisville 15-0 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Hrdrlicka (2-2) allowed five hits over the first eight innings. He struck out 14 and walked one.
The right-hander did start the ninth but left after giving up a lead-off single to Lance Brown.
Maximillino Minelli, just re-called from AAA Memphis, took over and got out of the inning without allowing a run.
A Joe Allen homer leading off the bottom of the second off Sluggers starting pitcher Jason James gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
After that, the Walkers scored at least two runs in the fourth through seventh innings -- seventh in the fourth, two in the fifth and sixth and thee in the seventh -- as they posted a lopsided win.
Among the big bats were:
Manual Coke -- two for six with two doubles, a run scored and four RBIs.
Allen -- two for three with a homer, three runs scored and three RBIs.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer -- three for five with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Nolan Gorman -- three for four with two runs scored and two RBIs.

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Record: 16-19, 5th/(Tied/w. Louisville, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
Alek Boychuk hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to wipe out a 4-3 deficit, and St. Louis went on to defeat Louisville 6-5 at Busch Stadium (2006).
Sluggers reliever Brian Little hit Mark Herman with a pitch with one out to get thing going for the River Walkers in the bottom of the seventh.
A passed ball by catcher Joe Connel moved Herman to second.
Nick Shaw then reached on an error by third baseman Brice Mills.
Boychuk then powered a 2-2 pitch 393 feet over the fence in left-center to put St. Louis in front 6-4.
Louisville tallied twice off Walkers starter Juan Farias in the first inning -- Lance Brown and Mills with RBI singles -- in the first inning.
And again in the third -- Mills connected on a two-run double -- to go up 4-1.
Louisville starter Travis Pooler hit Boychuk with a pitch with the bases loaded in the third to make it 4-2.
Farias went six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Brett McVey, Ron Cox and Chris Willett all recorded two outs to get the game to the ninth.
Mills homered off Cox in the eighth to make it 6-5.
Walkers closer Craig Fritzler walked two batters in the ninth, but didn't allow a run to post his sixth save.

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Record: 17-19, 5th, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
Nolan Gorman led off the top of the ninth inning with a walk-off home run off Louisville reliever Nate Blaszak as St. Louis completed a three-game sweep of the Sluggers at Busch Stadium (2006).
Gorman's first homer since signing as a free agent with the River Walkers on April 20 came on a 2-1 pitch a traveled 393 feet over the wall in right field.
Louisville got seven shutout innings from Josh McDonald and owned a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.
All three of the Sluggers runs came in the top of the second inning off St. Louis starter Miguel Cisneros
With two singles, an error and a walk, Louisville put its first four batters on base.
The walk to McDonald scored the game's first run.
Isaac Rodriguez drove in Joe Connel with a fielder's choice.
Ryan West made it 3-0 when he scored on a Chris Zoltan fly ball to center.
With almost no one available in their bullpen because of injuries and fatigue, Louisville brought McDonald back for the eighth inning.
It didn't go well.
After getting Gorman to fly out to lead off the inning, Zach Wenman and R.J. Gomez both followed with singles.
Pinch-hitter Jose Ramon then tied it was a long home run to right center. It traveled 426 feet.
But the Walkers were not done as they went on to take the lead.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer followed the Ramon homer with a single.
Wibbenmeyer, however, was thrown out by Sluggers catcher Joe Connel trying to steal second.
Still, Mark Herman followed with a double. He scored when Manuel Coke also doubled to make it 4-3.
But Louisville did tie it in the top of the ninth against reliever Leo Hermansillo.
Zachary Landis singled with one out.
Joe Bien pinch-ran for Landis.
A Ryan West single moved Bien to second.
After a strikeout of Brice Mills, Issac Rodriguez singled to score Bien and tie it.
Brett McVey replaced Hermosillio.
He gave up a single to Chris Zoltan, but Herman threw out West at the plate.
Cisneros had just the one bad inning, as he went six altogether allowing the three runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Chris Willett pitched two innings of scoreless relief.
Hermosillo got the first two outs of the ninth.
McVey (2-1) allowed a single to the only batter he faced, got bailed out by Herman's strong throw to the plate.

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The St. Lous River Walkers have called up shortstop Kerry Fackelman from AAA Memphis and sent shortstop R.J. Gomez down to the Redbirds.
Fackelman, 31, signed a one-year free agent contract with the Walkers on May 7.
He spent a week at AAA, where he hit .381 with one homer and 13 RBIs in six games (five starts) before being called to the majors.
Fackelman spent last season with Columbus, where he helped the Golden Bears win the World Series.
He played in 151 games/145 starts with the Bears and hit .303 with six homers and 57 RBIs.
For his career, which began with Green Bay in 2028, he is a .311 hitter with 33 homers and 351 RBIs.
Gomez, 25, made six starts while with the Walkers and hit .350 with one homer and four RBIs.

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Record: 17-20, 5th/(Tied/w. Louisville), 5.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Garrett Karp allowed one run over the first five innings and the Louisville bullpen shut out St. Louis the rest of the way as the Sluggers downed the River Walkers 5-1 at Dodger Stadium.
Karp allowed one run on five hits in his five innings. He struck out six and walked two.
The lone run Karp allowed came in when he started the sixth inning and allowed three consecutive baserunners.
Jose Ramon drew a lead-off walk.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer and Manuel Coke both followed with single, Ramon scoring on the Coke, single to tie it at 1-1.
Wander Sanuel Starks then replaced Karp and retired three straight to end the inning.
Louisville responded by scoring twice in both the bottom of the sixth and seventh.
A pair of miscues by Ryan Wibbenmeyer led into the Sluggers two sixth-inning runs.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Wibbenmeyer booted a ball hit by Jose Gonzalez to load the bases.
The next hitter, Ryan West, also hit the ball to Wibbenmeyer who could not make the play at first -- it was ruled an infield hit -- as Boyle scored the tie-breaking run.
Willie Miranda then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Caleb Kinney with the inning's second run.
In the seventh, Lance Brown hit a two-run homer off Chris Willett to make it 5-1.
Four relievers, Starks, Dan Moore, Brian Little and Keith Kirby, all pitched scoreless innings to close out the win.
Starks earned his first win of the season.

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Record: 18-20, 5th, 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Pinch-hitter Joe Allen hit a home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to help lift St. Louis to an 8-7 win over Louisville at Dodger Stadium.:
Leading 7-6, Sluggers reliever Kyle Kulig retired the first two River Walkers batters in the top of the ninth.
But he walked Chris Gibbs to bring Allen to the plate.
Allen turned on a 1-2 pitch and drove it 360 feet over the left-field wall to put St. Louis in front.
Tied 1-1, Louisville had gone in front with a five-run bottom of the third against Walkers starting pitcher Agustin Perdomo.
The Sluggers had five hits in the inning.
Willie Miranda drove in the first run with a single.
The next two batters both homered, Lance Brown with a three-run shot and Brice Mills with a solo blast.
But St. Louis got back into it.
Pinch-hitter Daylen Reyes connected on a two-run double off Louisville starter John Bradley in the fourth inning.
Jose Ramon added another run with a fly ball to pull the Walkers with 6-4.
An inning later, St. Louis drew even with two more runs.
Mark Herman plated the first with a double off reliever Nate Balszak.
Kerry Fackelman, two batters later, drew them even with a bunt to score Gibbs.
But the Sluggers moved back in front in the bottom of the fifth.
Miranda hitting a lead-off homer off Frank Jimenez to make it 6-5.
Perdomo lasted just three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked the same.
Brett McVey pitched a scoreless fourth before Jimenez gave up the Miranda homer in the fifth.
Maximilliano Minelli pitched the sixth and got the first two outs of the seventh.
Leo Hermosillo (0.2 IP) and Kyle Smarr (0.2) combined to get the game to the ninth.
Smarr (1-0) would earn the win.
Craig Fritzler walked two batters with two outs in the ninth but still came out of it with his seventh save.

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Record: 19-20, 5th, 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Down 1-0, St. Louis scored two runs in four straight innings -- fourth through the seventh -- to lead the way for an 8-3 win over Louisville at Dodger Stadium.
The victory gave the River Walkers wins in two of three games in the series and five of six in the home-and-home.
St. Louis went to work against Jason James in the top of the fourth beginning with back-to-back singles from Manuel Coke and Joe Allen to open the inning.
Coke, who had gone to third on Allen's hit, scored on a one-out fly ball by Mark Herman.
A Zach Wenman single then scored Allen to make it 2-1.
Joe Sprague connected for an RBI single off Walkers starter Kevin Hrdlicka in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game.
It didn't stay tied for long.
As Hrdlicka opened the top of the fifth with a single off James.
After a fly out, Jose Ramon drew a walk.
Coke drove them both home with a double.
The sixth featured a two-run homer by Ryan Wibbenmeyer, making the score 6-2.
Mark Herman connected on a two-run single off Cole Duensing in the seventh to make the 8-3 final.
Hrdlicka (3-2) lasted five innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out six and walked four.
Frank Jimenez pitched two-thirds of an inning and gave up the final Louisville run.
Brett McVey got the final out of the sixth.
He did not return for the seventh because of a back injury.
Chris Willett, Kyle Smarr and Ron Cox all pitched scoreless innings to close out the win.

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MBL news: May 16 - Week 8 - Awards and standings

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Record: 20-20, 4th/(Tied/w. Des Moines), 2.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Tied 1-1, Nick Shaw hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning for St. Louis off Cedar Rapids reliever Travis Cromwell and the River Walkers held on for a 3-2 win at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
Cromwell had relieved Grapplers starting pitcher Jake Richardson after he got Manuel Coke to ground out to open the top of the sixth.
Cromwell retired Joe Allen for the inning's first out.
But he walked Mark Herman and Shaw followed with his fifth home run of the season, a 393 foot drive to left field, to put St. Louis in front for good.
St. Louis rookie starter Jose Farias (2-0) went seven innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
Maximilliano Minelli pitched a scoreless eighth.
Leo Hermosillo did the same in the ninth for his first save.

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Record: 20-21, 4th/(Tied/w. Des Moines), 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Matt Thurston led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a home run off St. Louis reliever Chris Willett to help lift Cedar Rapids to a 3-2 win at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
Tied 3-3, the homer came on a 1-0 pitch from Willett and traveled 395 feet over the left-field wall.
A two-run homer from the River Walkers Manuel Coke off Grapplers starting pitcher Edwin Rivera in the top of the sixth had given St. Louis a 3-2 lead.
The Grapplers, however, tied it in the bottom of the sixth when Miguel Mena doubled with one out off Walkers starter Miguel Cisneros and later scored on a two-out single by Mark Hill.
Rivera went six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits. He didn't strike out a batter and walked one.
Justin Sterner, Elijah Louis and Hector Miro all pitched scoreless innings i n relief of Rivera.
Louis (2-0) got the win.
Miro picked up his 12th save.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed right-handed pitcher Chris Willett on the 14-day injured list with a sore elbow.
Willett, who St. Louis signed in the offseason as a free agent, last pitched in the Walkers 4-3 loss to Cedar Rapids on May 17.
It was Willett who gave up an eighth inning home run to Matt Thurston which helped give the Grapplers a win.
The 28-year-old Willett has pitched in 19 games for St. Louis in 2039, going 0-4 with a 3.72 ERA. He has pitched a total of 20.2 innings, during which he has posted a 1.21 WHIP and struck out 13.
Getting called up from AA Springfield is right-hander Josh Joyce.
Joyce, 25, has pitched in 10 games for the Cardinals going 3-1 with a 1.56 ERA. He has pitched 17.1 innings and struck out 13 with a 1.10 WHIP.
This is Joyce's first time on a major-league roster.

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Record: 20-22, 5th, 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids banged out four straight singles to begin the bottom of the 10t inning to drive in the winning run of a 4-3 victory over St. Louis at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
The victory was the second in a row for the Grapplers to complete the three-game series
Just called up from AAA, Victor Rosiles took the mound for the River Walkers to begin the 10th.
He got rocked.
Matt Thurston led off with a single and he moved to second on a single by pinch-hitter Don Hodgson.
Lamar Black then loaded the bases with an infield single as shortstop Kerry Fackelman could not get the ball out of his glove.
Mark Hill then won it lining a 2-0 pitch into left-center.
An inning earlier, Cedar Rapids had tied it with a run off St. Louis closer Craig Fritzler.
Fritzler walked Miguel Mato to open the inning and then gave up a single to Dane Finch as Mato took third.
Maro scored on an Eric Gerhardt fly ball to left.
It marked Fritzler's fifth blown save of the season.
Fritzler had four blown saves the entire 2038 season.
The Walkers had taken a 3-2 lead on a Jose Ramon homer off Elijah Louis to open the bottom of the eighth.
Grapplers starting pitcher Joel Glenn lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out one and didn't walk a batter.
Dave Vacarri finished the fifth and also worked a scoreless sixth.
After that, it was one inning apiece from four relievers, Justin Sterner, Elijah Louis, Steve Murphy and Hector Miro to close out the game.
Miro (4-2) came out of it with the win.

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Record: 20-23, 6th, 6 GB Cedar Rapids
Adam Olmstead shut out St. Louis deep into the sixth inning and the Chicago bullpen did the rest as the G-Men down the River Walkers 2-0 at Wrigley Field (1938).
Olmstead didn't allow a hit until Kerry Fackleman led off the sixth with a single.
He faced just two more batters, getting a pair of fly out before exiting after throwing 80 pitches.
For the game, Olmstead (2-2) allowed no run on one hits. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.
Nate Guthrie came on and got Jose Ramon to ground out to end the sixth.
Guthrie also pitched a scoreless seventh.
Nate Finck followed suit in the eighth.
Despite allowing the River Walkers to load the bases, Matt Broussard earned his seventh save with a scoreless ninth.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead when Val Moreno led off the bottom of the second with a homer off St. Louis starter Agustin Perdomo.
An inning later, Ken Turner singled with two outs off Perdomo.
He scored when Josh Rosborough followed with a double.

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Record: 20-24, 6th, 7 GB Cedar Rapids
Down 2-0, Chicago scored the next six runs and held on for a 6-4 win over St. Louis at Wrigley Field (1938).
A two-run homer from Joe Allen off Chicago starting pitcher Devin Eyre in the top of the first inning staked the River Walkers to a 2-0 lead.
The G-Men got their first run in the bottom of the third off St. Louis starter Kevin Hrdlicka.
Alex Greene drew a one-out walk and scored on a two-out double by Josh Rosborough.
An inning later, Chicago took control when Rosborough struck again, this time hitting a grand slam off Hrdlicka to make it 5-2.
The G-Men took their 6-2 lead in the seventh against reliever Maximilliano Minelli.
Val Moreno led off with a single and more to second when Alfredo Cano drew a walk.
St. Louis pitchers combined to issue nine walks.
Kyren Paris scored Moreno with a single.
The Walkers did make it interesting in the ninth getting an early run when Nolan Goman led off with a double off Scott Mueller and later scoring when Zach Wenman reached on an error by Paris at shortstop.
Closer Matt Broussard took over and gave up a single to Nick Shaw and then walked Kerry Fackelman to load the bases.
But Broussard got struck out Ryan Wibbenmeyer and got Manuel Coke to fly out, although a run did score to make it 6-4.
With runners on first and second, Nate Finck took over and walked Joe Allen to reload the bases.
But Mark Herman flew out to left to end it.
Eyre went 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out two and walked two.
Carlos Hernandez (1-1) earned the win for finishing off the fifth and working a scoreless sixth.
Rich Haas pitched the seventh without incident.
Scott Mueller worked the eighth and would be charged with two of the runs that would score in the ninth.
Broussard got the first two outs of the ninth.
Finck earned his first save by getting Coke to fly out.