St. Louis River Walkers 2021 season: On the rebound

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This is the team Player Development Report received February 1.
I have only made one minor move this offseason, with the signing of veteran catcher Jason Castro.
Not sure if he'll work with the young pitchers at AAA Memphis or backup Tucker Barnhart with the big club.
I hope to sign at least one reliever (preferably a closer) and a utility infielder before spring training games begin.

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After two consecutive seasons that ended in the postseason, with the team winning a title in 2018 and falling in the National League Championship Series in 2019, the St. Louis River Walkers finally learned what it was like to not play meaningful games in October with a third-place finish in the National League South Division in 2020.
Their 93-69 record still ranked as fifth-best in the Midwest Baseball League, but it still landed them four-games behind NL South champion Des Moines in the standings. Cedar Rapids took the second spot at 94-68. The Harvesters did go on to claim the league championship.
The reason for the drop-off, a lot of little things. Although, the offense ranked among the NL’s best, it was probably not quite as strong as the previous two seasons.
The starting pitching took a step back as 2018 ace Jake de Grom never did take the mound due to injuries, while others – primarily Kyle Hendricks and Trevor Bauer – had trouble with the long ball.
If there was one major area of concern, it was the bullpen. No pitcher ever clearly settled into the closer’s role and their outings were inconsistent almost the entire season. Some of that may have been due to the fact many of the pitchers were in their first full season in the majors. It also may be because, those same pitchers were not as good as expected. The addition of Tommy Kahnle as the closer, hopefully, will help to bring some stability to the bullpen.
The starting eight will remain the same, as is the starting rotation as it stood at the end of the season. The bullpen added Kahnle and a couple of other new names, with maybe more to come as some top free agent relievers have yet to sign.
Led by defending MBL champion Des Moines, the division figures to be tough with a figure of close to 100 wins probably being needed to win it.
Departures
SP: Jacob de Grom – Age 32, B-L, T-R.
Reason for departure: Did not pitch in 2020 after suffering a torn rotator cuff during the 2019 season. He won the Cy Young while pitching for the 2018 championship team, going 14-5 with a 3.05 ERA, but it will still be a few months before he is ready to pitch again. Scouts rate him as being a shell of his former self.
Landing spot: Signing a one-year contract with Cincinnati for $1,280,000.
SP: Trevor Bauer – Age 30, B-R, T-R.
Reason for departure: Hit free agency and was wanting a major deal. With ace Aaron Nola hitting free agency after 2021, the team could not afford both so went with the younger, seemingly better pitcher. Bauer was outstanding in his three seasons with the Walkers going a combined 37-25. His 14-10 with a 4.16 ERA in 2020, however, was easily the worst of the three.
Landing spot: Signed a seven-year deal with Cedar Rapids worth $21.2M per season.
RP: Daniel Hudson – Age 34, B-R, T-R
Reason for departure: Signed as a free agent to a one-year deal before the 2020 season, Hudson had a solid season for the Walkers going 3-2 in 59 games with a 3.06 ERA. His 15 saves led the team.
Landing spot: Signed a two-year deal with Cedar Rapids worth $3.8M per season.
RP: Chaz Roe – Age 34, B-R, T-R
Reason for departure: The veteran right-hander pitched well after missing much of the early portion of the season with a torn meniscus. He got into 31 games, posting a record of 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA. Surprisingly, he thrived against left-handed hitters but struggled against those hitting from the right side.
Landing spot: Signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati worth $1.66M.
C: Manny Pina – Age 33, B-R, T-R
Reason for departure: Gave the River Walkers three strong seasons as the backup catcher to Tucker Barnhart, but wanted a contract more along the lines of a starter. In 2020, he played in 52 games, hitting .284 with six home runs and 21 RBIs.
Landing spot: Signed a one-year deal with Ann Arbor worth $750,000.
RP: Keone Kela – Age 27, B-R, T-R
Reason for departure: Going into the final weeks of the 2019 season, Kela ranked among the best closer’s in the National League. That was before he suffered a torn labrum in his throwing arm. He has not been the same since, in terms of further injuries and ineffectiveness. Kela got into 34 games with the Walkers in 2020, going 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA.
Landing spot: Remains a free agent.


Newcomers
CL: Tommy Kahnle – Age 31, B-R, T-R
Acquired: Signed as a free agent to a three-year deal worth $7.5M.
What he brings: He’ll be slotted in as the closer from day one. In 2020, he didn’t fill that role for a deep Cedar Rapids bullpen but has two 23-plus save campaigns to his credit. He got into 77 games for the Golden Grapplers, going 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA and five saves.
C: J.T. Realmuto – Age 30, B-R, T-R
Acquired: Signed as a free agent to a one-year deal worth $1M.
What he brings: Like Barnhart, is a top defensive catcher who carries a solid bat. A year ago, when he was not a happy camper with the Chicago G-Men, he batted .234 with six homers and 27 RBIs in 99 games.
RP: Omar Garcia – Age 26, B-R, T-R
Acquired: Signed to a one-year contract worth $545,000.
What he brings: A hard-throwing Cuban signed out of the Australian Baseball League. Garcia brings raw skills that could translate into the back of the bullpen reliever. He went 1-3 with two saves in nine games for Adelaide, posting an ERA of 9.64.

Starting pitchers
SP1: Aaron Nola – Age 27, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 33 G, 16-9, 3.28 ERA
What’s expected: Over the past three seasons, Nola has ranked among the best pitcher’s in the MBL going 43-20. A big reason the Walkers rewarded him with a four-year deal worth $25.84M per campaign. A big-game pitcher who has avoided injury, he’ll once again be asked to lead the pitching staff.
SP2: Yu Darvish – Age 34, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 30 G, 6-10, 3.40 ERA (St. Louis and Dayton); 10 G, 4-3, 3.09 ERA (St. Louis)
What’s expected: Acquired in a trade with Dayton on July 27, Darvish pitched fairly well down the stretch for the Walkers. He’ll be asked to provide plenty of quality innings as the team’s No. 2 starting pitcher.
SP3: Danny Duffy – Age 32, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 21 G, 7-7, 4.85 ERA
What’s expected: Duffy struggled through much of the first half of the season before being sidelined in mid-July with a strained abdominal muscle. He returned in early September and turned in some of his best starts of the season down the stretch.
SP4: Kyle Hendricks – Age 31, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 32 G, 11-10, 3.97 ERA
What’s expected: A solid inning’s eater (186.0 IP) who probably performed better than what his record shows. Finished as the league leader in BABIP at .255. Home runs allowed (32) is a concern.
SP5: Luiz Gohara – Age 24, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 31 G, 14-6, 3.59 ERA
What’s expected: Gohara got better and better as the season progressed and by September, probably was the team’s best starter behind Nola. Has some work ethic issues, but if he continues to improve should be a top three rotation guy by season’s end.
Relief pitchers
RHP: Reyes Moronta – Age 28, B-R, T-R
2020 season, 70 G, 59.1 IP, 3-4, 2.88 ERA, 6 Svs.
What’s expected: Moronta was quite impressive in his first full season in the majors. There were few relievers better against right-handed hitters. Improvement against left-handed hitters could make him one of the elite.
LHP: Grant Dayton – Age 33, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 66 G, 55.0 IP, 5-4, 2.62 ERA, 4 Svs.
What’s expected: Dominated against left-handed hitters and for the most part could be trusted against batters who swung from the right side.
RHP: Phil Maton – Age 28, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 70 G, 58.0 IP, 3-2, 4.34 ERA, 1 Sv.
What’s expected: Improvement. The 2020 campaign was Maton’s first real chance in the majors and while at times he shined at others the right-hander could not get anyone out. Needs to perform to his capabilities.
LHP: Bobby Poyner – Age 28, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 68 G, 63.1 IP, 2-4, 4.26 ERA, 7 Svs.
What’s expected: Poyner started the season as probably the team’s most versatile lefty in terms of getting any batter out. But he faded down the stretch. Weather it was fatigue or team’s figuring him out, he needs to get the job done from April to October in 2021.
RHP: John Curtiss – Age 28, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 36 G, 28.0 IP, 2-1, 8.04 ERA, 2 Svs.
What’s expected: Maybe the highest-touted of the team’s young relievers, Curtiss was among the most frustrating as he bounced back and forth between St. Louis and Memphis. He was very good in the majors in 2019, going 3-1 with a save and 2.79 ERA in 34 games, what happened?
LHP: Jake Diekman – Age 34, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 73 G, 53.1 IP, 2-1, 2.36 ERA, 4 Svs.
What’s expected: While he was not nearly the pitcher he was in 2019, when he was selected the top reliever in the NL, Diekman remained one of the toughest hurlers on left-handed hitters in the game. Just don’t let him throw to anyone who bats from the right side.
Catcher
Tucker Barnhart: Age 30, B-S, T-R
2020 season: 123 G, .253 BA, 16 HRs, 67 RBIs
What’s expected: Barnhart ranks among the top defensive catchers in the league, does a great job handling the pitching staff and carries a bat that has to be respected.


Infielders
1B: Rhys Hoskins: Age 28, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 141 G, .286, 40 HRs, 128 RBIs
What’s expected: After a somewhat disappointing 2019 campaign, where he still hit .250 with 30 homers and 88 RBIs, Hoskins exploded in 2020 to rank as the best hitting first baseman in the National League. The team captain, he combined with Andrew Benintendi and Michael Conforto to give the Walkers perhaps the best Nos. 3-4-5 hitters in the game.
2B: Bo Bichette: Age 23, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 61 G, .306, 9 HRs, 42 RBIs
What’s expected: With highly-paid second baseman Jin-Hwan Chung struggling at the plate, the Walkers decided to take a gamble and dealt him to Dayton, where he played great, to acquire Yu Darvish. Finally given his chance, Bichette fulfilled all expectations playing great over the final two months of the season.
SS: Adeiny Hechavarria: Age 31, B-R,T-R
2020 season: 144 G, .275, 4 HRs, 47 RBIs
What’s expected: While he doesn’t receive All-Star accolades or Gold Gloves, those go to Francisco Lindor, Hechavarria just supplies the River Walkers with outstanding defense at a shortstop and a bat that his much more than fodder in the No. 8 spot in the batting order.
3B: Nicky Delmonico: Age 28, B-L, T-R
2020 season: 121 G, .257, 31 HRs, 86 RBIs
What’s expected: He missed some games to injuries, but Delmonico continues to be a pleasant surprise as a power source at third base and an above average defender.
IF: Carlos Arroyo: Age 25, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 65 G, .251, 3 HRs, 12 RBIs
What’s expected: Right now, he’s a utility infielder who can supply plus-defense at second shortstop and third base. If he continues to improve at the plate, the opportunity to be a starter down the road is not out of the question.
Outfielders
LF: Andrew Benintendi: Age 26, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 150 G, .298, 38 HRs, 123 RBIs
What’s expected: His batting average dipped 42 points from his league high average of 2019, but his home runs and RBIs remained right up there as Benintendi remains one of the elite players in the league. He was rewarded with a six-year contract totaling $150M in the offseason.
CF: Ender Inciarte: Age 30, B-L, T-L
2020 season: 132 G, .295, 8 HRs, 49 RBIs
What’s expected: Inciarte remains among the top defensive center fielders in the game and continues to get on-base at a decent clip.
RF: Michael Conforto: Age 28, B-L, T-R
2020 season: 140 G, .256, 26 HRs, 84 RBIs
What’s expected: His power numbers saw a slight decrease from 2019, when he hit 41 homers and drove in 118 runs, while they were still more than respectable. This is his final season before free agency, and the team has a couple of nice outfield prospects in AAA, so his future with the Walkers is a question mark.
OF: Albert Almora: Age: 26, B-R, T-R
2020 season: 80 G, .274, 4 HRs, 20 RBIs
What’s expected: Missed some time to injury but plays above average defense and does a good job getting the bat on the ball.
OF: Andrew Toles: Age: 28, B-L, T-R
2020 season: 60 G, .270, 1 HR, 15 RBIs
What’s expected: Very similar type of player to Almora but hits from the left side. Outstanding defensively, gets the bat on the ball with good speed.

Final notes: On paper, this team looks good. 90-plus wins good. But it just seems like everyone just needs to do a little better than they did a year ago to get back to the postseason. Also, while a poor spring training performance, where the team finished 9-21, should not be a concern. There still is some concern about carry over into the season

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Quad City's Blake Rutherford hit a three-run home run off St. Louis starting pitcher Aaron Nola to highlight a four-run bottom of the fourth inning that keyed a 5-2 Thunder win at Fenway Park (1970).
Michael Conforto hit a solo homer in the second and Andrew Benintendi an RBI double off Quad City starter Matt Ruppenthal in the third as the River Walkers took a 2-1 lead.
But Orlando Arcia tied it when he led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot off Nola. The next two Quad City hitters reached, setting the stage for Rutherford's big hit.
Ruppenthal lasted four innings, allowing the two runs on three hits.
Evan Steele and Jesse Hahn worked two scoreless innings apiece for the Thunder before Jimmy Herget tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his first save.
Steele got the victory, only the second of his career.

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I think this is the first no-hitter in the three-plus seasons of the Midwest Baseball League

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Record: 0-3, 6th, 3 GB Quad City
Down 3-1, Quad City tied it with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and won it on an RBI single from Justin Turner in the ninth to defeat St. Louis 4-3 at Fenway Park (1970).
With the win, the Thunder swept the season-opening three-game series with the River Walkers.
Nicky Delmonico's two-run homer off Quad City relief pitcher Jose Almonte had given St. Louis a 2-1 lead.
An inning later, Ender Inciarte's RBI double off Koda Glover made it 3-1.
Quad City struck back with two in the bottom of the seventh to tie it.
Blake Rutherford drew a one-out walk from Jake Diekman.
Reyes Moronta then came on and issued two more walks to fill the bags.
Grant Dayton then got the ball, and Derek Fisher greeted him with a two-run double to tie it.
In the ninth, new Walkers closer Tommy Kahnle got his first chance of 2021 and took his lumps.
Blake Rutherford opened things up with a lead-off single.
He stole second and scored on a one-out single from Justin Turner.
Thunder starting pitcher Mike Montgomery didn't allow a run in 4.1 innings.
Almonte and Glover both pitched 1.1 innings apiece.

J.D. Hammer pitched a scoreless eighth and Jimmy Herget did the same in the ninth to collect a victory.

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Record: 1-3, 3rd (tied/w. three), 3 GB Quad City
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run on one hit over eight innings and J.T. Realmuto had a three-run double to help carry St. Louis to a 5-1 win over Kansas City at Municipal Stadium.
Hendricks allowed just one hit over the eighth innings, a lead-off double to Brett Phillips in the fifth inning.He later scored to make it 5-1.
Hendricks struck out five and walked none.
Omar Garcia finished off the win with a scoreless ninth.
A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for St. Louis in the first against Kansas City starting pitcher Chance Adams.
Realmuto drove them all home with a double, his first hit of the season.
An RBI double from Bo Bichette in the second made it 4-0.
Rhys Hoskins smacked a solo homer off Adams in the third.

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Record: 1-5, 6th, 3 GB Springfield
Dinelson Lamet allowed one run over six innings and Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to help Kansas City to a 3-1 win over St. Louis at Municipal Stadium.
A Michael Conforto single and error by Pit Masters second baseman Willy Adames helped St. Louis strike first with a single run in the top of the first.
In the bottom of the inning, Mookie Betts singled with one out off St. Louis ace Aaron Nola.
Two batters later, Phillps cranked the first pitch he saw 391-feet into the seat in right field to put Kansas City up 2-1.
Yasmani Grandal later connected for an RBI double off Nola in the fourth, making it 3-1.
Lamet allowed just three hits and the one run in his six innings. He struck out five and walked none.
Three relievers all tossed an inning apiece -- Juan Minaya, David Berg and Ryan Burr -- to close out the win.

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MBL news: Week 1 awards and standings

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Record: 2-5, 6th, 3 GB Quad City
St. Louis jumped out to a 5-1 and then just held on as newly-acquired closer Tommy Kahnle had trouble looking things down in the ninth inning of a 5-4 victory in the River Walkers' home opener at Busch Stadium (1997).
Tied 1-1, St. Louis took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning when Michael Conforto hit a two-run homer off former Walkers pitcher Trevor Bauer.
A solo shot from Ender Inciarte off Bauer in the fourth inning made it 4-1.
Hoskins had an RBI single off reliever David Cullison in the fifth pushing it to 5-1.
Their lead at 5-2, Kahnle struggled in the ninth inning while making just his second appearance of the season.
He struck out Trevor Story to open the inning, but then gave up a single to Johan Comargo and walked pinch-hitter Justin Bour before a triple by Victor Robles cleared those two from the bags and made it 5-4.
Kahnle, however, righted himself to strike out Dominic Smith and Joc Pederson to collect his first save as a Walker.
St. Louis starting pitcher Yu Darvish one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked four.
John Curtiss went a scoreless seventh inning, but Grant Dayton allowed a solo homer to Dominic Smith in the eighth, making it 5-2.
Phil Maton recorded the final two outs of the eighth for the Walkers.

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Record: 2-6, 6th, 3 GB Springfield and Quad City
Carlos Martinez pitched into the eighth inning and combined with reliever Johnny Hellwig to help Cedar Rapids shut out St. Louis 7-0 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Martinez allowed just three hits while striking out five and walking none in his 7.1 innings on the mound.
Hellwig finished off the game with 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up just one hit.
The Golden Grapplers took control early with a four-run top of the first inning against River Walkers starting pitcher Danny Duffy.
Keon Broxton landed the big blow with a two-out three-run homer after Victor Robles opened the game with a solo shot.
A Trevor Story solo homer off Martinez oin the fourth made it 5-0.
Terrin Varva connected for an RBI single in the seventh inning. Joc Pederson hit a solo homer off Omar Garcia in the eighth.

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Record: 3-6, 6th, 3 GB Springfield
St. Louis starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks left in the fourth inning with a minor thumb injury, but the River Walkers still managed to take a no-hitter into the seventh in a 5-1 win over Cedar Rapids at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, St. Louis took two of three games from the Golden Grapplers.
Hendricks was injured while covering first base while recording the second out of the fourth inning. He is expected to be available to make his next start.
Cedar Rapids first hit did not come until the seventh when Joc Pederson singled with two outs off Bobby Poyner.
The Grapplers only other hit came in the eighth when Alex Bregman led off with a single off Reyes Moronta. He later scored on a bases-loaded walk to Victor Robles from Moronta.
In addition to not allowing a hit in his 3.2 innings, Hendricks did not walk a batter either while striking out four.
John Curtiss followed him to the mound and did not allow a base runner in his three innings on the mound. Poyner got the final out of the seventh inning.
Moronta struggled again recording just one out, his ERA sits at 45.00, but Jake Diekman bailed him out by retiring four in a row to end it and record his first save.
Back-to-back doubles from Ender Inciarte and Christian Arroyo off Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Brandon Finnegan in the first inning put the Walkers up 1-0.
After three innings it was 4-0, Andrew Benintedni plated the first run with a double. Rhys Hoskins notched the other two with a homer off Finnegan.

Finnegan surrendered a solo homer to Ender Inciarte to open the fifth.

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Record: 4-6, 4th (Tied/w. two teams), 2.5 GB Springfield

Luiz Gohara allowed three hits over seven shutout innings to help St. Louis defeat Rockford 6-0 at RFK Stadium (1962).
Gohara struck out five and walked just one in his dominant performance.
Omar Garcia handled the final two innings, allowing one hit.
The River Walkers had a 2-0 lead two batters into the game following a two-run homer from Bo Bichette off Lighnting starting pitcher Seth Lugo.
By the end of the top of the first, it was 4-0 as Michael Conforto had an RBI single and Nicky Delmonico drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Walkers advantage grew to 6-0 in the fourth, Adeiny Hechavarria plating the first one with a triple off Lugo.
Hechavarria scored on an Gohara ground out.

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Record: 5-8, 5th (T/w. Cedar Rapids),3.5 GB Springfield
Justin Verlander limited St. Louis to a single run over six innings and Thomas Burrows kept the River Walkers silent over the final two as Rockford won 2-1 at RFK Stadium (1962).
With the win, the Thunder split the four-game series with the Walkers.

Verlander allowed just two hits in his time on the mound, while striking out six and walking two.
Burrows was just as impressive, giving up just one hit in three innings. He whiffed four River Walkers and didn't walk any of them.
St. Louis actually took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, when Michael Conforto connected for a lead-off double off Verlander. A ground out moved him to third and he scored on a Nicky Delmonico fly ball.
The Thunder tied it in the bottom half of the inning on a solo homer from Jorge Alforo off St. Louis starting pitcher Danny Duffy.
Rockford scored the game's only other run in the sixth Charlie Blackmon drove it home with a double off Duffy. Amed Rosario scored it after having led off the inning with a single.

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MBL news: Week 2 awards and standings

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Record: 6-8, 4th (Tied/w. Des Moines, 3.5 GB Springfield and Quad City
Down 6-4, St. Louis poured across 10 runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally for a 14-6 win over Twin Cities at the Metrodome (1997).
The River Walkers trailed 2-0 going into the top of the seventh, but rallied to take a short-lived lead by scoring four times.
A wild pitch by Snow Cats reliever Tobias Myers scored the inning's first run.
The next two came home when Myers gave up a homer to Albert Almora.
Andrew Benintendi later had an RBI double off Chris Sale.
But St. Louis watched as Twin Cities duplicated that four-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh.
Pinch-hitter Eloy Jimenez drove in the first two runs to tie it with a single off reliever Grant Drayton.
Bradley Zimmer followed with a two-run shot off Drayton, pushing Twin Cities out front 6-4.
But it's hard to explain what happened in the top of the ninth.
Evidently, the Snow Cats were out of relievers as they hung a weary Thyago Vieira out to dry.
The damage, all eight batters he faced reached base. He allowed four singles, three walks and hit a batter.
Ender Inciarte drove in two with his single. Adeiny Hechavarria one with his.
When Vieria exited, St. Louis led 10-6.
Twin Cities then put utility player Lucius Fox on the mound, and he did record three outs to get out of the inning.
He also gave up a grand slam to Rhys Hoskins and walked three more Walkers.
St. Louis starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs on three hits in his six innings.
Six relievers combined to close it out with the victory going to Reyes Moronta who tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

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Record: 7-9, 3rd (Tied/w. Des Moines), 4.5 GB Springfield
Nicky Delmonico hit a two-run pinch-hit home run off Twin Cities relief pitcher Tobias Myers with one out in the top of the ninth inning to help give St. Louis a 3-2 win over Twin Cities at the Metrodome (1997).
With the victory, the River Walkers claimed two of three games in the series.
Tied 1-1, the Snow Cats took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning after Juan Carlos Arias led off the inning with a single off Walkers relief pitcher Grant Dayton and scored on a double by Bradley Zimmer off Phil Maton.
But in the ninth, Adeinny Hechavarria reached on a one-out single off Myers.

Delmonico followed with a 393-foot blast over the wall in right field.
St. Louis starting pitcher Aaron Nola probably turned in his best outing of the season, allowing just one run on four hits in six innings.
The Walkers used six more pitchers to finish it out.

Recording the final out of the eighth inning earned Bobby Poyner his first win of the season.
Tommy Kahnle walked the lead-off batter in the ninth, but got the next three to earn his second save.

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Record: 8-9, 3rd, 4 GB Springfield
Andrew Benintendi hit a one-out, two-run home run off Des Moines relief pitcher Leo Vazquez to wipe out a 4-3 deficit and lift St. Louis to a 5-4 win at LaBatt Park.
Cody Bellinger had launched a two-run homer off River Walkers starting pitcher Yu Darvish in the top of the seventh to put the Harvesters in front.
A three-run top of the second, where St. Louis benefited from three walks, two with the bases loaded, had enabled it to take a 3-1 lead.
Darvish worked six innings, giving up four runs on six hits.
John Curtiss and Jake Diekman combined to keep the Harvesters off the board in the seventh inning.
Grant Dayton and Tommy Kahnle did the same in the eighth and ninth.
Kahnle earned his third win of the season.

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Record: 9-10, 3rd (Tied/w. Cedar Rapids), 3 GB Springfield
Pavin Smith hit a solo home run off St. Louis relief pitcher Reyes Moronta with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Des Moines a 4-3 win at LaBatt Stadium.
A Rhys Hoskins two-run home run off Harvesters starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel in the top of the sixth had tied it at 3.
Keuchel pitched 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits.
He was followed to the mound by seven relief pitchers.
Jandel Gustave handled the final two innings and earned his second win of the season.

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MBL news: Week 3 Awards and standings

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Record: 10-10, 4th, 2.5 GB Quad City
St. Louis answered a two-run top of the first inning by Springfield by four in the bottom half of the inning and never trailed again in a 10-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Prairie Fighters' Trevor Larnach smacked a two-run homer off River Walkers starting pitcher Luiz Gohara in the top of the first, giving Springfield its early lead.
The Walkers responded big time in the bottom half against Springfield starter Nathan Karns.
They put five of their first six batters on bases -- three singles, one walk and one hit by pitch -- Rhys Hoskins had an RBI single in that mix while Nicky Delmonico plated one when taking one for the team.
Adeiny Hechavarria chased home the last two with a two-run single.
St. Louis added two more runs in the sixth when pinch-hitter Brad Miller knocked his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, off reliever Eduardo Paredes.
The Walkers turned it into a rout with a four-run seventh. Nicky Delmonico plated two with a single and Tucker Barnhart a pair with his first homer of the season.
Gohara pitched into the sixth inning to earn his second win of the season. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out three and walked three.
Reyes Moronta got out of a jam in the sixth inning by getting the final two outs.
Omar Garcia, Grant Dayton and John Curtiss all worked a scoreless inning apiece to end it.