2028 St. Louis River Walkers: Starting our second decade

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Walkers news: Team statistics for August 2028

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Walkers news: Total team statistics for 2028

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Player of the month: Cris Rosario -- The 27-year-old rookie first baseman continued his impressive season batting .241 with eight homers, 20 RBIs and 14 runs scored in 27 games. He got on base at a .278 clip and slugged .519.
Starting Pitcher of the Month: Angel Tiburcio -- The 28-year-old right-hander went 2-1 with 2.18 ERA in five games. He pitched 33.0 innings while posting a 0.70 WHIP and striking out 36.
Relief pitcher of the Month: Jose Alvarado -- The 33-year-old left-hander got into nine games during which he posted two saves He worked 9.1 innings, during which he had a 0.96 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He struck out seven batters.

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Walkers news: Player Development report for Sept. 1, 2028

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Record: 86-55, 1st, 1.5 GA Kansas City
Jason Carmona led off the game with a homer and later added a two-run shot as St. Louis snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over Detroit at Tiger Stadium (1980).
Carmona's first homer came on a 2-1 pitch from Wheelmen starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
He crushed it 410 feet over the wall in right field for a 1-0 River Walkers' lead.
Detroit did tie it up in the bottom of the first, red-hot rookie Jimmy Gorman with a solo blast of his own off St. Louis starter Angel Tiburcio.
That, however, would be the only run Tiburcio and the Walkers bullpen would allow.
A pair of runs in the fifth put St. Louis in front.
Tiburcio led off the inning with a single off Syndergaard.
An intentional walk to Carlos Vidal, followed by a Cris Rosario single would load the bases.
Andrew Benintendi later coaxed the second free pass of the inning, as the Walkers went in front 2-1.
Matt Rumley replaced Syndergaard, only to issue another walk, this one to Ozzie Albies to put St. Louis in front 3-1.
Carmona's second homer came an inning later, this one worth two runs off Rumley, as the Walkers' lead grew to 5-1.
Tiburico (14-4) worked into the sixth (5.1 IP), allowing one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Cory Tiller finished the sixth and got the first two outs of the seventh.
Tony Ramirez finished off that inning without incident.
Ernesto Barbosa, pitching for the first time since a back issue, didn't allow a base runner over the final two innings to close it out.

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Record: 87-55, 1st, 1.5 GA Kansas City
A two-run double from Ozzie Albies highlighted a three-run top of the 17th inning for St. Louis, as the River Walkers downed Detroit 5-3 at Tiger Stadium (1980).
Tied at 2-2 since St. Louis had tied it with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, Alek Thomas led off the 17th with a single off weary Wheelmen relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman.
A Thairo Estrada bunt moved Thomas to second, before Andrew Benintendi drew a walk,
Albies followed with his double, hitting a 1-2 pitch into the gap in right-center field.
Jean Carmona later connected on a single, bringing home Albies with an insurance run.
Brought to the majors to fill in the starting rotation for the injured Adonis Medina, rookie Robby Albarran got the call to finish the game for the Walkers.
Bryce Harper got to him for a two-out homer, but he retired the other three batters he faced for his first MBL save.
An RBI single from pitcher Damon Casetta-Stubbs in the fourth inning and a solo homer from Ronald Acuna Jr. in the fifth, both off St. Louis starter Brendan McKay, earned Detroit its 2-0 lead.
That lasted until the ninth.
Back-to-back doubles from Jared Thomas and pinch-hitter Vidal Brujan got things rolling for the Walkers against reliever Jared Miller.
Another pinch hitter, Cris Rosario, tied it with a third straight hit, his a single.
McKay handled the first six innings for St. Louis, allowing two runs on seven hits.
Six relievers followed him to the mound, beginning with Jose Alvarado who worked a scoreless seventh and got the first out of the eighth.
Ernesto Barbosa finished the eighth.
After that it, was a pair of two-inning stints from Jake Brentz and Nick Lodolo followed by four shutout innings from Zac Lowther,
Lowther (5-0) came out of it with his fifth win of the season.

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The Sept. 3 game between the St. Louis River Walkers and Detroit Wheelmen at Tiger Stadium (1980) has been postponed by rain.
It has been re-scheduled for Sept. 25, with the regular season previously having been scheduled to end after the game's of Sept. 24.
I guess, this makes it an if-necessary game.

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MBL news: Week 22 Awards and standings

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Record: 88-55, 1, 2.5 GA Kansas City
Andrew Benintendi and Jean Carmona hit back-to-back run-scoring sacrifice flies in the top of the third inning to snap a 1-1 tie, and St. Louis went on to defeat Cedar Rapids 4-3 at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
Tied 1-1, Vidal Brujan opened the third with a lead-off walk from Rodolfo Cervantez.
A single from Ozzie Albies and another walk, this one to Cris Rosario, and the bases were loaded with nobody out.
Benintendi hit a long fly ball to center to score Brujan.
Carmona hit a long fly ball to right, scoring Albies, and the River Walkers were ahead, and it turned out to be for good.
St. Louis added its fourth run an inning later, Edwards Olivares drew a lead-off walk from reliever Matt Wailzer and scored on the Walkers' third sacrifice fly of the game, this one from Alek Thomas.
The Golden Grapplers would make it interesting.
Jose Leyva led off the seventh with a homer off Walkers starting pitcher Kaneo Kawamoto.
Then in the ninth, closer Jake Brentz became unhinged after retiring the first two batters.
He gave up consecutive singles to RJ Teijeiro and Jerrion Ely, followed by a double to Phillip Dull to make it 4-3.
Ernesto Barbosa was forced to come on in an attempt to bail Brentz out, and he did getting pinch-hitter. Bo Bichette to ground out to end it.
Kawamoto (10-9) got the win, after allowing two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.
Travis Krogman kept the Grapplers off the board in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Barbosa earned his seventh save.

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Record: 89-55, 1st, 2 GA Kansas City
Jared Thomas homered three times to power St. Louis to a 7-3 win over Cedar Rapids at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
His first homer was solo shot off Devin Eyre in the top of the second to give the River Walkers a 1-0 lead.
The St. Louis catcher went yard for a second time in the fourth, again off Eyre, this time a lead-off blast to put the Walkers in front 2-1.
His third long ball was worth three runs, and it came in the top of the seventh off Golden Grapplers reliver Manny Pescosolido to turn a 4-1 game into a 7-1 game.
St. Louis had scored twice in the fifth -- Cris Rosario and Jean Carmona with RBI singles -- to make it 4-1.
Making a spot start for a weary Walkers rotation, Joey Thacker (1-1) looked good going seven innings, during which he allowed just one run on six hits. He struck out four and walked none.
Tony Ramirez handled the final two innings and despite allowing solo homers to Jerrion Ealyt and Domingo Santana in the eighth, it didn't matter thanks to the damage Thomas had already done.

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Record: 89-56, 1st, 2 GA Kansas City
Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer off St. Louis starting pitcher Robby Albarran in the bottom of the second inning to open the scoring, and Cedar Rapids went on for a 7-1 win over the River Walkers at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
The win allowed the Golden Grapplers to avoid a three-game sweep.
Joel Pal led off the second with a single, and Freeman followed it by driving a 1-0 pitch from Albarran 461 feet over the tall wall in right-center field.
Albarran, a rookie, was starting for a River Walkers rotation which is without No. 2 starter Adonis Medina due to injury and has no clear No. 5 starter as it attempts to win a tightly contested NL South Division with Kansas City.
Cedar Rapids pushed its lead to 3-0 in the fifth.
James Gamble led off with a single of Albarran.
He stole second and went to third on a balk.
A fly ball from Rick Atkinson was deep enough to make it 3-0.
It's lead at 3-1, Cedar Rapids added two runs in the seventh.
With two outs, Cory Tiller hit pinch-hitter Cory Leyva with a pitch.
He scored when Mark Hill followed with a double.

Hill would score on a two-out single from Terrin Vavra off reliever Nick Lodolo.
Jake McCarthy and Matt McLain collected RBI singles off Travis Krogman in the eighth to make the final score.
Atkinson (5-5) allowed one run on five hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Former Walkers reliever John Curtiss finished the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh.
Victor Ortiz and Dave Schaeffer pitched an inning apiece to close out the win.

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Record: 90-56, 1st, 1.5 GA Kansas City
Angel Tiburcio pitched 7.1 shutout innings en route to earning his 15th win as St. Louis downed Rockford 2-0 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Matched up against former River Walkers' ace Alex Faedo, Tiburcio (15-4) scattered four hits over his 7.1 innings. He struck out 10 and walked one.
Tiburcio came out to start the eighth, allowing a lead-off double to Sean Nettles followed by a strike out of Jaden Agassi.
Jose Alvarado took over and retired the next two to end the inning.
Jake Brentz pitched around a one-out single in the ninth to earn his 25th save.
St. Louis' first run came in the bottom of the second, all of it happening with two outs.
Jean Carmona tripled off Faedo and scored when Carlos Vidal followed with a single.
A solo homer from Jared Thomas, his 23 long ball of the year, with two outs in the fifth made it 2-0.

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Record: 91-56, 1st, 1.5 GA Kansas City
Carlos Vidal homered twice, including a lead-off homer in the bottom of the first inning to ignite a three-run inning, to help St. Louis down Rockford 6-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Vidal's first homer came on a 3-2 pitch from Lightning starting pitcher Luis Severino to open the bottom of the first.
The River Walker's other two first-inning runs also came with the help of the long ball, as Andrew Benintendi belted a two-run shot.
The St. Louis lead grew to 3-0 in the third after Cris Rosario led off with a double and scored on a two-out single from Steve Ruland.
Rockford reliever Konnor Pilkington was on the hill when Vidal hit his second solo homer, it coming with two outs in the sixth to make it 5-0.
The Lightning got their lone run in the seventh, when Rece Hinds broke up Brendan McKay's bid for shutout with a one-out solo homer.
McKay (10-5) exited after allowing the homer, but turned in a strong outing allowing the one run on four hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Rookie Kyle Brnovich replaced McKay and retired all three batters he faced before having to leave with a back injury.
Tony Ramirez got the final two outs of the eighth.
Cory Tiller ended matters with a scoreless ninth.
Gettting a rare start in center field, Ruland hit a solo homer off Miguel Cisneros in the eighth inning.

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Record: 92-56, 1st, 1.5 GA Kansas City
Jean Carmona doubled with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, went to third on a Jared Thomas single and scored on a passed ball to snap a 5-5 tie, and give St. Louis a 6-5 win over Rockford at Busch Stadium (1997).
The victory gave the River Walkers a sweep of their three games against the Lightning.
Carmona's double came off Rockford reliever Jaden Foster, as did Thomas' single which moved him to third.
With Carlos Vidal at the plate facing an 0-1 count, Foster's pitch eluded catcher Sean Nettles and allowed Carmona to cross the plate.
Rockford got to Walkers starting pitcher Kaneo Kawamoto for three runs in the top of the first inning, Javy Monjaraz driving in the final two with a homer.
St. Louis answered with two in the bottom half, Ozzie Albies connecting for a two-run homer off Lightning starting pitcher Melvin Chavez.
Drew Mendoza belted a two-run homer off Kawamoto in the fifth, putting Rockford ahead 5-2.
But St. Louis tied it with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Vidal drove in Carmona, who had drawn a one-out walk from Chavez, with a double off Jaden Foster.
Pinch-hitter Steve Ruland followed by homering for the second straight game, a two-run blast over the left-field wall.
Kawamoto allowed five runs on nine hits over five innings. He did struck out seven and walked none.
Travis Krogman and Zach Lowther followed Kawamoto to the hill, working a scoreless inning apiece.
Ernesto Barbosa got the first two outs of the eighth, but also allowed a pair of hits.
This hastened an early entry into the game for Walkers closer Jake Brentz, who struck out pinch-hitter Mike Clay to end the threat.
Brentz then sat the Lightning down in order in the ninth for his 26th save.

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MBL news; Week 23 Awards and standings

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Record: 93-56, 1st, 2.5 GA Kansas City
Making a spot start due to injuries in the St. Louis starting rotation, rookie Robby Albarran pitched 5.1 innings to help the River Walkers to a 5-0 win over Springfield at Busch Stadium (1997).
Albarran (1-2) scattered three hits in his 5.1 innings, striking out three and walking two.
Entering the game with a runner on first and one out, Zac Lowther replaced Albarran and got Alex Otero to hit into a double play to end the inning.
Lowther went on to pitch get the first two outs of the seventh before being replaced by Ernesto Barbosa.
Barbosa wrapped up a scoreless seventh and pitched out of a runners on second and third jam in the eighth.
Tony Ramirez allowed two single, but no runs in the ninth to close out the win.
Scoring wise,. St. Louis got the only run it would need in the bottom of the first.
Ozzie Albies singled with two outs off Prairie Fighters starting pitcher Luke Madden.
Cris Rosario followed with another single, moving Albies to second.
Andrew Benintendi connected for a third straight single, making it 1-0.
Thairo Estrada made it 2-0 an inning later, after drawing a one-out walk.
A double by Albies moved him to third, and Estrada scored when Rosario grounded out with one out.
The Walkers added two more runs in seventh.
Steve Ruland doubled with one out off Kyle Barraclough, and scored when Alek Thomas followed with another double.
Thomas later scored on a Barraclough wild pitch.
Rosario led off the eighth with a solo homer, his 38th of the season, off Owen Sharts.

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Record: 93-57, 1st, 2.5 GA Kansas City
Nolan Jones led off the top of the 11th inning with a home run off St. Louis reliever Tony Ramirez to give Springfield a 3-2 lead at Busch Stadium (1997).
Dylan Crew hit a two-run homer off St. Louis starting pitcher Ricky Cisneros in the top of the first to put the Prairie Fighters up 2-0.
It remained that way until the ninth when the River Walkers managed to tie it with back-to-back homers from Andrew Benintendi and Jean Carmona off reliever Mario Reyes.
Springfield starting pitcher Raul Ahumada worked 6.2 scoreless innings, alllowing just two hits.
Jacob Lindgren got the final out of the seventh.
Four relievers -- Kyle Barraclough (0.1 IP), Owen Sharts (1.0), Reyes (2.0) and Juan Then (1.0) -- combined to finish the game.
Reyes (4-1) gave up the two homers but got the win.
Then earned his 23rd save.

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Record: 94-57, 1st, 2.5 GA Kansas City
Cris Rosario hit a pair of two-run home runs, giving him 40 for the season, ,to help power St. Louis to a 4-1 win over Springfield at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win gave the River Walkers victories in two of their three games against the Prairie Fighters.
Rosario's first homer came in the first inning, with Thairo Estrada on first base after he had singled, off Springfield starting pitcher Dave Mikolon.
His second came in the third, also off Mikolon, another two-run shot with Alek Thomas, who had singled, with two outs.
Angel Tiburcio (16-4) turned in another strong start en route to earn his 16th win.
He worked six innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out 10 and walked none.
Zac Lowther, Jose Alvarado and Jake Brentz all pitched an inning apiece to close out the win.
Brentz came out of it with his 27th save.
Lowther was diagnosed with back spasms after the game. He is expected to miss five days.

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Record: 94-58, 1st, 2.5 GA Kansas City, Magic No.: 8
Emerson Hancock limited St. Louis to a single run over the first five innings and four relievers combined to shutout the River Walkers the rest of the way, as Indianapolis won 5-1 at the Astrodome (1995).
Tied 1-1, the Racers took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the third.

Logan Davidson, who had homered off Walkers starter Brendan McKay in the second inning to tie the game, also drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single.
That hit plated Everson Pereira, who had reached on a fielder's choice, replacing Andres Gimenez, who had singled.
A Khalil Lee single moved Pereira to third.
Davidson followed with his single, collecting his second RBI of the game.
Indy added two more runs off McKay in the fourth.
Gimenez earned both RBIs with a two-run single off McKay.
The Racers got their fifth run in the seventh, Cesar Salazar with an RBI single off reliever Nick Lodolo.
Hancock (3-3) allowed one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked one.
John Holmes, Alex Tapia, Jim Kendall and Hector Manuel Garcia all pitched a scoreless inning apiece to close out the win.

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Record: 95-58, 1st, 3.5 GA Kansas City, Magic No.: 6
Kaneo Kawamoto took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and St. Louis survived a late Indianapolis rally to post a 6-4 win at the Astrodome (1995).
Kawamoto didn't allow a hit until Logan Davidson singled with one out in the seventh.
Kawamoto followed that by getting Cesar Salazar to fly out for the inning's second out.
But having thrown 113 pitches, Kawamoto had to exit.
For the game, Kawamoto (11-9) would be charged with one run on one hit over 6.2 innings. He struck out six and walked four.
The Racers would score four runs before the St. Louis bullpen would get out of that seventh inning.
Matt Fulton landed the big blow with a three-run homer off Tony Ramirez.
Luckily, St. Louis took a 6-0 lead into the inning so it still maintained a two-run edge.
Nick Lodolo finally got the Walkers out of the seventh, but not before alloing an RBI triple to Joe McCarthy to score the inning's fourth run.
Lodolo rebounded to set Indy down in order in the eighth.
In the ninth, closer Jake Brentz walked the inning's first two batters.
But managed to bail himself out by retiring the next three for his 28th save.
Offensively, St. Louis jumped in front in the top of the second on a lead-off homer from Jean Carmona off Racers starter Matt Loest.
The Walkers added two more runs off Loest in the fourth.
Carmona collected his second RBI of the game with a double.
Edward Olivares had an RBI single.
Rookie Cris Rosario cranked his 41st homer of the season in the seventh, a three-run blast off John Holmes to make it 6-0.