2027 St. Louis River Walkers: Looking at another postseason run

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The St. Louis River Walkers have activated outfielder Alek Thomas from the 10-day injured list and returned outfielder Lane Wickers to Memphis.
Thomas, 28, went on the injured list after suffering a back injury on May 20.
He's enjoyed a good season fro the Walkers, batting .306 with six homers and 15 RBIs in 45 games, more often than not batting lead-off.
Wickers, 25, didn't do much for the Walkers. He got into just four games and didn't get on base.

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MBL news: Week 8 Awards and standings

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The St. Louis River Walkers have lost right-handed relief pitcher Luis Palomo for the remainder of the season after it was announced he will have to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right shoulder.
Palomo, 26, has pitched in 19 games this season for St. Loing, going 2-2 with one save and a 3.38 ERA.
Tony Ramirez will replace Polomo in the Walkers bullpen.
It is the 23-year-old's second call up of the season, in 17 games for Memphis he has gone 2-0 with two saves and a 1.00 ERA in 17 games.
He was not nearly as successful in his time in St. Louis, when he pitched in three games and posted a 11.25 ERA with no record.

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Record: 33-24, 2nd, 3 GB Cedar Rapids

Angel Tiburcio allowed one run over eight innings and St. Louis took command early in an 8-1 win over Indianapolis at the Astrodome (1995).
The River Walkers jumped on Racers starting pitcher Jonathan Holder

right away with a pair of first-inning runs.
Alek Thomas drew a walk to open the game and Larry Ernesto moved him to second with a single.
A passed ball with Andrew Benintendi at the plate, moved the runners up.
Thomas then scored when Holder unleashed a wild pitch.
Benintendi made it 2-0 with a fly ball to score Ernesto.
St. Louis' lead grew to 3-0 in the fourth.
Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in the run with a single to score Jean Carmona.
Indy did get its lone run in the fourth on a solo homer from Cesar Salazar.
But it was all Walkers after that.
They added two runs in the fifth, Jared Thomas plating them both with a double off reliever Carlos Aguirre.
And four in the sixth.
Rhys Hoskins had the big blow with a two-run homer off Aguirre.
Tibrucio allowed just the one run on three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.

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MBL news: Players and Pitchers of the Month for May 2027

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MBL news: Rookies of the Month and standings for May 2027

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MBL news: American League leaders on June 1, 2027

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MBL news: National League leaders on June 1, 2027

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Walkers news: Team statistics for May 2027

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Walkers news: Overall team statistics for 2027 on June 1

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Player of the Month: Andrew Benintendi: The 32-year-old outfielder was named National League Player of the Month after batting .357 in 27 games with two homers, 22 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He got on base at a .458 clip and slugged .612.
Starting pitcher of the Month: Jason Froelich: The left-hander went 3-1 in five starts with a 1.65 ERA. He worked a total of 32.2 innings, striking out 34 and posting a 0.86 WHIP.
Relief Pitcher of the Month: Zac Lowther -- The left-hander worked in 16 games, and although he did not record a decision posted an 1.15 ERA. He pitched 15.2 innings, striking out 11 and posting a 0.70 WHIP.

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Record: 34-24, 2nd, GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis scored at least one run between the fourth and sixth innings and then made it ugly with a seven-run seventh as the River Walkers routed Indianapolis 15-2 at the Astrodome (1995).
A two-run double from Carlos Vidal off Indy starting pitcher Angel Alvarez in the fourth made it 2-0
A passed ball charged to Racers catcher Cesar Salazar allowed Vidal Brujan to score in the fifth and make it 3-1.
The River Walkers put a stranglehold on the game with a four-run sixth.
Three different players -- Vidal Brujan, Alek Thomas, and Andrew Benintendi -- all drove in runs with singles while Rhys Hoskins earned an RBI with a bases-loaded walk.
The blowout became official with the seven-run seventh as Houston turned the mound duties over to position players.
Jean Carmona had a two-run single during the onslaught, while Fernando Tatis Jr. plated three with a double.
Medina (4-1) took care of the first six innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Danny Grigg, Luis Angel Medina and J.B. Wendelken all worked an inning to finish things up.

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Record: 35-24, 2nd, 3 GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis put up double-digit runs for the second straight game and completed a lopsided sweep of Indianapolis with a 10-3 win at the Astrodome (1995).
Indianapolis actually owned leads of 1-0 and 2-1.
But an RBI double by Vidal Brujan drew the River Walkers even at 2-2 in the top of the sixth.
A two-run homer from Rhys Hoskins off Racers reliever Carlos Aguirre put St. Louis in front for good.
The Walkers added three more runs in in the eighth -- Andrew Benintendi drove in two runs with a triple and later scored --and three in the ninth -- RBI singles from pinch-hitter Myles Austin, Jean Carmona and Benintendi -- to turn it into a blowout.
Walkers starter Jason Froelich (6-1) remained on a roll allowing two runs on five hits over six innings.
Tony Ramirez (0.2 IP) and Zac Lowther combined on a scoreless seventh inning.
Danny Grigg and Luis Angel Medina handled the final two innings of what was the fourth straight win for St. Louis.

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Record: 35-25, 2nd, 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Tied 4-4, Springfield ravaged the St. Louis bullpen for six runs in the top of the ninth inning for a 10-4 win in the opening game of a doubleheader at Busch Stadium (1997).
The River Walkers had tied it in the bottom of the eighth when Andrew Beinitendi hit a two-run homer off Prairie Fighters reliever Juan Then.
In that top of the ninth, Andres Gimenez got things going for Springfield by drawing a lead-off walk from reliever J.B. Wendelken.
Daniel Becerra flew out for the first out, and Williams Jerez replaced Wendelken.
One of the best lefty on lefty relievers in the game, Jerez didn't have it in this game.
Riley Greene, who had hit a two-run homer off St. Louis starter Tanner Bibee to open the scoring in the top of the first, greeted Jerez with a double which put runners at second and third.
Alex Bregman was given an intentional walk, setting up a force at any base.
But Dylan Crews ruined that strategy with a two-run double.
Eric Hosmer followed with another single, scoring Bregman, to make it 7-4.
With the Walkers forced to conserve their bullpen with a second game of the doubleheader remaining, Andrew Noviello capped the outburst with a three-run homer off Jerez.
Springfield starter D.J. Jefferson had to exit after 4.2 innings with a forearm injury. He allowed two runs on two hits.
He was followed to the mound by Keegan Thompson (2.0 IP), Justin Jarvis (0.1), Then (1.0) and Mario Reyes (1.0).
Then earned his first win of the season.

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Record: 36-25, 2nd, 3 GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis got two-run homers from Myles Austin and Jean Carmona and Andrew Benintendi hit a solo blast to power the River Walkers to a 5-3 win over Springfield in the second game of a doubleheader at Busch Stadium (1997).
It was Austin who struck first, hitting his homer off Prairie Fighters starter Jared Kelly in the bottom of the second inning.
Their lead trimmed to 2-1, Carmona contributed his long ball in the fifth, also off Kelly, making it 4-1.
After a two-run homer from Eric Hosmer off Walkers starter Brendan McKay in the seventh had made it 4-3, Benintendi added an insurance run by taking Springfield reliever Mario Reyes deep in the bottom of the eighth.,
McKay (6-4) turnedin a strong outing, allowing three runs on five hits over 6.1 innings.
Luis Angel Medina finished the seventh and worked a scoreless eighth.
Jake Brentz sent Springfield down in order in the ninth for his 11th save.

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Record: 37-25, 2nd, 3 GB Cedar Rapids
Tied 1-1, Andrew Benintendi and Rhys Hoskins had RBI doubles in the third inning to put St. Louis ahead 3-1 in a game where the River Walkers defeated Springfield 4-3 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Alek Thomas led off the inning by reaching on an error by Prairie Fighters first baseman Eric Hosmer.
A Vidal Brujan bunt moved Thomas to second.
Benintendi chased him home with a double.
After a strikeout of Jean Carmona, Hoskins delievered another double to make it 3-1.
All of this came against Springfield ace Raul Ahumada.
A homer from the Fighters' Ruben Villanueva off Walkers starter Angel Tiburcio in the sixth made it 3-2.
But St. Louis got the run back in the seventh when Carlos Vidal hit a lead-off double off Mario Reyes.
Vidal was injured on the play and replaced by Lewis Brinson.
Brinson touched the past when pinch-hitter JT Schwartz singled off Reyes.
That run proved important, as Eric Hosmer homered off St. Louis reliever Danny Grigg with one out in the ninth.
But Grigg retired the next two for his sixth save of the season.
Tibrucio (6-3) allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
Zac Lowther and Jake Brentz all joined Grigg in working one full inning.

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MBL news: All-Star fan voting for June 6

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Record: 38-25, 2nd, 2 GB Cedar Rapids
Adonis Medina allowed one run over seven innings and St. Louis hit four homers -- including two by Vidal Brujan -- as the River Walkers defeated Springfield 8-2 at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, St. Louis took the final three games of its four-game series against the Prairie Fighters.
The Walkers took control by scoring five runs between the second and fourth innings.
Brujan hit the first of his two homers in the second -- this one off Springfield starting picher Jason Foley -- to put his team up 2-0.
An inning later, Alek Thomas led off with a single, moved to second on a bunt by Jean Carmona and scored on an Andrew Benintendi single off Fighters reliever Juan Than.
The fourth saw Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a homer off Then,
Later, Larry Ernesto singled off reliever Justin Jarcis and came around to score on a single by Medina to make it 5-0.
Medina (5-1) allowed one run on five hits over seven innings.He struck out four and walked two.
Tony Ramirez handled the final two innings, allowing a solo homer to Ruben Villanueva in the ninth.
Brujan's second homer of the game was a lead-off shot off Dinelson Lamet in the sixth.

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MBL news: Week 9 Awards and standings

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St. Louis River Walkers outfielder Carlos Vidal has been placed on the 10-day disabled list after suffering a knee injury which is expected to sideline him for four weeks.
The 2027 season has not been a very good one for Vidal, who has played big role for the Walkers in their success over the past two seasons, in 51 games he is batting just .211 with four homers and 12 RBIs.
Getting the call up from AAA Memphis, will be outfielder Jesse Franklin.
The 28-year-old has batted .286 with eight homers and 30 RBIs in 42 games for the Redbirds this season.
In an earlier callup to the MBL, Franklin got into five games and went 4 for 5 with an RBI.