2030 St. Louis River Walkers -- This could be the last time

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MBL news: Week 19 -- Awards and standings

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Record: 85-65, 1st, 3 GA Des Moines and Kansas City
A scoreless game into the bottom of the fifth inning, Rockford beat up on St. Louis starting pitcher Zack Hunsicker for seven runs over the next two innings.
But that was nothing compared to what the River Walkers did to the Lightning's bullpen over the final three.
St. Louis scored five runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and eight in the ninth to post a 14-7 win at RFK Stadium (2005).
Starter pitcher Miguel Cisneros put the Lightning in front with a two-run double off Hunsicker in the bottom of the fifth.
An inning later, the Walkers seemed to stick with Hunsicker a bit too long.
Cordell Dunn and Raynel Delgado both hit two-run doubles to highlight the five-run outburst.
St. Louis used the long ball to climb back into it in the top of the seventh.
Jean Carmona hit a two-run homer and Jose Ramirez a three-run shot, both off Jake Woodford, to make it 7-5.
The Walkers climbed to within a run an inning later when pinch-hitter Brian Mundell drew a bases-loaded walk from Rick Sessions.
However, that was nothing to the damage done by St. Louis in the top of the ninth.
The Walkers needed just four hits to put up their eight runs -- as they were helped by three walks and a hit by pitch.
Two of those free passes, to Jean Carmona and Alek Thomas, both from Luis Palamo drove in runs.
Ramirez collected his fourth RBI with a single, while Thairo Estrada also plated a run with a single.
Rick Scott notched four with a one swing of the bat, hitting a grand slam off Edwin Diaz to cap the scoring.
Hunsicker shutout of the Lightning for the first four innings, but still came out of it with a line of seven runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings.
Ricky Cisneros got the final out of the sixth.
Yeison Santos recorded the first out of the seventh.
Travis Krogman (6-2) finished the seventh and worked a scoreless eighth.
Jose Alvarado waltzed through a 1-2-3 ninth.

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The St. Louis River Walkers received some bad news that veteran left-handed reliever Jake Brentz is expected to be out at least nine months after being diagnosed with an elbow injury which will require Tommy John surgery.
The 37-year-old Brentz last pitched for the Walkers in an 8-3 win over Springfield on Sept. 13.
In his eighth season with the Walkers, Brentz had pitched in 50 games in 2030 going 4-3 with seven saves and a 1.91 ERA.
During his time with the Walkers, Brentz ranked as one of the best relievers in the Midwest Baseball League.
He pitched in 431 games for St. Louis, going 48-30 with 120 saves and a 2.02 ERA.
Before coming to St. Louis as a free agent, Brentz had played four seasons in Fort Worth.
For his career, Brentz has pitched in 663 games going 55-46 with 198 saves and a 2.57 ERA.
Brentz was in the first of a two-year deal with St. Louis paying him $3.6 million.
With the 2031 season being a team option, it's is highly unlikely the Walkers will look to bring Brentz back.
Highly touted left-hander Ron Peterson will be called up from Memphis to take Brentz's spot in the bullpen.

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Record: 85-66, 1st, 2 GA Kansas City
Rockford jumped on St. Louis starting pitcher Wilson Lara for four runs in the bottom of the first inning and rode that to a 6-2 win at RFK Stadium (2005).
The Lightning put their first five batters on base against the rookie left-hander.
Wade Martin drove in the inning's first run with a single.
The next batter, Rece Hinds, belted a three-run home run.
Solo homers from Jared Thomas, in the fourth, and Jose Ramirez, in the fifth, both off Lightning starter Michele Vassalotti allowed St. Louis to pull within 4-2.
But the Lightning got both those runs back and chased Lara in the sixth when Christian Moore belted a two-run homer.
The first six outs Vassalotti (8-5) recorded were strikeouts.
He ended up striking out nine over five innings, while allowing two runs on two hits. He also walked two batters.
Josh Friedman pitched two innings of scoreless relief.
Jake Woodford kept the Walkers off the board in the eighth.
Ricky Sessions allowed a pretty-much meaningless run in the ninth.

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Record: 86-66, 1st, 2 GA Kansas City
St. Louis got a lead-off home run from Steve Rossi and a three-run homer from Thairo Estrada in the top of the 11th inning, to power the River Walkers to a 7-5 win over Rockford at RFK Stadium (2005).
Jake Woodford surrendered both of the home runs.
Rossi's 22nd of the season came on an 0-2 count and snapped a 3-3 tie.
Woodford walked the next batter, Jean Carmona, before allowing a sacrifice bunt to pitcher Ernesto Barbosa.
Jose Segura was given an intentional walk.
But Estrada powered a 1-1 pitch 414 feet over left-field wall to make it 7-3.
The Lightning did get a two-run homer from Christian Moore in the bottom of the 11th, off Jose Alvarado, but the Walkers mixed and match -- Wade Martin doubled with two outs -- but David Amador struck out Rece Hinds to end it.
Down 3-2, the Lightning had tied in the bottom of the eighth against Zach Evers.
Jake Holland led off with a triple and scored on an Wade Martin fly ball.
River Walkers starter Kaneo Kawamoto turned in a strong start, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked four.
Seven relievers followed Kawamoto to the mound -- Krogman (1.0 IP), Evers (1.0), Ricky Cisneros (0.1), Barbosa (1.2), Alvarado (0.2) and Amador (0.1) -- with Barbosa (5-0) earning the win and Amador his fifth save.

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Record: 87-77, 1st, 2 GA Kansas City
Down 6-5, St. Louis scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and held on for an 8-7 win over Fort Worth at Ebbets Field (1948).
The River Walkers' Jose Ramirez led off the game with a home run -- his first of two in the contest -- off Mad Men starting pitcher Chandler Champlain.
That lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the third when St. Louis scored three more times.
But Fort Wayne got a two-run homer in the bottom of the third from Ian Happ off St. Louis rookie starter Lenyn Crisp.
Joshua Rivera's RBI single off Champain in the fourth made it 5-2 St. Louis.
But the Mad Men got a grand slam from Ben Rortvedt off Crisp in the bottom of the fifth to give them a 6-5 lead.
The see-saw continued in the sixth -- Ramirez with his second homer of the game, a solo shot off Josh Hertel, to tie it at 6-6.
St. Louis continued on in the same inning to go up 8-6.
Jose Segura, Steve Rossi, Brian Mundell and Jared Thomas all stroked consecutive singles off Alex Claudio.
Mundell and Thomas both driving in runs.
Fort Wayne did threaten in the ninth.
Yeison Santos issued a lead-off walk to Dorian Gonzalez and a one-out single to Darlin Guzman, including an error by Jose Segura in center field, to put runners at the corners.
Closer Ernesto Barbosa got the call.
He struck out Brian Sheppard for the second out.
But Happ followed with a single, scoring Gonzalez, to make it 8-7.
Barbosa struck out Jonathan India to end it, earning his 30th save.
Crisp (4-1) wasn't very good, allowing six runs on seven hits in five innings, but still earned the win.
Ron Peterson made his 2030 debut and struck out two of the three batters he faced in a scoreless sixth.
Travis Krogman worked a scoreless seventh.
Santos (1.1 IP) and Barbosa (0.2) closed out the win.

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Record: 88-66, 1st, 2 GA Kansas City
Izzy San Juan finally earned his 17th win, allowing one run over eight innings, as St. Louis tied the game in the eighth and scored the winning run in the ninth to defeat Fort Worth 2-1 at Ebbets Field (1948).
A solo homer from Darlin Guzman off San Juan in the bottom of the sixth broke open a scoreless game and put the Mad Men up 1-0.
Back-up catcher Hayden Jones came up with the big hit to tie it, launching his sixth home run of the season, off reliever Adrian Arnesen to tie it.
An inning later, Thairo Estrada drew a lead-off walk from Fort Wayne reliever Eric Warren.
Jean Carmona got down a bunt to move Estrada to second,
Estrada moved to third when Brian Mundell grounded out.
Fort Wayne elected to intentionally walk Jose Segura.
Jordan Gorshans made them pay, with a single to score Estrada with the game-winning run.
San Juan (17-4) allowed one run on five hits over eight innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Danny Amador got the first two outs of the ninth. he sandwiched two outs around a walk to Happ, before giving way to Ricky Cisneros.
Cisneros struck out pinch-hitter Jordan Martinez to earn his second save.

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Record: 88-67, 1st, 1 GA Kansas City
Terry Lesnau shutout St. Louis over the first six innings -- allowing just one hit -- to set the tone for a 3-1 Fort Wayne victory at Ebbets Field (1948).
The only hit Lesnau allowed was a two-out single to Jared Thomas in the top of the fourth inning.
Lesnau (13-11) struck out nine and walked one.
A lead-off homer from Ian Happ off River Walkers starter Zack Hunsicker in the bottom of the second staked the Mad Men to a 1-0 lead.
That lead grew to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth.
Darlin Guzman hit a solo homer with one out off Hunsicker in that frame.
Brian Sheppard followed with a single and went to second when Jonathan India drew a one-out walk.
Ron Peterson took over for Hunsicker, and the first batter he faced, Castrioti Rrustemi, singled to score Sheppard.
Glenn Dunn, Alex Claudio and Eric Warren all pitched an inning apiece to close out the game for the Mad Men.
St. Louis got its run off Claudio in the eighth.
Jordan Groshans led off the inning with a double and scored on a Thairo Estrada fly ball.
Warren earned his 28th save with a perfect ninth.

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Record: 88-68, 1st, 1 GA Kansas City
Fort Wayne pounded St. Louis rookie starting pitcher Wilson Lara for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning -- wiping out a 2-0 deficit -- and the Mad Men breezed to an 11-3 win at Ebbets Field (1948).
The win allowed Fort Wayne to split the four-game series. The River Walkers will enter the final week of the season with a one-game lead over Kansas City in the National League South Division.
Solo homers from Rick Scott (second inning) and Steve Rossi (third), both off Fort Wayne starter Hugh Fisher gave the Walkers their early edge.
But Lara got into trouble from the get-go to begin the fourth -- he walked Brian Sheppard and Darlin Guzman -- to open the inning, and it only got worse from there.
Jonathan India loaded the bases with a single, and the next hitter, David Dahl, doubled to tie it.
Nick Fortes and Castrioti Rrustemi both singled, driving in three more runs.
Fisher got down a sacrifice bunt moving Rrustemi to second.
Dorian Gonzalez then picked up the hit parade with another two-run single.
That led to Lara's exit, with Yeison Santos taking the mound.
Daylen Lile greeted Santos with another single.
Sheppard drove in the inning's final run with a fly ball.
The Mad Men added three more runs in the sixth.
India drove in two of the runs with a single off David Amador.
Dahl plated the third with a single.
Fisher (1-1) making just the second start an injury-plagued season allowed two runs on five hits over the first five innings.
He struck out eight and walked three.
Bryce Osmond and Josh Hertel both pitched scoreless innings.
Pablo Ochoa worked a pair to close the game out.

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MBL news: Week 20 -- Awards and standings

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The Cleveland Juke Box Heroes may have dropped their Sept. 24 game to Fort Wayne 6-5, but that didn't prevent them from wrapping up the American League East Division title.
The loss dropped Cleveland to 94-62, putting them seven games in front of both Akron and Columbus with six games remaining.
The Heroes owns a four-game lead over AL West Division leader Grand Rapids as the season's final week gets going.
The playoff berth is the first for Cleveland, dating back to the establishment of the Midwest Baseball League in 2018.

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The Grand Rapids Traders exploded for five runs in the bottom of the eighth -- highlighted by a three-run homer by Matt Crawl -- to pave the way for a 7-5 win over Columbus on Sept. 24, and clinched the American League West Division title for the Traders.
Grand Rapids sits at 90-66 with seven games in front of second-place Fort Worth with six games to go.
It is the fourth division title for the Traders, but their first since 2023.
Grand Rapids has never advanced to the World Series.

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Record: 88-69, 1st, 1.5 GA Springfield and Kansas City
Des Moines left-hander Albert Hernandez became the Midwest Baseball League's first, and likely only, 20-game winner by going seven shutout innings in the Harvesters 3-0 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Hernandez (20-6) allowed just one hit over his seven innings -- that lone hit a one-out single from Thairo Estrada in the bottom of the fourth -- while striking out seven and issuing one walk.
Jeremy Bouchard worked a scoreless eighth inning.
Des Moines closer Omar Benitez allowed the River Walkers to load the bases in the bottom of the ninth.
But he got Steve Rossi to fly out to the warning track in right to end it, and clinch his 35th save.
The Harvesters went up 2-0 with a pair of runs off Walkers starter Kaneo Kawamoto in the top of the second.
Glenn Santiago singled with one out, and scored when Justin Oates tripled.
Oates then scored on a Wayne McHaney ground out.
Des Moines got an insurance run in the fifith.
Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled with two outs and scored on a Jae-hong Chang single off Kawamoto.

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Record: 89-69, 1st, 1.5 GA Springfield and Kansas City
Down 1-0, St. Louis scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning, and went on to defeat Des Moines 3-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the River Walkers. Their magic number to clinch the National League South Division is three.
A Fernando Tatis Jr. home run off St. Louis starting pitcher Lenyn Crisp in the top of the second inning staked the Harvesters to a 1-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth, when the Walkers finally came alive to end an 18-inning scoreless streak.
Des Moines starter Eric LaFollette had been dominant for seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four and walking two.
His replacement, Jeremy Bouchard, however, could not find the plate.
He walked the first two batters he faced -- pinch-hitter Jared Thomas and Jose Ramirez -- and then threw a wild pitch to move them to second and third before walking Thairo Estrada to load the bases.
Jose Segura made the Harvesters pay with a single to tie it 1-1.
Jonathan Cooper replaced Bouchard, only to be give up a single to Steve Rossi which put the Walkers in front 2-1.
Cooper struck out the next two.
But he followed that by hitting Peter Ahn with a pitch, as St. Louis went up 3-1.
Walkers rookie starting pitcher Lenyn Crisp was good, allowing one run on four hits over five innings.
Yeison Santos got the first out of the sixth before giving way to Travis Krogman.
Krogman finished the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh.
Ron Peterson (0.2 IP) and Zach Evers (0.1) combined to keep the Harvesters off the board in the eighth.
Ernesto Barbosa was spotless in the ninth, earning his 31st save.

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Record: 90-69, 1st, 2 GA Springfield; Magic number: 2
Jose Segura connected on a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift St. Louis to a 5-4 win over Des Moines at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win gave the River Walkers' victories two of the final three-game of their series with the Harvesters.
St. Louis' magic number to clinch the National League South Division title is two with three games remaining.
Segura's game-winning hit came off Des Moines reliever Donato Auguste.
It scored Steve Rossi, who had reached on a two-out single.
Brian Mundell moved Rossi to second when he was hit by a pitch, and brought Segura to the plate.
Down 2-0, the River Walkers had scored four times in the top of the fourth to grab the lead.
Rick Scott drove in two runs with a double off Harvesters starter Liam Henry.
But that lead didn't hold up as Des Moines tied it with single runs in the seventh and eighth.
Riley Adams scored the seventh inning run and in the eighth had a single to drive in the tying run.
Walkers starter Izzy San Juan took care of opening 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out six and didn't issue a walk.
Travis Krogman finished the seventh and got the first two outs of the eighth.
Yeison Santos finished off the eighth.
St. Louis closer Ernesto Barbosa (6-0) worked a scoreless ninth and earned the win after the Walkers won it in the bottom of the inning.

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The Twin Cities Snow Cats may have lost their game to Quad City 6-5, but it didn't keep them from wrapping up the American League North Division title.
With Green Bay's 9-2 loss to Peoria, the Cats (90-69) lead Green Bay by four games with three games left in the season.
Twin Cities is tied with South Division leader St. Louis for the best record in the NL.
This is just the second division title for the Snow Cats, their only other playoff appearance coming in 2028.
St. Louis defeated Twin Cities in the NLCS.

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Record: 91-69, 1st, 2 GA Springfield: Magic Number: 1
Zack Hunsinger pitcher seven shutout innings and St. Louis clinched at least a tie for the National League South Division title with a 2-0 win over Madison at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win leaves the River Walkers two games in front of second-place Springfield with two games remaining in the regular season.
Hunsicker improved to 8-4 since joining St. Louis in a trade with Louisville in mid-July.
The 30-year-old right-hander scattered six hits while striking out nine and did not issue a walk.
Both of the Walkers' runs came early.
Jose Ramirez led off the bottom of the first inning with a single off Muskies starting pitcher Johnny Kuhn Jr.
He scored on a one-out double by Jose Segura.
The game's only other run came in the bottom of the second, rookie Rick Scott hitting his 20th home run of the season with a lead-off bomb off Kuhn Jr.
Rookie Ron Peterson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
Kevin Maitan doubled off Cory Tiller to lead off the ninth, but was doubled off second base when Emmanuel Feron lined out to shortstop Jean Carmona.
Tiller then got Lewis Brinson to fly out to sew up his second save of the season.

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Record: 92-69, 1st, 2 GA Springfield -- NL South title clinched
St. Louis got strong efforts from a pair of rookies -- first baseman Rick Scott and starting pitcher Wilson Lara -- to defeat Madison 7-3 and wrap up the National League South Division title at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win gives the River Walkers a two-game lead over second-place Springfield with one game left in the season. St. Louis owns a one-game edge of NL North champion Twin Cities for home-field advantage in the National League Championship Series.
Scott homered twice both off Muskies starting pitcher Danny Munos.
He hit a three-run homer in the first to cap a four-run inning.
Scott later led off the fourth with his 22nd homer of the season, making it 6-2.
Jordan Groshans and Jose Ramirez also went deep for the Walkers, solo shots in the fourth and seventh innings, respectively.
Lara (11-9) allowed three runs on five hits over the first six innings. He struck out 10 and walked three.
Cory Tiller, Danny Amador and Jose Alvarado all pitched a scoreless innings to seal the win.
The playoff berth is the sixth for the Walkers since the inception of the Midwest Baseball League in 2018.
They have won the World Series in 2018 and 2025. St. Louis reached the World Series, but failed to win it in 2026 and 2028.

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Record: 93-69, 1st, 2 GA Springfield -- NL South Division title clinched
Jose Ramirez and Jose Segura both hit their 46th home run of the season and St. Louis wrapped up their regular season with a 7-5 win over Madison at Busch Stadium (1997).
The victory completed a three-game sweep for the National League South Division champion River Walkers. St. Louis also will own home-field advantage over Twin Cities in the NL championship series via owning a one-game edge in regular-season wins.
A pair of runs in the bottom of the second -- including a lead-off homer from Jean Carmona off Muskies starter Brian Rose -- saw St. Louis grab an early 2-0 lead.
That lead evaporated in the top of the third when Madison tallied three times against Walkers rookie starter Jesse McNaboe.
With literally everything wrapped up, St. Louis called up McNaboe up from AAA Memphis to make the start.
Yan C. Dixon had a two-run double in the top of the third for the Muskies.
Nick Senzel scored the third run with a single.
The Walkers regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, when Ramirez launched a two-run bomb off Rose.
Madison rallied to retake the lead in the top of the seventh with two runs off Travis Krogman.
Pinch-hitter Steve Mann drove in both runs with a single.
But the Walkers charged back in front in the bottom of the seventh.
Pinch-hitter Alek Thomas drove in the first run with a single off Daniel Johnson.
Segura then knocked one over the wall to make it 7-5.
McNaboe lasted just 3.1 innings, before exiting due to back spasms.
He allowed three runs on three hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Ricky Cisneros finished off the fourth .
Ron Peterson kept the Muskies off the board in the fifth and sixth.
Krogman (7-2) had a bad seventh but came out of the game with the win.
Zach Evers pitched a scoreless eighth.
Ernesto Barbosa earned his 32nd save in the ninth.

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MBL news: Sept. 30 -- MBL final standings