2023 St. Louis River Walkers -- Postseason or bust

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Walkers news: Team statistics for August

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Player of the month: Rory Gonzalez: The new third baseman after the trade of Nicky Delmonico, Gonzalez had quite a first month -- he should have been NL Rookie of the Month over teammate Michael Toglia, batting .298 with six homers, 15 runs scored and 25 RBIs in 26 games. He posted an on-base percentage of .393 and a slugging percentage of .596.
Starting pitcher of the Month: Aaron Nola: The veteran ace went 3-0 in five starts with a 2.29 ERA. He pitched a total of 35.1 innings, striking out 30 and posting a 1.10 WHIP.
Relief pitcher of the Month: Jake Brentz: The team's closer following the trade of Tommy Kahnle, Brentz got into 10 games going 1-0 with four saves and a 2.08 ERA. He pitched a total of 13 innings, striking out 22 and owning a 0.92 WHIP.

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Record: 68-60, 3rd, 10.5 GB Des Moines
Down 2-0, Springfield pounded out four runs off St. Louis starting pitcher Brendan Spagnuolo in the top of the sixth inning and paving the way for a 6-3 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Prairie Fighters first three batters in the sixth all reached base -- Max Schrock singled, Trevor Larnach walked and Gary Sanchez singled to load the bags -- Jose Ramirez made it four in a row with a single.
Marcell Ozuna suddenly made it 4-2 with a three-run homer.
A two-run double from Larnach in the top of the eighth off Bill Warson later made it 6-2.
Zach Godley (5-13), who began his career with the River Walkers, allowed two runs on five hits over the first five innings.
Five relievers followed him to the mound -- D.J. Jefferson (1.0 IP), Jake Diekman (0.1), Chaz Roe (0.2), Mark McConnell (1.0) and Keenan Thompson (1.0) -- as the Prairie Fighters evened the series at a game apiece.

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Record: 69-60, 3rd, 10.5 GB Des Moines
Jean Carmona drew a bases-loaded walk from Springfield reliever D.J. Jefferson in the bottom of the 18th inning to give St. Louis a 6-5 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Jefferson entered the game with two outs in the 17th out of gas, and the River Walkers made him pay for it in the 18th.
With one out, Rhys Hoskins, Michael Toglia and Bo Bichette all drew walks to load the bases.
Pitcher Brad Hand struck out for the second out.
But Jefferson threw four straight balls to Carmona, allowing Hoskins to score the winning run.
In a game which featured 21 pitchers (St. Louis 9, Springfield 12), Hand earned the win by holding the Prairie Fighters scoreless from the 15th through 18th innings.

Jimmy Lambert made the start for St. Louis, allowing four runs on six hits.
He was followed to the mound by John Curtiss (1.0 IP), Brent Suter (2.0), Phil Maton (1.0), Wilmer Jimenez (0.2)., Bill Warson (0.1), Thad Ward (2.0), Jake Brentz (2.0) and Hand (4.0).
The win was the third of the season for Hand.
Down 4-2, the Fighters tied the game in the top of the sixth on A.J. Reed's first homer of the season, a two-run, shot off Lambert.
Both teams scored a run in the 10th.
Anthony Seigler had an RBI single off Walkers reliever Wilmer Jimenez.
St. Louis answered in the bottom of the inning when pinch-hitter Romy Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with two outs.
He moved to second on a Jean Carmona single and scored when Christian Arroyo followed with another single.

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Record: 70-60, 3rd, 9.5 GB Des Moines
Michael Toglia hit a walk-off homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give St. Louis a 5-4 win over Springfield at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the River Walkers took three of four games from Springfield. They also pulled within 9.5 games of first place Des Moines in the National South Division with 32 games remaining in the season.
Toglia's homer, his 25th of the season, came on a 2-2 pitch from Prairie Fighters reliever Mark McConnell.
Springfield had tied the game with some dramatics of its own when Wander Samuel Franco hit a two-out homer off reliever Phil Maton in the top of the ninth inning.
The River Walkers had gone up 4- in the bottom of the fourth after pitcher Aaron Nola led off with a double.
A Byron Buxton bunt moved Nola to third and he scored on a Toglia sacrifice fly.
Nola worked six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits He struck out seven and walked two.
He also was two for two at the plate with a double and an RBI.
John Curitss worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
Maton blew the save in the ninth, but still came out of it with his first win of the season.

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MBL news: Week 20 awards and standings

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Record: 71-60, 3rd, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Alex Faedo allowed two runs over 7.2 innings on the mound and at the plate went 3 for with two homers and four RBIs to help power St. Louis to a 13-2 win over Quad City at Fenway Park (1970).
Faedo's homers were a solo shot off Thunder starting pitcher Michael Santos in the third inning and a two-run shot off reliever Sugar Ray Marmion in the sixth.
The River Walkers did the bulk of their damage with a four-run fourth inning.
Romy Gonzalez drove in two runs with a triple while Andrew Benintendi and Faedo both had RBI singles.
St. Louis made it ugly with five runs in the ninth.
Jean Carmona drove in the first two runs with a single.
J.T. Realmuto had an RBI double.
Rookie Tanner Kohlhepp, making his major league debut, plated the final two with a single.
In his 7.2 innings, Faedo allowed two runs on four hits.
Wilmer Jimenez finished the eighth inning.
Bill Warson set the Thunders down in order in the ninth.

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Record: 72-60, 3rd, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Down 1-0, St. Louis scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to help carry it to a 4-2 win over Quad City at Fenway Park (1970).
With the victory, the River Walkers swept the two-game series. St. Louis sits 8.5-games behind first-place Des Moines with 30 games left in the season.
St. Louis begins a three-game series with the Harvesters on Sept. 5.
Michael Toglia tied the game at 1-1 when he hit a solo homer off Thunder starting pitcher Evan Steele with one out in the third.
The Walkers would add two more runs.
Andrew Benintendi singled with two outs and moved to second on a balk.
Romy Gonzalez was then hit by a pitch and Bo Bichette followed with a single to load the bases.
Jean Carmona snapped the tie with a two-run single, as St. Louis went up 3-1.
It's lead down to 3-2, the Walkers added an insurance run in the ninth.

Andrew Benintendi led off with a single off reliever Brenan Hanifee.
A two-out wal to Jean Carmona moved Benintendi moved him to second.
He scored when pinch-hitter Edmond Americaan singled.
St. Louis starter Argenis Batista lasted just 1.2 innings before exiting with back stiffness.
He allowed a solo homer to Duke Kinmaon to lead off the top of the first.
Batista is expected to miss five days, so he might be able to make his next start.
Eight relievers combined to finish out the game for St. Louis.
Thad Ward (1-1) handled the first 1.1 innings and would earn the win.

He was followed by Brad Hand (2.0), John Curtiss (0.1), Brent Suter (0.2), Phil Maton (0.2), Wilmer Jimenez (0.1), Bill Warson (1.0) and Jake Brentz (1.0).
Brentz struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.

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Record: 72-61, 3rd, 9 GB Des Moines
Yeo-San Park handled the first 6.1 innings and three relievers took care of the rest as Des Moines shutout St. Louis 3-0 at LaBatt Park.
Park allowed just three hits in his time on the mound, striking out four and walking none.
Luis Avilan (0.2), Frankie Montas (1.0) and Ken Giles (1.0) handled the remainder of the game.
Giles pitched around a one-out single from Michael Toglia in the ninth for his 38th save.
River Walkers starting pitcher Brendan Spagnuolo took a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
He would not survive it.
Khlail Lee ended the scoreless tie with a one-out solo homer.
Rafael Devers later drew a two-out walk and scored when Cody Bellinger followed with his 33rd home run of the season.

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Record: 73-61, 3rd, 8 GB Des Moines
Down 2-1, St. Louis scored once in the third and twice in the fourth to take the lead and then blew it open from there posting an 11-3 win over Des Moines at LaBatt Park.
Bo Bichette hit a solo homer off Harvesters starting pitcher Chase Beal to lead off the third inning and tie it at 2.
The River Walkers seized the lead in the fourth.
Pitcher Aaron Nola drove in the first run with a single.
Andrew Benintendi plated the second with a two-out single.
St. Louis broke it open by scoring once in the sixth and once in the ninth, but it was the five runs the River Walkers scored in the eighth which made it ugly.
The Walkers had just four hits in the inning, but also drove a pair of walks.
Toglia plated the first run with a single off reliever Jandel Gustave.
Byron Buxton later added a two-run single.
Jean Carmona chased home the inning's third run with a single off Mike Soroka.
An error by first baseman Cody Bellinger on a ball hit by Juan Gil helped the inning's final run to score.
Nola (11-6) worked the first six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits.
Brad Hand (0.2 IP), Phil Maton (0.1) and Bill Warson (2.0 ) handled the final three innings as St. Louis improved to 5-2 for September and sit eight games behind first-place Des Moines in the NL South with 28 games to go.

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Record: 73-62, 3rd, 9 GB Des Moines
Des Moines pounded Alex Faedo for nine runs in the bottom of the first and rode the momentum to a 9-3 win over St. Louis at LaBatt Park.
With the win, the Harvesters took two of three from the River Walkers. Des Moines leads St. Louis by nine games in the National League North Division standings with 27 games to go.
The first five Des Moines batters of the game reached against Faedo.
Carlos David Rodriguez led off with a double and Thairo Estrado followed with a walk.

A Rafael Devers double made it 1-0. Cody Bellinger followed with a single to make it 2-0.
Yet another single, this one from John Lehto, pushed it to 3-0.
Corey Ray wrapped up the scoring with a two-run homer with two outs.
At one point, St. Louis would climb to within 6-3, after Romy Gonzalez led off the seventh with a single off reliever Luis Avilan, and later scored on a Michael Amditis sacrifice fly.
The Harvesters answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh, Rodriguez led off with a double and scored on a Bellinger ground out.
Des Moines scored its final two runs in the eighth.Estrada driving in Carson Kelly, who had led off with a double, with a ground out.,
Devers plated the game's final run with a double.
Sanchez (14-5) worked six innings allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits. He struck out 10 and walked none.
It took five relievers -- Avilan (0.1 IP), Bryan Garcia (0.2), Blake Parker (0.1), Frankie Montas (0.2) and Kyle Hill (1.0) -- to handle the final three innings.

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MBL news: Week 21 awards and standings (plus one day on standings)

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Record: 73-63, 3rd, 10 GB Des Moines
Cedar Rapids built a 6-0 lead by St. Louis got on the board and the Golden Grapplers rolled to a 7-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The big reason the Grapplers dominate early, five shutout innings from starting pitcher Rick Atkinson (10-9).
He would leave after pitching into the sixth, having allowed just one run on five hits. He struck out seven and walked none.
Cedar Rapids broke on top in the top of the second when Noah Naylor was hit by a pitch with two outs by Argenis Batista and scored when Alex Bregman followed with a triple.
Jacob Pearson had an RBI single and Dominic Smith drove in one with a two-out double in the third, also off Batista, as the Grapplers lead grew to 3-0.
Cedar Rapids broke it open in the top of the sixth by scoring thee times.
Atkinson drove in the first run himself, Naylor who had doubled off reliever Bill Warson, with a sacrifice fly.
Matt McLain later had a two-run single off Brent Suter.
An RBI single from Jean Carmona in the sixth off Kale Davis finally got the Walkers on the board.
Rhys Hoskins solo homer in the seventh made it 6-2.
But Joc Pederson answered with a solo shot of his own for the Grapplers in the eighth off Thad Ward.

Davis (1.2 IP) was the first of four Cedar Rapids relievers to take the mound.
He was followed by Jacob Rhame (0.1), Jason Hemauer (1.0) and Zach Schellenger (1.0).

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Record: 73-64, 3rd, 11 GB Des Moines
Tied 4-4, Trevor Story greeted St. Louis reliever Phil Maton with a solo homer with one out in the top of the seventh inning to put Cedar Rapids ahead in a game it would eventually win 6-5 at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Golden Grapplers added another run to their lead in the eighth when Domingo Santana ruined Brad Brann's major league debut with a lead-off triple. He later scored on an Alex Bregman double, as Brann failed to retire any of the three batters he faced.
That run proved important as Michael Toglia hit a solo homer for the River Walkers in the eighth off Taylor Bashlor to pull them back to within a run.
But Danny Grigg pitched around a two-out double by Byron Buxton in the ninth, getting Bo Bichette to ground out to end it, and earned his 20th save.
Cedar Rapids starter Trevor Bauer worked five innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked none.
Danny Cullison allowed two runs in the sixth but stilll came away with his second win of the season.
Thomas Burrows and Tyler Bashlor handled the seventh and eighth before Grigg got the ball for the ninth.

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Record: 73-65, 3rd, 11.5 GB Des Moines
Cedar Rapids tallied four runs off St.Louis starting pitcher Brendan Spagnuolo in the top of the fourth inning and rode that momentum to a 6-5 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the Golden Grapplers swept the three-game series. Now with four consecutive losses, the River Walkers sit 11.5 games behind first-place Des Moines in the National League South Division with 25 games remaining.
The Grapplers put their first five batters aboard in the fourth to help them break open a scoreless game.
Joc Pederson and Terrin Vavra were part of that string, with RBI singles which combined to make it 2-0.
With two outs, Matt McLain connected on a two-run double extending that lead to 4-0.
Two innings later, Vavra hit a homer off Spagnuolo to push that advantage to 5-0.
St. Louis got back into it, scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth.
Cedar Rapids got that run back in the eighth, when Alex Bregman led off with a single off Brad Hand.
A Pederson double moved him to third.
Sam Cohen then greeted Jake Brentz with a two-out single, putting Cedar Rapids up 6-3.
It was 6-4 after Andrew Benintendi led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and scored on a Jean Carmona triple, all off Jacob Rhame.
But Tyler Bashlor got J.T. Realmuto to hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning still at 6-4.
In the ninth, St. Louis staged another uprising.
Tanner Kohlhepp drew a lead-off walk from Bashlor
After two fly outs, Benintendi singled to move Kohlhepp to second.
Michael Toglia followed with a double, scoring Kohlhepp and landing Benintendi at third.
Cedar Rapids elected to walked Rhys Hoskins to load the bases.
But Bashlor to ground out to end it.
Cedar Rapids starter Carlos Martinez (3-15), who came into the game 2-15, worked five innings giving up three runs on three hits.
Dubin Feltman and Thomas Burrow worked scoreless sixth and seventh innings, respectively.
Rhame got the first two outs of the eighth before giving way to Bashlor.
Bashlor finished the eighth and got out of the ninth without allowing St. Louis to tie it for his sixth save.,

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Record: 74-63, 3rd, 11.5 GB Des Moines
St. Louis tallied 10 runs over the course of the first two innings and breezed to a 10-3 win over Milwaukee at County Stadium (1976).
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the River Walkers.
St. Louis dented the plate four times in the first inning against Keg Lifters starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who was traded by the Walkers to Milwaukee in July.
Michael Toglia drove in the first run with a double. Andrew Benintendi handled the rest with a three-run homer.
The Walkers chased Hendricks during a six-run second.
Edmond Americaan hit a two-run inside-the-park homer to begin the fun.
Reliever Robert Stephenson later issued a bases-loaded walk to Byron Buxton.
Jean Carmona plated the final three with a bases-loaded double.
Staked to that big early lead, Aaron Nola didn't have much to worry about.
Nola worked six innings, allowing one run on four hits.

Hunter Perdue took care of the seventh and eighth, allowing a pair of runs in his second inning.
Eduardo Jimenez worked a scoreless ninth.

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Record: 75-65, 3rd, 11.5 GB Des Moines
Down by a run, St. Louis scored three times in the top of the eighth inning to help carry the River Walkers to a 5-3 win over Milwaukee at County Stadium (1976).
Michael Toglia delivered the big blow with a two-run double off Jake McGee which snapped a 3-all tie.
McGee relieved Keg Lifters starter Jason Johnson to start the inning.
He was greeted by a Byron Buxton pinch-hit double to open the top of the eighth.
An Edmond Americaan sacrifice bunt moved Buxton to second.
He scored when Bo Bichette connected on a sacrifice fly.
Andrew Benintendi and Romy Gonzalez then set the stage for Toglia' tie-breaking hit with back-to back singles.
A two-run homer from Jason Carmona in the second put St. Louis up 2-0.
The Lifters rallied to tie it with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Andrew Kinzner had an RBI single off Walkers starter Alex Faedo in the fifth. Daniel Brito hit a solo homer off Faedo in the sixth.
Brent Suter allowed an RBI single to pinch-hitter Raynel Delgado in the seventh, giving Milwaukee its 3-2 advantage.
Faedo worked 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked none.
Five relievers -- Brent Suter (0.0 IP), Phil Maton (0.1), Wilmer Jimenez (0.1), John Curtiss (1.0) and Jake Brentz (1.0) -- combined to close out the game.
Brentz, by handling the ninth, earned his eighth win of the season.

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Record: 76-65, 3rd, 10.5 GB Des Moines
Bo Bichette homered twice and St. Louis went deep four times to help it to a 7-2 win over Milwaukee at County Stadium (1976).
Bichette's first homer was a solo shot off Keg Lifters starter Sean Hellje in the fifth inning, giving the River Walkers a 3-0 lead.
His second came an inning later, a two-run blast off reliever Josiah Gray, which put St. Louis ahead 7-0.
The Walkers other homers came from J.T. Realmuto, a two-run blast off Hellje, in the fourth innings gave it a 2-0 lead.
Rhys Hoskins made the fifth inning a two-homer inning when he smacked a two-run shot off Ted Welch.
Walkers starter Argenis Batista allowed one run on three hits over six innings. He struck out eight and walked none.
Five relievers combined to finish it led by Bill Warson (0.2 IP) and Phil Maton (0.1) both pitching in the seventh.
The game was finished off by Hunter Perdue (1.1), Bill Hand (0.1) and Thad Ward (0.1).

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Record: 77-65, 2nd, 10.5 GB Des Moines
Tied 2-2, St. Louis scored four times in the top of the sixth inning behind a grand slam from Rhys Hoskins and held from there for a 6-5 win over Milwaukee at County Stadium (1976).
With the victory, the River Walkers swept the four-game series from the Keg Lifters.
The win also moved St. Louis into second place in the National League South Division,. however, it trails first-place Des Moines by 10.5 games with 20 games left in the season.
The Walkers had tied the game at 2 in the top of the fifth when Byron Buxton drew a lead-off walk from Milwaukee starting pitcher Brendan McKay and scored on a Hoskins triple.
In the sixth, Jean Carmona led off with a single off reliever Ted Welch.
Edmond Americaan singled with one out and a two-out walk tom Michael Toglia loaded the bases.
Hoskins then hit a 1-1 pitch from Welch 447 feet over the wall in right-center to make it 6-2.
Milwaukee stormed right back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three times.
Raynel Delgado drove in the first two runs with a homer off reliever Bill Warson.
Erik Rivera later singled with two outs off Brent Suter.
He scored on a Kyle Seager double.
But the Lifters would not score again, as the Walkers held on.
Jimmy Lambert (3-1) worked the first five innings for St. Louis, allowing two runs on seven hits.
St. Louis went through almost its entire bullpen to close it out using 11 relievers.
All 11 of them recorded two outs or less.
Eduardo Jimenez got the first two outs in the ninth before closer Jake Brentz came on and got Greg Bird to hit into a fielder's choice, earning him his seventh save.

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MBL news: Week 21 awards and standings