2033 St. Louis River Walkers: And the saga continues

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Record: 1-2, 4th/(Tied/w. Des Moines), 2 GB Springfield
Trailing 4-3, Louisville exploded for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pave the way for an 8-4 win over St. Louis at Dodger Stadium.
The win was the second in a row for the Sluggers to complete the three-game series.
Joe Bein got things going for Louisville with a lead-off single off St. Louis starter Brad Monroe.
The Walkers had acquired Monroe just two days prior in a trade with Peoria.
Ryan West hit into a fielder's choice with Bein being forced at second.
Sean Nettles then drew a walk.
Keith Kirby then replaced Monroe.
The left-hander was pitching in a major league game for the first time since last May when he suffered a fractured elbow.
His return didn't go well.
Bobby Chapman greeted Kirby with an RBI double.
After a ground out, Chris Zoltan chased home two more runs with a single.
Dan Boyle capped the outburst with a two-run homer.
Making his first start for Louisville since being signed in the off-season as a free agent from Twin Cities, Garrett Karp lasted just four innings, allowing four runs on four hits. He didn't strike out a batter and walked one.
Jesse McNaboe (1-0), who left St .Louis as a free agent after the 2037 season, picked up the slack with two scoreless innings to earn the win.
Manuel Montano lasted just a third of an inning before exiting with a calf injury.
Kyle Kulig finished off the seventh and worked a scoreless eighth.
Matt Whitmore took care of the ninth in a non-save situation.

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Record: 1-3, 5th/(Tied/w. Kansas City and Quad City); 3 GB Springfield
Springfield carved out six runs in the first five innings against St. Louis starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall and then pounded out 13 more against the River Walkers bullpen in a 19-2 rout at Oracle Park (2020).
The Railers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first against Wigfall.
They later chased Wigfall with three-runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-1.
Ruben Villanueva drove in the final two runs with his first homer of the season.
After that, Springfield scored three runs in the sixth thanks to a three-run homer by Joseph Hughes off reliever Jesse Gaither.
Two in the seventh, relief pitcher Ozzie Soto driving in both with a homer of Jose Tapia.
And seven in the eighth.
Hideaki Taguchi had a two-run single off Greg Sones while Jared Poland plated a pair with a single off Brett McVey.
Billy Salas capped the outburst with a three-run double off McVey.
Springfield starter Ruben Ruiz (1-0) went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter.
Mike LaFramboise wrapped up the sixth inning for the Railers.
Soto pitched two innings of scoreless relief.
Ryan Tanner handled the ninth inning of lopsided win.

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Record: 2 3, 5th, 2 GB Springfield
Miguel Ciseneros first start for St. Louis was an impressive one as the 35-year-old right-hander allowed one run over six innings to help the River Walkers defeat Springfield 3-1 at Oracle Park (2020).
Signed as a free agent in the off-season, Cisneros (1-0) allowed a run in the bottom of the second inning but nothing much other than that.
In his six innings, Cisneros allowed the one run on four hits. He struck out three and didn't issue a walk.
The run Ciseneros allowed in the bottom of the second, Hideaki Taguchi doubled with one out and scored on a Matt Beagle single, tied the game at 1-1.
St. Louis scored its first run in the top of the inning.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr's two-out double off Railers starter Jesse Edwards scoring Jackson Miller, who had singled just in front of him.
The Walkers got the game's other two runs in the top of the seventh.
With Edwards still on the mound, Ryan Wibbenmeyer opened the inning by reaching on an error by Taguchi at shortstop.
Darren Xi then replaced Edwards and retired the next two batters.
But pinch-hitter Jim Moorman drew a walk.
Bob Saavedra followed with a double to plate a pair.
St. Louis used four relievers to close out the win.
Brett McVey pitched a scoreless seventh.
Keith Kirby (0.2 IP) and Bobby Westerman (0.1) allowed a couple of base runners but no runs in the eight.
New Walkers closer Craig Fritzler made his first appearance of the season and earned his first save.

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Record: 3-3, 3rd/(Tied/w. Louisville and Des Moines), 1 GB Springfield
St. Louis scored three runs in the top of the first inning off Springfield starter Marcos Zaragoza and never trailed in posting a 6-2 win at Oracle Park (2020).
Despite losing the series opener 19-2, the River Walkers won the next two to capture the series.
Three consecutive one-out hits sparked St. Louis first-inning outburst -- Mark Herman doubled and Manuel Coke and Nick Shaw followed with singles -- off Zaragoza.
Herman scored on Shaw's single.
Jim Moorman plated the other two with a two-out double.
The Railers tallied twice in the bottom of the first off Walkers starting pitcher Ming Xiang.
But that would be the last of their scoring
Xiang (2-0) would secure his second win in as many starts by going 5.1 innings, and allowing the two runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked four.
Jesse Gathier got Xiang out of a sixth inning jam by getting Alex Otero to ground into a double play with runners on first and second.
Greg Sones got the first out of the seventh, but got himself into trouble wit a pair of walks.
Bobby Westerman worked out of that seventh inning situation and got the first out of the eighth.
Keith Kirby handled the rest of the eighth.
Closer Craig Fritzler worked the ninth without allowing a run in a non-save situation.
After going up 3-0 early, St. Louis added single runs in the fourth, eighth and ninth.
In the fourth, Jackson Miller tripled with two outs off Zaragoza and scored on an Abdul-Nasser bim Amr single.
Herman hit his first home run of the season to lead off the eighth off Jon Santiago.
In the ninth, bin Amr doubled with one out off Bobby Mitchell and scored on a pinch-hit single by Ryan Wibbenmeyer.

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MBL news: April 12 -- Awards and standings for Week 1

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Record: 3-4, 4th/(Tied/w. Louisville, 2 GB Springfield
Down 1-0, Quad City raked St. Louis starting pitcher Kevin Hrdlicka for six runs in the top of the fourth inning and kept the onslaught up against the River Walkers bullpen as they ruined their home opener with a 14-2 rout at Busch Stadium (2006).
After retiring six of the first seven batters he faced, Hrdlicka seven straight hits to open the top of the fourth -- the seventh hit was followed by a batter reaching on a Hrdlicka error -- as the Thunder turned a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 lead.
Included in that string of its, was a two-run double by Paul Totten, an RBI double by Fontana Felllitti and run-scoring singles by Gabriel Hagan and Joshua Naylor.
QC's last run of the inning came when reliever Jesse Gathier issued a bases-loaded walk to Collin Allen.
After that, the Thunder scored two runs in the fifth.
Joshua Naylor with a two-run, two-out double off Gaither.
Collin Allen hit a solo homer off Ron Cox in the sixth to make it 9-2.
And Paul Totten highlighted a five-run eighth with a grand slam off Jose Tapia.
Felitti took Tapia deep again later in the inning to make it 14-2.
Thunder starting pitcher Benito Diaz (1-1) allowed two runs on six hits over the first five innings.
He struck out three and didn't issue a walk.
Juan de la Garza chewed up three innings of scoreless relief.
Jesus Pina struck out the side in the ninth.

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Record: 3-5, 5th/(Tied/w. Quad City), 2 GB Springfield
Jacob Gonzalez connected on a game-winning single with one out in the top of the ninth inning off St. Louis reliever Bobby Westerman to lift Quad City to a 5-4 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
An RBI single from Bob Saavedra off Thunder reliever Terry Zahnow in the bottom of the eighth had put the River Walkers in front 4-3.
They could not hold that lead.
Going out for his second inning after striking out the side in the eighth, St. Louis closer Craig Fritzler ran out of gas in the ninth as he sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a walk to J.P. DiPietro.
That brought Westerman into the game, and he was greeted by an run-scoring double by Collin Allen to tie the game.
Paul Totten, who had homered earlier in the game, was then intentionally walked to bring Gonzalez to the plate.
On a 3-2 pitch, Gonzalez ripped a grounder past first baseman Nick Shaw to bring home Allen with the winning run.
QC starter Pascal Marcovicci lasted just 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits He struck out four and walked one.
Hector Almedina pitched 2.2 innings of relief to get the game to the seventh.
After that, it was an inning apiece for William Myers, Zahnow and Angelo Touliatos to close the game.
Zahnow (1-1) got the win.
Touliatos earned his first save.

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Record: 4-5, 3rd/(Tied/w. Louisville and Des Moines), 2 GB Springfield
Xavier Wigfall limited Quad City to one run over seven innings and St. Louis avoided a three-game sweep with a 6-2 win over the Thunder at Busch Stadium (2006).
Wigfall (1-1) allowed one run on four hits over the seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
The lone run Wigfall allowed was a home run by Collin Allen in the top of the sixth inning.
It made the score 6-1.
The Walkers tallied single runs in the first and second innings.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer scored the first inning run after drawing a one-out walk from Thunder starting pitcher Bobby Wheeler.
A Manuel Coke single moved Wibbenmeyer to third.
A passed ball by catcher Bruce Naverette allowed Wibbenmeyer to score.
Jackson Miller first homer of the year in the second then made it 2-0.
St. Louis then broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The Walkers banged out three singles -- Mark Herman, Wen He and Abdul-Nasser bin Amr -- with the third scoring the inning's first run.
Wigfall drove in the second run with a bunt.
A fly ball by Bob Saavedra plated the third.
Coke collected his second RBI of the game with his second homer of the season leading off the fifth off Jesus Pina.
Ron Cox worked the final two innings for St. Louis.
He allowed a Joey Wilson homer in the eighth.
The Thunder loaded the bases in the ninth, but Cox got out of it without allowing a run.

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Record: 5-5, 4th, 2.5 GB Springfield
Trailing 5-4, St. Louis scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and went on to defeat Milwaukee 6-5at Busch Stadium (2006).
The Crushers had taken that lead by scoring four times in the top of the sixth.
River Walkers starter Miguel Cisneros opened the inning with a walk but then retired the next two.
That, however, was followed by a Corey Flowe single to score Luke Leto with the inning's first run
Cisneros then hit Andrew Allison with a pitch.
Mike Lamoureux followed with a two-run double to tie the game.
Jesse Gaither replaced Cisneros but he allowed a RBI single to pinch-hitter Daniel Becerra as Milwaukee took the lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Crushers reliever Curt Donaldson got Bob Saavedra to ground out to open the inning.
But Ryan Wibbenmeyer followed with a triple.
Manuel Coke doubled to tie it.
Mark Herman made it three straight hits with a single to score Coke an put the Walkers in front 6-5.
Cisneros was good for five innings before getting hit hard in the sixth.
Overall, he pitched 5.2 innings allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked three.
Gaither got the final out of the sixth along with allowing a go-ahead run.
Keith Kirby, Bobby Westerman and Craig Fritzler all pitched scoreless innings.
Kirby (1-0) earned his first win since joining the Walkers.
Fritzler notched his second save.

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Record: 6-5, 4th, 2.5 GB Springfield
Mark Waterson hit a two-run home run off Milwaukee reliever Caleb Walker in the bottom of the seventh inning to help lift St. Louis to a 4-3 win over the Crushers at Busch Stadium (2006).
Tied 2-2, Jackson Miller led off the inning with a single.
After an Abdul-Nasser bin Amr fly out, Waterson connected on his second homer of the season, driving the first pitch from Walkers 364 feet over the right-field wall.
The Crushers had tied the game in the top of the sixth on a Pete Crow-Armstrong two out single off St. Louis starting pitcher Ming Xiang.
Crow-Armstrong's hit scored Luke Leto who had doubled with one out.
Xiang (3-0) picked up his third win of the season by allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings.
He struck out three and walked one.
Greg Sones' early season struggles continued as he allowed a run while getting the first two outs of the eighth.
Bobby Westerman had to come on with the tying run on second and get Jose Flores to ground out to keep the Walkers in front.
Closer Craig Fritzler set Milwaukee down in order in the ninth for his third save.

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Record: 6-6, 4th, 3.5 GB Springfield
Milwaukee jumped on St. Louis starting pitcher Kevin Hrdlicka for four runs in the top of the first inning and cruised from there for a 6-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
The victory allowed the Crushers from being swept in the three-game series.
The Crushers opened the game with three consecutive singles off Hrdlicka, the third from Nicolas Thibault drove in Lamar Black with the game's first run.
After a strike out of Jose Flores, Corey Flowe connected for his first homer of the season -- a 417-foot shot to left center -- to push the gap to 4-0.
The River Walkers got their lone run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Bob Saavedra off Crushers starting pitcher Justin Buck.
Milwaukee added insurance runs in the fourth -- Luke Leto with an RBI single off Hrdlicka -- and sixth -- Jose Flores with a two-out double off reliever Brett McVey -- to cap the scoring.
Buck didn't last long enough to earn the win, throwing just 4.2 innings.
During that time, he allowed the one run on six hits. He struck out three and didn't walk a batter.
The win went to Ed Sutherland (1-0), who finished the fifth inning and worked a scoreless sixth.
The seventh and eighth and ninth belonged to Melvin Araujo who earned his first save.

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MBL news: April 19 -- Awards and standings after Week 2

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Record: 7-6, 3rd, 3 GB Springfield
Brad Monroe picked up his first win since joining St. Louis, allowing Madison two runs on four hits over the first six innings as the River Walkers down the Muskies 7-2 at Comiskey Park (1969).
Monroe (1-0), who St. Louis acquired from Peoria the day after opening day, struck out five and walked two.
Both those runs came in the bottom of the third inning, Angel Solis tripled to drive in a run and later scored on a Mark Holland sacrifice fly, by which time the Walkers already led 5-0.
St. Louis scored in each of the first three innings.
It was one in the first off Muskies starting pitcher Dakota Franc.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer with a double and scoring on a two-out double by Mark Herman.
It was one again in the second.
Nick Shaw and Jackson Miller led off the inning with back-to-back single.
Shaw scored when Franc threw a wild pitch with Abdul-Nasser bin Amr at the plate.
Coke and Herman hit back-to-back homers off Franc in the third.
Waterson followed those homers with a single and scored on a single by bin Amr.
Coke collected another RBI in the fourth, his single off Danny Wright driving in Bob Saavedra who had led off with a single to make it 6-2.
Brett McVey pitched a scoreless seventh for St. Louis.
Greg Sones (0.2 IP) got the first two outs of the eighth.
Jesse Gaither notched the third.
Bobby Westerman handled the ninth without an incident.

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Record: 8-6, 3rd, 2 GB Springfield
Xavier Wigfall allowed two runs over five innings to help St. Louis down Madison 4-2 at Comiskey Park (1969).
The River Walkers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with single runs in the top of the second and fifth innings.
Mark Waterson led off the second with a home run off Muskies starting pitcher Ben Johnson.
Wigfall singled with one out in the fifth off Johnson.
A single by Bob Saavedra moved Wigfall to third.
Wigfall scored when Ryan Wibbenmeyer hit into a force play.
Madison got on the board in the top of the fifth.
Trent Rowan tripled off Wigfall with one out and scored on a Jon Solis fly ball to center.
The Walkers, however, responded to that with a run in the top of the sixth.
Waterson doubled of reliever Jason Pappas with one out.
A Nick Shaw fly out moved Waterson to second.
Waterson scored when Pappas uncorked a wild pitch.
The Muskies made it 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
Zach Ebert led off with a single off Wigfall.
Ebert stole second and moved to third on a Wigfall wild pitch.
Tyler Hamilton later made it 3-2 with a two-out double.
But the game's only remaining run would be scored by St. Louis.
It came in the top of the seventh.
Pinch-hitter Jordan Quinto drew a one-out walk from Tyler Phillips.
Quinto stole second and scored on a Wibbenmeyer single.
After Wigfall left the game, St. Louis used five relievers to close it out.
Greg Sones got the first two outs of the sixth. Brett McVey notched the third.
After that, it was an empty inning each from Bobby Westerman, Keith Kirby and Craig Fritzler.
Fritzler notched his fourth save of the season.

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Record: 8-6, 3rd, 2.5 GB Springfield and Cedar Rapids
Anthony Ward singled with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning off St. Louis relief pitcher Greg Sones to score Zach Ebert and give Madison an 8-7 win at Comiskey Park (1969).
The victory allowed the Muskies to avoid a three-game sweep.
Ebert had led off the inning with a double and after Mark Holland struck out, he had stolen third.
That set him up to score easily on Ward's single.
The game had been tied since the top of the ninth when the River Walkers had tied it in an RBI single from Nick Shaw off reliever Maurcio Moreno.
Manuel Coke, who had led off the inning with a single, scored on Shaw's hit.
The Muskies earlier had owned leads of 4-1 and 7-3 only to see St. Louis rally to tie the game.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr went 3 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs for the Walkers.
Holland and John McCaskey both had two RBIs for the Muskies.
Madison starter Alex Ochoa worked 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out one and walked one.
Robert Chacon finished the sixth for the Muskies.
After that, it was an inning apiece for Tyler Phillips (one run allowed), Marshall Larcombe (two runs) and Moreno.
Marshall Hornby pitched 2.1 scoreless innings.
Jason Pappas (2-1) finished the 12th and was given the win.

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Record: 9-7, 3rd, 2.5 GB Springfield
Manuel Coke hit a solo home run and Mark Waterson a three-run shot in the bottom of the sixth inning off Kansas City starting pitcher Alexis Yanez to lift St. Louis to a 5-2 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Coke's homer led off the inning.
Waterson's three-run blast came after walks to Mark Herman and Nick Shaw, as the first four St. Louis hitters of the inning reached base.
The homers both gave Coke and Waterson four for the season.
River Walkers starting pitcher Ming Xiang improved to 4-0 by allowing two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Jesse Gathier pitched a scoreless seventh.
Ron Cox got the first out in the eighth before allowing two baserunners.
Bobby Westerman came on and retired all five batters he faced for his first save of the season.

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Record: 10-7, 3rd, 1.5 GB Springfield and Cedar Rapids
Tied 6-6, Zach Wenman singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning off Kansas City relief pitcher Nate Wilson to score Mark Herman and help lift St. Louis to a 7-6 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Herman had drawn a walk to lead off the inning.
A Nick Shaw single moved Herman to second.
Herman was forced out at second when Mark Waterson hit into a fielder's choice but Herman moved to third.
Wenman then ground a single between first and second to score Herman.
The Monarchs had tied it in the top of the seventh on a three-run homer from Gerardo Bernal off River Walkers reliever Brett McVey.
St. Louis had wiped out a 3-2 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Waterson drove in the inning's first run with a single off KC starter Tyler Martin.
Bob Saavedra later plated a pair with a single.
Ryan Wibbenmeyer drove in the final run with a two-out single off reliever Willie Mendoza.
St. Louis starting pitcher Kevin Hrdlicka still struggled but did manage to get through six innings.
He allowed three runs on six hits. He struck out seven but walked four.
McVey recorded just one out while being charged with three runs.
Keith Kirby (2-0) allowed two hits while finishing the seventh but still ended up with the win.
Jose Tapia got the first two outs of the eighth.
Closer Craig Fritzler finished that inning and worked the ninth for his fifth save.

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Record: 11-7, 2nd, 1.5 GB Springfield
Tied 1-1, Bob Saavedra doubled off Kansas City reliever Nate Wilson with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and scored on a Ryan Wibbenmeyer single as St. Louis completed a three-game sweep of the Monarchs with a 2-1 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
KC had tied it in similar fashion in the top of the ninth.
Jordan Grullon doubled off Bobby Westerman with two outs and scored on a Mike Pillsbury single.
The game's only other run had come in the bottom of the third.
Wibbenmeyer had drawn a two-out Monarchs starting pitcher Jose Buenrostro.
A single by Manuel Coke moved Wibbenmeyer to second.
Buenrostro then left the game with an undisclosed injury.
A wild pitch by reliever Jimmy Madden moved the runners to second and third.
Mark Herman then put St. Louis in front with a single between short and third.
River Walkers starting pitcher Brad Monroe turned in his best start since joining the team right after Opening Day.
He worked seven shutout innings allowing just three hits, all singles. He struck out six and walked two.
Greg Sones set the Monarchs down in order in the eighth.
Westerman (1-1) was hit with his second blown save but earned his first win of the season.

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MBL news: April 26 -- Week 3 Awards and standings

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Record: 11-8, 3rd, 2.5 GB Springfield
Tied 4-4, Cedar Rapids put its first three batters on base in the top of the eighth inning against St. Louis relief pitcher Brett McVey to score the game-winning run -- pinch-hitter Roman Montes' single scoring Bobby Matt -- to lift the Grapplers to a 5-4 win at Busch Stadium (2006).
Matt led off the inning with a double off McVey.
McVey then hit Miguel Mena with a pitch.
Montes then drove the first pitch he saw between the center fielder and left fielder to bring Matt home with the game-winning run.
The River Walkers had tied it at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back one-out doubles from Bob Saavedra and Ryan Wibbenmeyer off Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Dennis Turner.
At one point, St. Louis had led 3-1 only to have the Grapplers go in front by scoring three runs off starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall in the top of the fifth.
Turner lasted five innings for Cedar Rapids, allowing four runs on seven hits.
Justin Turner pitched the sixth for the Grapplers and got the first two outs of the seventh.
The win went to Antonio Echevaria, who retired the only batter he faced to end the seventh.
Hans Aguiar and Hector Miro pitched the eighth and ninth without incident.
Miro earned his second save.