2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 72-51, 1st, 4.5 GA Springfield
Jose Segura scored three runs with a bases-loaded double with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to snap a 5-5 tie and help lift St. Louis to an 8-5 win over Des Moines at Green Canyon Park.
St. Louis had tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the eighth on a two-out pinch hit double by Eddie Estrella off Harvesters reliever Josh Crespo.
In the top of the ninth, Des Moines' Josh Dexheimer struck out Jackson Miller to open the inning.
But then allowed the next three to reach -- Manuel Coke doubled, Nick Sha drew an intentional walk and Marcos Francis -- singled to load the bases.
Mark Herman flew out for the second out.
But Segura got ahead in the count 3-0, and then scorched the next pitch into the gap in left center.
A pair of runs in the top of the second off Harvesters starting pitcher Dave Vacarri -- Shaw led off with a homer while Francis later singled and scored on a Segura fly ball -- staked the River Walkers to a 2-0 lead.
Ryan Rivet got Des Moines on the board in the top of the second with a homer off St. Louis starter Edward Kunselman.
Kunselman would exit after1.2 innings with back tightness.
The injury is not expected to force him to miss his next start.
The Walkers regained their three-run lead in the top of the third when Shaw doubled with two outs and scored on a Francis single.
The next four runs would be scored by Des Moines off St. Louis reliever Bobby Westerman.
Two of them came in the bottom of the third as the Harvesters banged out four hits.
Jared Poland drove in a run with a ground out. Allen plated the other with a two-out single.
Raul Estrada was hit by a Westerman pitch to open the fourth.
He stole second and later scored on a Bill Gomez fly ball to tie the game.
David Tapley led off the fifth for Des Moines with a double of Westerman.
He put the Harvesters in front when he scored on a Rivet fly out.
Westerman took on some extra work going 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits.
Brennan Weldon and Nick Ruffalo both pitched scoreless innings for St. Louis to get the game to the eighth.
Closer Nick Strother (5-2) handled the eighth and ninth to earn the win.

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Record: 72-52, 1st, 4.5 GA Springfield
Jared Poland connected on a bases-load single, scoring one run, with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to help lift Des Moines to a 5-4 win over St. Louis at Green Canyon Park.
An RBI single from Bob Saavedra off Harvesters relief pitcher Mario Reyes in the top of the eighth had tied the game at 4-4.
In the bottom of the inning, Des Moines put its first three batters on bases against St. Louis reliever Brennan Weldon.
Ethan Rives led off with a single.
Zigza Mukuru followed with a double. A walk to Justin Oates loaded the bases.
Greg Sones relieved Weldon and got David Tapley to fly out.
But Poland followed with his single on a 1-0 pitch, scoring Rives with the game-winning run.
Des Moines took a 1-0 lead against St. Louis starter in the bottom of the first on an RBI triple by Joe Allen off starter Xavier Wigfall.
Wigfall hit David Tapley with a pitch to lead off the third.
A Poland double moved Tapley to third, and he scored on a Leo Cerna ground out.
St. Louis tied it against Des Moines starter Rob Pillsbury in the fourth.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr drove in both runs with a two-out triple.
In the bottom of the inning, Corey Jordan put the Harvesters back in front with a solo homer off Wigfall.
Jackson Miller tied it for St. Louis in the top of the fifth with a solo shot off Pillsbury.
Allen hit his 22nd homer of the season with one out in the seventh, off Scott Rissler, as Des Moines seized a 4-3 lead.
Pillsbury worked six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Reyes worked the seventh and got the first two outs of the eighth
Mark Polzin (4-2) retired the only batter he faced in the eighth, which set himself up for the win.
Jason Dexheimer set the Walkers down in order in the ninth for his 18th save.

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Record: 73-52, 1st, 4.5 GA Springfield
St. Louis answered a three-run bottom of the sixth inning by Des Moines with four runs in the top of the seventh, as the River Walkers downed the Harvesters 8-7 at Green Canyon Park.
St. Louis won two of three games in the series.
A two-run double by Justin Oates highlighted a three-run bottom of the fourth for Des Moines against St. Louis starting pitcher Kevin Hrdlicka.
St. Louis quickly answered that with a three-run top of the fifth against Harvesters starter Keith Talley.
Des Moines regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Joe Allen led off with a double of Hrdlicka.
Allen stole third and scored on a Kyle Roberts fly ball.
The Walkers responded with a run in the top of the sixth against Talley.
Nick Shaw led off with a double, and scored on a two-out single by Zach Wenman.
That set the stage for the Harvesters three-run bottom of the sixth.
Roberts provided the big hit with a three-run double off Greg Sones.
But the stage had been set by errors from Walkers shortstop Abdul-Nasser. Amn Bir and second baseman Marcos Francis, which put two of the runners on base.
St. Louis struck right back in the bottom of the inning, putting its first three batters on base against reliever Clyde Rayner.
Pinch-hitter Nathaniel Dixon set the tone with a lead-off single, followed by another single from Bob Saavedra.
Manuel Coke doubled, scoring Dixon to make it 7-5.
Marcos Francis sliced it to 7-6 with a fly ball to score Saavedra.
Shaw notched the fourth hit of the inning, putting runners at the corners.
Rookie Mark Herman added the sixth, his double plating Coke to tie the score.
Jose Segura was given an intentional walk.
Rayner got Zach Wenman to fly out for the second out, keeping it tied.
Bin Amr untied it with an infield single to the shortstop as Shaw scored.
Hrdlicka allowed six runs on six hits in the first 5.2 innings. He struck out eight but walked five.
Sones got the final out of the sixth and allowed Oates' three-run double.
After that, it was a scoreless inning each from Bobby Westerman, Nick Ruffalo and Nick Strother to close out the game.
Sones (3-3) did earn the win.
Strother upped his save total to 25.

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Record: 53-43, 1st, 3.5 GA Springfield
Collin Allen broke up a scoreless game with a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, Quad City then added five more runs in the ninth as the Thunder defeated St. Louis 7-0 at Busch Stadium (2006).
River Walkers starting pitcher Josh McDonald worked seven scoreless innings, but the shutout disappeared quickly when he left in the top of the eight,
Former River Walker Daniel Becerra greeted reliever Scott Rissler with a single.
Allen followed with his 23rd home run of the season, driving a 1-1 pitch from Rissler 390 feet over the left-field fence.
All of the damage in the ninth came against St. Louis reliever Brennan Weldon.
The Thunder scored five runs on five hits.
Becerra and Allen both had RBI singles.
Paul Totten did the rest with a three-run homer.
Quad City starting pitcher Javier Assad handled the first 7.1 innings of the shutout.
He allowed four hits while on the mound. He struck out three and didn't issue a walk,
Craig Fritzler did the rest, earning his 24th save with 1.2 innings of pitching.

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Record: 74-53, 1st, 4 GA Cedar Rapids
Rookie Abdul-Nasser bin Amr connected on a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Marcos Francis and give St. Louis a 5-4 win over Quad City at Busch Stadium (2006).
Francis had drawn a one-out walk from Thunder relief pitcher Angelo Touliatos.
A two-out walk to Jose Segura had moved Francis to second.
Joe Wahl then replaced Touliatos.
Bin Amr connected on his game-winning hit on a 3-2 pitch, driving it up the middle.
A solo homer from Collin Allen off River Walkers starting pitcher Shane Drogo had tied it at 4-4 in the top of the sixth.
The Thunder's Paul Totten hit a three-run homer off Drogo in the top of the first to put his team up 3-0.
Bob Saavedra led off the bottom of the first with a homer off Thunder starting pitcher Pascal Marcovicci.
A solo homer from Manuel Coke in the fourth and an RBI single from Jackson Miller in the fifth, both off Marcovicci, had allowed St. Louis to move ahead 4-3.
Drogo allowed four runs on seven hits over the first six innings. He stuck out seven and walked two.
Bobby Westerman worked two innings of scoreless relief.
Nick Ruffalo (1-2) did the same in the ninth, setting himself up for the win.

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Record: 74-54, 1st, 3 GA Cedar Rapids
Trailing 3-2, Quad City busted loose for six runs in the top of the seventh inning and went on for an 8-3 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (2006).
The victory gave the Thunder wins in two of three games in the series.
Solo homers from Nick Shaw, Manuel Coke and Marcos Francis had helped the River Walkers build their 3-2 lead.
It all fell apart in the top of the seventh.
St. Louis starter Edward Kunselman returned to the mound to open the inning.
He gave up a single to Bill Blakeney.
Blakeney was caught stealing, but Raul Callazo did follow with a single.
Greg Sones took over for Kunselman.
He walked Joey Wilson before giving up a single to Angel Solis, scoring Callazo to tie the game.
Sones struck out Daniel Becerra for the second out.
Scott Rissler then got the call from the bullpen
He didn't bring much with him.
Rissler walked Collin Allen to load the bases.
Paul Totten followed with a single, scoring two to make it 5-3.
Rissler then uncorked a wild pitch with Gabriel Hagen at the plate.
Hagen was intentionally walked to fill the bases.
Fontana Fellitti made St. Louis pay with a double which scored three.
Quad City starting pitcher Ryan Falk (3-1) earned the win after allowing three runs on four hits over the first six innings.
Lawrence Caulfield worked a scoreless seventh for Quad City.
Joe Wahl handled a pair of frames to seal the win.

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MBL news: Sept. 1 -- Week 21 - Awards and standings

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MBL news: Sept. 1 -- Players and Pitchers of the Month for August

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MBL news: Sept. 1 -- Rookies of the Month for August

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MBL news: Sept. 1 -- American League leaders

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MBL news: Sept. 1 -- National League leaders

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Walkers news: Sept. 1 -- Team statistics for August

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Walkers news: Sept. 1 -- Walkers 2036 team statistics

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Player of the Month: Nick Shaw - The National League Player of the Month, the 27-year-old Shaw batted .417 with 10 homers, 27 RBIs with 22 runs scored on 27 games. He got on base at a .471 clip and slugged .759.
Starting Pitcher of the Month: Josh McDonald - The 29-year-old right-hander went 2-1 in six starts with a 3.38 ERA. He pitched a total of 40.0 innings, during which he struck out 36 and had a 1.12 WHIP.
Relief Pitcher of the Month: Nick Strother - The 31-year-old closer went 1-0 with five saves and a 0.00 ERA in seven games. He pitched a total of 8.1 innings, during which he struck out four and had a 0.84 WHIP.

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Walkers news: Sept. 1 -- Player Development Report

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The St. Louis River Walkers have added two players -- outfielder Mark Waterson and relief pitcher Alex Salinas -- to their roster at the Sept. 1 roster expansion.
Waterson, 23, began the season in the majors but struggled hitting just .200 with no homers or RBIs in 10 games.
At AAA Memphis, Waterson has hit .251 with 16 homers and 45 RBIs in 67 games.
Salinas, a 28-year-old right-hander, has gone 3-5 in 34 games with eight saves and a 2.29 ERA for the Redbirds this season.
Salinas did pitch one scoreless inning in a brief callup to the Walker earlier this season.

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Record: 75-54, 1st, 4 GA Cedar Rapids
St. Louis jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and led 5-0 before Cedar Rapids got on the board, as the River Walkers downed the Grapplers 6-3 at Connie Mack Stadium (1961).
Bob Saavedra got things going for St. Louis by leading off the game with a double off Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Antonio Echevaria.
Saavedra scored two batters later on a Manuel Coke single.
Coke, who took second on the throw to the plate, then scored when Nick Shaw followed with another single.
The Walkers extended their lead to 3-0 an inning later.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr doubled with two outs and scored when pitcher Xavier Wigfall singled off Echevaria.
The scored reached 5-0 in the fifth, Marcos Francis hitting his 16th homer of the season, a two-run shot off reliever Jordyn Ibarra.
Wigfall shut out the Grapplers for the first five innings, but after hitting Jose Morillo with a pitch with one out in the sixth he came unraveled.
The next hitter, Eric Gebhardt, doubled to score Petey Halpin.
Halpin had entered the game for Morillo, whose injury is still being diagnosed after being hit by a Wigfall pitched.
Tim Jurgensen singled to put runners at the corners.
Ron Henriques drove them both in with a three-run home run.
Armando Cintron took over for Wigfall.
He got Jordan Batista to ground out to end the inning.
St. Louis added an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
Shaw singled with one out off Grapplers reliever Hector Miro.
Two singles later, from Francis and Mark Herman, sent Shaw across the plate.
Wigfall (10-9) went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked two.
Cintron retired Batista to end the sixth.
After that, it was an inning scoreless each for Bobby Westerman, Brennon Weldon and Nick Ruffalo to end the game.
Ruffalo posted his third save.

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Record: 76-54, 1st, 5 GA Cedar Rapids
Rookie Kevin Hrdlicka allowed one run on one hit over seven innings and St. Louis it four home runs to power its way to a 6-2 win over Cedar Rapids at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
Hrdlicka (3-4) turned in his best start of the season taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Eric Gerhardt broke up the no-hitter with a lead-off single.
The lone Grapplers run came without a hit in the third inning when Jake McCarthy ended up at second base following throwing error by third baseman Bob Saavedra to lead off the inning.
A bunt by pitcher Josh Downer moved McCarthy to third.
He scored on a Miguel Mato ground out, making the score at that time 2-1.
Hrdlicka struck out 10 in his seven innings. He walked two.
Solo homers from Manuel Coke in the first inning and Jose Segura in the second, both off Downer, staked the River Walkers to a 2-0 lead.
Jackson Miller hit a two-run shot off Miguel Britten in the eighth to make it 4-1.
Nick Shaw made it 5-1 with a lead-off homer off Brian Petak in the ninth.
Segura later made it 6-1, when he singled off Petak and scored on a Chris Duncan double off Jordyn Ibarra.
Four relievers combined to finish the game after Hrdlicka exited.
Greg Sones got the first two outs in the eighth. Bobby Westerman got the third, getting Arnold Hammond to fly out with runners on second and third.
In the ninth, Ron Cox gave up a one-out homer to Miguel Mena.
After a strike out, he then gave up singles to Mark Hill and Josiah Miller.
That forced the Walkers to turn to Brennan Weldon, who induced a ground out by Miguel Mato to end the game.
Weldon earned his third save.

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Record: 77-54, 1st, 6 GA Cedar Rapids
Miguel Coke snapped a 2-2 tie with a two-out, two-run pinch-hit double in the top of the seventh inning and St. Louis held on to defeat Cedar Rapids 4-3 at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
The victory completed a three-game sweep for the River Walkers.
Coke, who has taking a rare day off, hit his double off Grapplers Joey Ross, who had come into the game 11-2.
The hit drove in Jose Segura, who had tripled with one out, and Nathaniel Dixon, who had taken an intentional walk.
Early on, Cedar Rapids had gone up 2-0 with a pair of runs off St. Louis starting pitcher Josh McDonald in the bottom of the first
Back-to-back doubles with two outs by Tim Jurgensen and Arnold Hammond had driven in the runs.
The Walkers tied it with single runs in the fourth and fifth.
Marcos Francis led off the fourth with a double off Ross and scored on a Mark Herman single.
An inning later, McDonald had been hit by a Ross pitch.
A walk to Bob Saavedra and Jackson Miller had loaded the bases.
McDonald then scored on a passed ball by Jurgensen, the Cedar Rapids catcher.
McDonald allowed two runs on six hits in his five innings. He struck out two but walked three.
Scott Rissler took over to begin the sixth, but failed to retire any of the three batters he faced.
Nick Ruffalo stepped in to get out of the sixth with the Grapplers scoring just one run.
Rookie Alex Salinas pitched a scoreless seventh for the Walkers.
Greg Sones handled the eighth without an issue but allowed a one-out single to Steve Ricca.
Closer Nick Strother got the call, and although he got into all kinds of trouble.
He didn't allow a run.
A single to Josiah Miller and a walk to Steven Williams loaded the bases with two outs.
But Jake McCarthy flew out to left.
Strother had his 26th save.

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Record: 77-54, 1st, 6 GA Cedar Rapids
St. Louis scored four runs over the first two innings, and scored four more between the seventh and eighth, to defeat Akron 8-3 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The River Walkers jumped on Flying Feet starting pitcher Jesus Pinto for four hits, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Eddie Estrella provided the big hit with a two-out, two-run double.
The next batter, Jose Segura, added the inning's third run with a single.
In the second, Zach Wenman led off with a double.
He moved to third on a bunt by pitcher Shane Drogo.
Manuel Coke drove him home with a two-out double.
Akron climbed back into it with single runs off Walkers starter Shane Drogo in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
But that would be the end of the scoring for the Feet.
St. Louis, meanwhile, added two runs to its lead in the bottom of the seventh thanks to back-to-back bombs from Francis and Coke off Akron reliever Benjamin Wiegman.
Adam Disney was on the mound for Akron in the eighth when the Walkers scored twice more.
Pinch-hitter Mark Waterson led off with a double.
A passed ball moved him to third, and he scored on a triple by Abdul-Nasser bin Amr.
Zach Wenman plated bin Amr with a fly ball to center.
Drogo (15-5) became the league's first 15-game winner, by going six innings.
He allowed three runs on six hits while striking out seven and issuing four walks.
Bobby Westerman pitched two innings of scoreless relief.
Brennan Weldon did the same in the ninth.