2024 St. Louis River Walkers -- Why can't this thing be fixed?

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Record: 34-45, 6th, 12 GB Des Moines
Springfield pounded St.Louis starting pitcher Aaron Nola for seven runs over the first three innings and Prairie Fighters starter Danny Duffy and a pair of relievers combined on a two-hit shutout as they downed St. Louis 8-0 at Olympic Stadium.
Nate Traylor hit the first of his two homers in the game, this one a three-run shot to open the scoring, as the Fighters went up 3-0.
In the third, Andres Gimenez opened things with a lead-off homer.
Later, after Traylor had earned his fourth RBI of the contest with a sacrifice fly, Jonathan Lucroy cranked a two-run shot to make it 7-0.
Traylor's second homer was of the lead-off variey in the fifth off reliever Jason Jester.
Duffy, who had two strong seasons with the Walkers, took care of the first seven innings allowing both St. Louis hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Drew Steckenrider worked an uneventful eighth. D.J. Jefferson did the same in the ninth.

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Record: 35-45, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 11 GB Des Moines
One good 8-0 win deserves another, only this time the tables were turned as St. Louis rode a rare shutout from Alex Faedo who spurred the River Walkers to an 8-0 win over Springfield at Olympic Stadium.
Faedo allowed eight hits, but no runs, as he went the distance. The right-hander struck nine and walked one.
The River Walkers grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second inning, banging out four hits off Prairie Fighters starter Michael Santos.
Bo Bichette drove in their first run with a sacrifice fly.
Jared Thomas chased home the other two with a triple.
That advantage grew to 6-0 in the fourth, Faedo got down a bunt to score the first run.
Alek Thomas later had and RBI single off Santos.
Tanner Kohlhepp led off the seventh with a homer off Thomas Szapucki to make it 7-0.

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Record: 36-45, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 11 GB Des Moines
Rhys Hoskins homered twice and Argenis Batista allowed three runs over seven innings as St. Louis downed Springfield 7-3 at Olympic Stadium.
Tied 1-1, the River Walkers took the lead for good in the top of fourth on Hoskins' two-run homer off Prairie Fighters starter Jared Kelley.
St. Louis added another run later in the inning, Alek Thomas with an RBI single to score Jean Carmona.
He had followed Hoskins homer with a double.
A two-run homer from Riley Greene off Batista in the fifth drew Springfield to within 4-3.
But the Walkers got a two runs in the sixth -- Tanner Kohlhepp and Michael Toglia with RBI singles off D.J. Jefferson -- and one in the ninth -- Hoskins had singled and scored on a Gerson Moreno wild pitch -- to regain a comfortable margin.
Batista allowed three runs on six hits in his seven innings. He struck out six and walked none.
John Curtiss and Sean Doolittle worked a scoreless inning apiece to seal the win.

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MBL news: June 30 -- All-Star fan voting update

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Walkers news: Mid-season note from the owner
Response -- F--k you. If these players performed the way they are supposed too, we would not be sitting at the bottom of the division.

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Record: 36-46, 6th, 11 GB Des Moines
Ryan Mountcastle's pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam capped a five-run bottom of the ninth inning for Springfield as it defeated St. Louis 9-7 at Olympic Stadium.
The victory enabled the Prairie Fighters to claim the finale of the three-game series after dropping the first two.
The money the River Walkers sank into their bullpen in the offseason continues to be money mis-spent as closer Edwin Diaz blew his fourth save of the season and Jake Brentz suffered his sixth loss of the season.
Trailing 7-4, Andres Gimenez opened the bottom of the ninth for the Prairie Fighters with a double off reliever Jason Jeter.
Enter Brentz, who was greeted by a single from Riley Greene before recording a pair of strikeouts.
Brentz, however, could not find a way to end it allowing an RBI single to Eric Hosmer and another singl to Max Schrock which loaded the bases.
On came Diaz, who saw Mountcastle unload on his 0-1 and drive it 435 feet over wall in left-center field.
The Walkers unloaded 10 hits over the first five innings, but failed to score falling behind 3-0.
St. Louis would end up with 18 hits in the contest.

The Walkers exploded for seven runs in the sixth, Michael Toglia landing the big blow with a grand slam off reliever Drew Steckenrider.
St. Louis was not done.
New reliever Jake Diekman allowed the first four batters he faced to reach, including run-scoring single from Jared Thomas and pinch-hitter Romy Gonzalez.
Called into the game, Mark McConnell could not stem the outburst either, allowing a singles to Alex Thomas and Christian Arroyo pushing two more runs across the plate.
Springfield starter Josh Hader worked five scoreless innings allowing 10 hits.
It took Steckenrider (0.2 IP), Diekman (0.0) and McConnell (0.1) to handle that ugly seventh inning for the Fighters.
The rest of the game belonged to Wade Davis (1.2) and Thomas Szapucki (5-0), who pitched the ninth and got the win.

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MBL news: Week 13 awards and standings

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MBL news: Players and pitchers of the Month for June

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MBL news: Rookies of the Month for June

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MBL news: American League leaders on July 1

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MLB news: National League leaders on July 1

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Walkers news: Team batting and pitching stats for June and regular season

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Walkers news: Team statistics and June scores

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Player of the month: Tanner Kohlhepp: The 25-year-old third baseman batted .305 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 25 games. He scored 12 runs while posting an on-base percentage of .340 and a slugging percentage of .547.
Starting pitcher of the month: Argenis Batista: The 23-year-old went 3-0 in six starts. He worked a total of 38.2 innings, posting an 3.03 ERA while striking out 33 and boasting a 1.03 WHIP.
Relief pitcher of the month: Caleb Ferguson: The 27-year-old rookie left-hander got into 12 games and worked 13.2 innings during which he went 0-1 with a 1.32 ERA. He struck out 19 batters and had a 0.59 WHIP.

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Record: 37-46, 6th, 10 GB Des Moines
Andrew Benintendi broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to help give St. Louis a 3-0 win at Labatt Park.
River Walkers starting pitcher Steven Brault and Golden Grapplers starter Yeo-San Park both worked seven scoreless innings.
In the ninth, Dahiandy Johnson led off with a single off reliever Leo Vazquez.
Vazquez then walked Rhys Hoskins, bringing Benintendi to the plate.
With a 1-1 count, Benintendi cranked the ball 360 feet over the right-field fence to provide what would be the game's lone runs.
Brault scattered eight hits during his time on the mound. He struck out three and walked none.
Caleb Ferguson worked a scoreless eighth.
Ferguson (1-1) earned the win.
Jake Brentz recorded the first two outs in the ninth, but allowed a pair of hits forcing the Walkers to turn to Phil Maton.
Maton got pinch-hitter Grant Witherspoon to ground out to end it and earn himself his first save of 2024.

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Record: 38-46, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 9 GB Des Moines
Aaron Nola allowed two runs over seven innings and Rhys Hoskins broke the game open with a grand slam as St. Louis downed Des Moines 7-2 at LaBatt Park.
Tied 2-2, the River Walkers took the lead for good in the top of the third when Tanner Kohlhepp reached on a two-out error pitcher Nick Pivetta, Kohlhepp winding up at second.
He scored when Michael Toglia followed with a single.
Kohlhepp was injured on the play at the plate and could miss up to six weeks with a fractured finger.
St. Louis took complete control in the seventh, when a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Hoskins who drilled a Yelin Rodriguez pitch 375 feet over the right-field fence for a grand slam.
Nola (3-7) allowed two runs on eight hits in his seven innings. He struck out three and walked none.
Sean Doolittle (0.2 IP) and Phil Maton (0.1) combined to work the eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen pitched around a walk in an uneventful ninth.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have placed third baseman Tanner Kohlhepp on the 10-day disabled list after he suffered a fractured finger on a play at the plate on July 2 against Des Moines.
He will be replaced on the St. Louis roster by 28-year-old infielder Nick Poirier.
In 36 games this season, the 25-year-old Kohlhepp has batted .271 with nine homers and 26 RBIs.
Poirier had gotten into 47 games for the Redbirds, hitting .375 with five homers and 17 RBIs.

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Record: 39-46, 4th (Tied/w. Cedar Rapids), 8 GB Des Moines
Alex Faedo took a shutout into the eighth inning and St. Louis took its third straight game from National League South Division leader Des Moines in a 4-0 win at Labatt Park.
Faedo (6-8) allowed just two hits in his 7.1 innings. He struck out five and walked four.
The River Walkers got most of their offense in a four-run fourth inning.
Rhys Hoskins knocked in first two with a homer off Golden Grapplers starter Dallas Kuechel.
Romy Gonzalez later tripled off Kuechel and scored on a wild pitch.
Michael Toglia had a double in the inning and scored when Jared Thomas knocked a two-out single.
Thomas hit a solo homer off relieve Yonny Chirinos in the sixth, making it 5-0.
Caleb Ferguson got the final out of the eighth inning and the first two in the ninth before allowing a pair of baserunners.
Jason Jester stepped in to get Logan Warmoth to ground out to end it.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have sent outfielder Dehiandy Johnson to Memphis and called up outfielder Alan Dondero from the Redbirds.
The move was made because Alek Thomas is the lone center fielder on the Walkers roster and has shown signs of fatigure.
Johnson, 24, got into 16 games with St. Louis batting .256 with three homers and five RBIs.
The 28-year-old Dondero has batted .215 with 15 homers and 42 RBIs in 76 games for the Redbirds. He also is considered a plus defender in center and right field.

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Record: 39-47, 5th (tied/W. Kansas City), 9 GB Des Moines
Sixto Sanchez worked six scoreless innings and trio of relievers followed suit as Des Moines downed St. Louis 2-0 at LaBatt Park.
The victory allowed the Golden Grapplers avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the River Walkers.
Sanchez (7-2) allowed just three hits during is six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Yelin Rodriguez, Bryan Garcia and Leo Vazquez all worked a clean inning apiece to close it out.
Vazquez notched his fifth save.
Both of the game's run came on homers.
The Grapplers second batter of the game, Carlos David Rodriguez, took Walkers starter Argenis Batista deep for his first homer of the season.
Cody Bellinger knocked his 20th of the campaign in the fourth, also off Batista.