2022 St. Louis River Walkers: Two years without a postseason

[rink23]

Record: 79-71, 4th, 9.5 GB Des Moines
(Note: For the first time since converting to OOTP XX, I had a game crash. It was the 10th inning of a 3-3 game -- Nick Delmonico had hit three homers for the River Walkers, the first time I remember one of my players doing that -- when the screen went white. It stayed that way for 10 minutes (along with a not responding message, before I manually had to crash the game. I immediately did a backup before resuming play).

The St. Louis River Walkers chances of making the playoff may have mostly vanished, but the National League Cy Young award seems very much within the grasp of Kyle Hendricks.
Matched up against 16-game winner Matt Ruppenthal, Hendricks tossed a gem in what might be his final start of the season, a 1-0 win over Quad City at Busch Stadium (1997).
Hendricks (21-5) allowed just four hits and walked none while striking out eight in posting his league-leading fourth shutout of the season.
The nine innings brought his season total to 197, and with Walkers magic number to elimination down to four there is a good chance he may not make another start if the team is eliminated when it next comes time for him to take the mound.
The game's lone run came in the bottom of the second inning when Bo Bichette took Ruppenthal deep for his 19th home run of the season.
Ruppenthal worked five innings, allowing the one run on five hits.
His record dropped to 16-7.

[rink23]

Record: 80-71, 4th, 9.5 GB Des Moines, Magic number: 3
Down 4-2, St. Louis exploded for four runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to lead it to a 10-4 win over Quad City at Busch Stadium (1997).
The River Walkers strung together three straight singles to open the bottom of the seventh against Thunder reliever Abel M. De Los Santos.
A passed ball brought home Bo Bichette with the inning's first run.
Nicky Delmonico then scored when Tyler Esplin reached on an error by Quad City second baseman Duke Kinamon.
The fourth single of the inning, from Christian Arroyo, then put St. Louis ahead 5-4 and spelled the end for De Los Santos.
Ender Inciarte delivered the final run of the upraising with a one-out single off Sugar Ray Marimon, scoring Esplin.
The eighth was mostly about the long ball.
Bo Bichette led off the inning with a homer off Marimon.
Arroyo scored the other three with a deep one off Brenan Hanifee.
After getting the night off in the previous game thanks to Kyle Hendricks' shutout, the St. Louis bullpen got plenty of work after Argenis Batista allowed four runs on eight hits over the first six innings.
John Curtiss (0.2 IP), Brad Hand (0.1), Bobby Poyner (0.1), Reyes Moronta (0.1) and Felipe Vazquez (0.1) all did short stints on the mound prior to the ninth, which belonged to Thad Ward who completed the win.

[rink23]

Record: 81-71, 4th, 8.5 GB Des Moines, MN: 3
Down 2-0, St. Louis scored six times in the bottom of the second inning to propel itself to a 7-2 win over Quad City at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the River Walkers swept the three-game series with the Thunder. They sit 8.5 games behind Des Moines and in fourth place in the National League South Division with 10 games remaining.
A two-run single from Ka'ai Tom off St. Louis starting pitcher Alex Faedo had staked Quad City to a 2-0 lead.
But it didn't last long.
The first five Walkers batters in the bottom of the second reached base-- including three via walk -- as Quad City starter Michael Santos had trouble finding the plate.
J.T. Realmuto also had an RBI double in the that mix, while another run scored on a Santos wild pitch.

After a strike out, Bo Bichette chased home two runs with a double.
Santos would later balk in a run.
Nicky Delmonico made it 6-2 with a sacrfice fly.
Delmonico would get another RBI two innings later with an RBI single off Luis L. Cruz.
Faedo would last six innings allowing two runs on three hits.
Reliever Hunter Perdue made his first appearance in the majors, and it lasted two innings of scoreless ball.
Thad Ward walked two in the ninth, but didn't give up a run.

[rink23]

Record: 82-71, 3rd (Tied/w. Kansas City), 9 GB Des Moines: MN: 1
Down 5-4, St. Louis scored twice in the bottom of the 10th inning to squeak out a 6-5 win over Springfield at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Prairie Fighters grabbed the lead in the top of the 10th on a lead-off homer from Anthony Alford off River Walkers reliever Bobby Poyner.
But St. Louis came right back in the bottom of the inning.
Ender Inciarte greeted reliever Gerson Moreno with a lead-off single.
He moved to third on a Michael Toglia double.
Alex Claudio replaced Moreno but couldn't shut the door.
He issued an intentional walk to Bo Bichette, only Nicky Delmonico hit a sacrifice fly which ended with a throwing error by left fielder Trevor Larnach which moved the winning run to third.
An intentional walk to Rhys Hoskins loaded the bases.
But Claudio walked Jean Carmona to bring in Toglia with the game-winning run.
A two-run homer from Nicky Delmonico in the bottom of the eighth off Archie Bradley had tied it at 4.
Springfield scored three unearned runs off St. Louis starter Aaron Nola in the first inning, and would later lead 4-0.
Nola pitched six innings, allowing four runs on six hits.
John Curtiss and Brad Hand worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings, respectively.
Three relievers -- Reyes Moronta, Felipe Vazquez and Eduardo Jimenez -- got an out apiece in the ninth.
Poyner gave up the home run to Alford in the 10th, but his teammates bailed him out as he earned his seventh win.

[rink23]

The Akron Flying Feet and Madison Muskies have both earned playoff berths by clinching the championship of their respective divisons.
Akron downed Cleveland 4-3 to improve to 100-54 and give itself a 9-game lead over the Guitar Heroes with eight games remaining.
For the Muskies, its 3-0 win over Chicago put its record at 91-63 and gave it a 10.5-game advantage over Green Bay, also with eight games left on its schedule.

[rink23]

Record: 82-72, 3rd (Tied/w. Kansas City), 9 GB Des Moines, eliminated
The St. Louis River Walkers slim hopes of earning a playoff berth ended with an ugly 16-8 loss to Springfield at Busch Stadium (1997).
Pressed into service one last time, Kyle Hendricks had one of his worst starts of the season lasting just three innings during which he allowed six runs on seven hits as his ERA (3.07) jumped over 3.00 for the first time since early in the season.
Springfield led 12-2 by the fifth inning and then held on as the River Walkers tried to chip away.
The Prairie Fighters hit five home runs, with Trevor Larnach and Ryan Mountcastle hitting two apiece and Freddie Freeman launching another.
Larnach and Mountcastle both finished with five RBIs.

Springfield starter Scott Kingery wasn't great but was good enough in this slugfest allowing two runs on six hits over the opening five innings.
Mark McConnell (1.1 IP), Kevin Gadea (1.2) and Reid Schaller (2.0) combined to complete the victory.

[rink23]

Record: 82-73, 4th, 9 GB Des Moines
Having being eliminated from playoff contention the previous night, St. Louis gave most of its regulars the night off and it showed in a 12-6 loss to Springfield.
With the win, Springfield took the final two games of the three-game series against the River Walkers.
A September callup from Memphis, although he did make 19 starts in the majors before being demoted, Brendan Spagnuolo lasted just two innings during which he allowed six runs.
Freddie Freeman did most of the damage in the top of the first with a two-run homer.
The Prairie Fighters got a run in the second on a throwing error by catcher Michael Amiditis.
Davis Bradshaw smacked a two-run homer off Springfield starter Josh Hader in the second.
But that didn't last long, as Nate Traylor launched a three-run bomb off Spagnuolo in the third, making it 6-3 and sending Spagnuolo to the shower.
Springfield did the bulk of the rest of its scoring in the fifth, when it plated five runs.
Jorge Alfaro, Max Schrock and Josh Hader all had RBI singles off reliever Hunter Perdue.
Hader went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits.
Triston McKenzie recorded the next nine outs, getting the game into the eighth.
Keyan Middleton (0.2) and Mark McConnell (1.0) finished off the victory.

[rink23]

MBL news: Week 26 Awards and standings

[rink23]

Record: 82-74, 4th (tied/w. Cedar Rapids), 10 GB Des Moines
Tied 3-3, Cedar Rapids scratched out a run against St. Louis reliever John Curtiss and went on for a 4-3 win at Shibe Park (1949).
Trevor Story led off the inning with a single, and he moved to third when pinch-hitter Nick Williams followed with another single.
Story would score on a one-out single from Victor Robles.
Earlier, Story had hit a two-run homer off River Walkers starter Alex Robles in the bottom of the second to put the Golden Grapplers up 3-1.
The Walkers tied it in the fifth when Nicky Delmonico connected for a two-run homer off Cedar Rapids starter Carlos Martinez.
Martinez worked 4.2 innings, allowing all three St. Louis runs on six hits.
Angel Sanchez finished off the fifth and notched scoreless sixth and seventh innings, to earn himself his first win of the season.
Taylor Bashlor was unscored upon in the eighth. Danny Grigg could say the same in the ninth, as he upped his save total to 26.

[rink23]

The Des Moines Harvesters became the third team to clinch its division, as a 5-2 win over Kansas City put them seven games in front of Kansas City with six games left in the regular season.
The Harvesters (92-64) will play Madison in the National League playoffs.
Des Moines owns a half-game lead over the Muskies (92-65) in the fight for home-field advantage.
The American League championship series will send East Division champ Akron (102-54) against the winner of the West Division, although there is little doubt the Flying Feet will own the home-field edge.
Detroit and Ann Arbor both sit at 78-78 with six games to play.
Grand Rapids (76-81) also isn't necessarily out of the mix sitting 2.5 games out of first.

[rink23]

Record: 83-74, 4th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 10 GB Des Moines
St. Louis exploded for five runs in the top of the 11th inning to send it to a 9-4 win over Cedar Rapids at Shibe Park (1949).
The River Walkers scored the five runs on four hits and were aided by two walks, an error and a passed ball as nine batters went to the plate.
Ender Inciarte drove in two runs with a double off Golden Grapplers reliever Kelvin Herrera.
Christian Arroyo had an RBI single.
The game was scoreless though five innings, and when Andrelton Simmons hit a homer off Cedar Rapids starter Trevor Bauer, St. Louis not only had its first hit but a 1-0 lead.
But the Grapplers pounded three homers off St. Louis starter Argenis Batista in the bottom of the inning.
Domingo Santana struck first with a two-run blast.
Ben Niles and Joc Pederson would later notch back-to-back solo shots.
The Walkers tied it with one swing of the bat in the eighth, Byron Buxton with a three-run homer off Sean Doolittle.
Batitista lasted 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits.
St. Louis used eight relievers to cover the final 5.1 innings.
Felipe Vazquez, Phil Maton and Brad Hand all worked a complete inning apiece, with Hand eventually getting the win, his fifth of the season.
Thad Ward got the first out of the bottom of the 11th before exiting with a still undiagnosed injury.
Eduardo Jimenez finished it off.

[rink23]

Record: 84-74, 4th, 10 GB Des Moines
Rookie Danny Ure threw seven shutout innings and St. Louis defeated Cedar Rapids 3-0 at Shibe Park (1949).
With the win, the River Walkers took the final two games of the three-games series. However, they sit 10 games behind Des Moines in the division standing with just four games to play.

Ure (3-0) scattered six hits during his time on the mound. He struck out three and walked two.
St. Louis got the only run it would need off Golden Grapplers starter Max Scherzer in the top of the third inning.
Byron Buxton reached on a two-out single.
He moved to third on a Michael Toglia single and scored when Scherzer made a wild pickoff throw to first.
The RIver Walkers would add insurance runs in the sixth and seventh.
In the sixth, Ender Inciarte's two-out single off reliever Jeremy Gabryzwski had scored Bo Bichette.
The eighth saw Jean Carmona draw a one-out walk from Tyler Bashlor.
He stole second and moved to third on a passed ball.
Ender Inciarte ended up scoring him with a single.
After Ure departed following the seventh inning, Reyes Moronta, Bobby Poyner and Phil Maton all recorded an out apiece in a 1-2-3 eighth.
Tommy Kahnle made it look easy in the ninth, sending the Grapplers down in order to earn his 27th save.

[rink23]

Record: 84-75, 3rd, 11 GB Des Moines
Rafael Devers homered twice and Jose Berrios earned his 14th win as Des Moines down St. Louis 7-1 at Labatt Park (Montreal).
Devers blasts were both two-run shots and both came off River Walkers starting pitcher Trevor Hildenberger.
Devers first homer came in the first inning, the second in the fifth by which time Des Moines led 6-0.
The Harvesters also got a two-run double from Thario Estrada in the fourth inning.
Estrada later hit a solo homer off reliever Bill Warson in the sixth.
Berios tossed 5.1 innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Yonny Cherinos pitched the final 3.2 innings and earned himself his first save of the season.
Michael Taglio homered off Cherionos with one out in the ninth for the lone St. Louis run.

[rink23]

Record: 85-75, 3rd, 10 GB Des Moines
St. Louis scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a lead it would not relinquish in a 5-2 win over Labatt Park (Montreal).
Tyler Esplin drew a lead-off walk from Harvesters starter Shelby Miller in the second and worked his way around the bases before scoring when J.T. Realmuto hit into a fielder's choice.
That lead reached 2-0 in the third, after Bo Bichette drew a walk, stole second and scored on an Andrew Benintendi single.
Des Moines got a run back against River Walkers starting pitcher Brandon Spagnuolo in bottom of the fifth - John Lehto scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Grant Witherspoon -- but the Walkers got it back plus one in the top of the sixth.
Benintendi led off with a double off reliever Leo Vazquez, after which Tyler Esplin receicved an intentional walk.
A sacrifice bunt from Carlos Arroyo moved both up a base and it paid off when Andrelton Simmons earned two RBIs with a single.
Spagnuolo worked into the sixth inning before being relieved by Bobby Poyner.

Spagnuolo allowed one run on four hits. He struck out five and walked two.
Poyner (1.0 IP), Phil Maton (1.0), Felipe Vazquez (0.2) and Tommy Kahnle (1.0) combined to finish it off.
The save was the 28th of the season for Kahnle.

[rink23]

MBL news: Players and Pitchers of the Month for September

[rink23]

MBL news: Rookies of the Month for September and standings

[rink23]

MBL news: American League leaders on Oct. 1

[rink23]

MBL news: National League leaders on Oct. 1

[rink23]

Walkers news: Team statistics for September

[rink23]

Player of the Month: Bo Bichette: The River Walkers second baseman batted .295 with five homers, eight RBIs and 14 runs scored in 22 games. He posted an on-base percentage of .356 and a slugging percentage of .511.
Starting pitcher of the Month: Aaron Nola: The right-hander went 1-1 in five starts with an ERA of 1.9. He pitched a total of 32.2 innings, during which he struck out 33 and posted a WHIP of 1.01.
Relief pitcher of the Month: Brad Hand: The left-hander got into 11 games and posted a record of 2-0 with an ERA of 1.04. He worked a total of 8.2 innings, during which he struck out nine and had a WHIP of 1.04.