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

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Record: 29-32, 5th, 6.5 GB Des Moines
Note: I was very close to demanding a replay on this game due to a glitch, but let it slide as I never scored.
A scoreless game into the eighth inning, Springfield scored once in that inning and four times in the ninth to down St. Louis 5-0 at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Prairie Fighters got the only run they would need in the top of the eighth inning when Nate Traylor doubled with one out off St. Louis starting pitcher Aaron Nola.
He moved to third when Jorge Alfaro followed with a single.
(This is where the glitch occured, I play out each batter myself, but it ran through about five consecutive batters and I could not get it to stop).
During this sequence, Nola threw a pitch which got passed catcher Austin Hedges allowing Traylor to score the game's first run.
(I did not get things under control until there was one out in the bottom of the eighth -- as Nola was allowed to bat, he flew out for the inning's first out, when I would have pinch hit for him).
The Prairie Fighters piled on four more runs in the ninth against struggling St. Louis left-hander Bobby Poyner.
Freddie Freeman scored two of the runs with a single.Nate Traylor followed with an RBI double, as Poyner continued to get torched by left-handed hitters.
Michael Brantley doubled off John Curtiss to make it 5-0.
The National League ERA winner in 2021 for the River Walkers, Danny Duffy continued to be tough to score on as a starter for Springfield.
He tossed 5.1 scoreless innings against the Walkers, allowing four hits while he struck out three and walked two.
Ryan Pressley completed a scoreless sixth inning.
Hunter Strickland kept St. Louis off the board in the seventh.
It was the combination of Triston McKenzie (0.1 IP) and Alex Claudio (0.2) who did the same in the eighth.
With it 5-0, the ninth inning belonged to Anyelo Gomez who completed the shutout.
The win went to Strickland, his second of the season.

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MBL news: -- All-Star game fan voting for June 12

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Record: 30-32, 4th, 6.5 GB Des Moines
St. Louis hit three home runs and Kyle Hendricks pitched eight innings to help carry the River Walkers to a 5-2 win over Springfield at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, St. Louis salvaged the final game of the three-game series against the Prairie Fighters.
Down 2-0, St. Louis grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Andrelton Simmons ended a long home-run drought with a three-run blast off Fighters starting pitcher Josh Hader.
The Walkers other two runs came in the fifth inning when Andrew Benintendi and Byron Buxton combined for consecutive solo homers off relief pitcher Triston McKenzie.
Hendricks allowed two runs on five hits in his eight innings en route to earning his National League-leading 10th win of the season. He struck out seven and walked three.
Felipe Vazquez sent Springfield down in order in the ninth.

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MBL news: Week 11 awards and standings

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Record: 30-33, 4th, 7.5 GB Des Moines
Dallas Keuchel worked 6.1 scoreless innings and the bullpen did the rest in Des Moines' 7-0 shutout of St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Kuechel scattered five hits while striking out seven and walking one during his time on the mound.
Leo Vazquez got the final two outs of the sixth inning. Hector Neris worked a silent eighth and Juan Nicasio did the same in the ninth.
St. Louis starting pitcher Alex Faedo had to exit the game with two outs in the second inning because of a tired arm.
The issue isn't expected to force Faedo to miss his next start.

The Harvesters went to work against River Walkers reliever Bobby Poyner in the fourth, Cody Bellinger cranking his 17th home run of the season.

Des Moines added two more in the eighth on an RBI triple from Austin Hays followed by an RBI double by Bellinger, both surrendered by Phil Maton.
Pinch-hitter Carson Kelly cranked a two-run homer off Reyes Moronta in the ninth to complete the scoring.

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Record: 31-33, 4th, 6.5 GB Des Moines
Argenis Batista allowed one run over 6.1 innings and the St. Louis bullpen blanked Des Moines the rest of the way, as the River Walkers downed the Harvesters 2-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Bautista allowed one run on six hits in his time on the mound. He struck out six and walked none.
St. Louis took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a lead-off home run from Bo Bichette of Harvesters starters Sixto Sanchez.
Bichette led off the fifth with a single off Des Moines reliever Hector Neris and made it 2-0 when he scored on a Javier Baez sacrifice fly.
John Lehto led off the sixth with a homer to provide the Harvesters with their lone run.
A weary St. Louis bullpen shuffled through six relievers to close out the win.
Brad Hand (0.1 IP), Phil Maton (0.2), Bobby Poyner (0.1) all recorded at least one out before closer Tommy Kahnle came on in the eighth.
Kahnle recorded four outs to earn his 11th save of the season.

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Record: 32-33, 4th, 6.5 GB Des Moines
Brendan Spagnuolo tossed seven shutout innings and the bullpen did the rest as St. Louis whitewashed Rockford 3-0 at RFK Stadium (1962).
Spagnuolo allowed just one hit in his seven innings -- a lead-off single by Lightning pitcher Cody Anderson in the third inning -- while striking out two and walking three.
Brad Hand handled the final two innings, retiring all six batters he faced, for his second save.
The River Walkers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a Bo Bichette two-run shot off Anderson.
Rhys Hoskins led off the fourth with a single off Anderson. A Byron Buxton ground out moved him to third.
Andrelton Simmons scored Hoskins on a ground out.

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Record: 32-34, 4th, 7.5 GB Des Moines
Aaron Civale handled the first five innings and the Rockford bullpen did the rest as the Lightning shutout St. Louis 2-0 at RFK Stadium (1962).
Civale allowed three hits while striking out five and walking one during his time on the mound.
Taylor Widener got the first out of the sixth inning.

Shawn Semple got the final two and also pitched a scoreless seventh to help him earn his first win of the season.
The eighth belong to Jimmy Shefry and the ninth to Craig Kimbrel who posted his ninth save.
Rockford grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ezquiel Pagan led off with a double off River Walkers starting pitcher Aaron Nola and scored on a Charlie Blackmon sacrifice fly.
The Lightning got their other run in the seventh after Amed Rosario singled off Nola with two outs.

Rosario stole second and scored on a single from Evan Skoug.

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Record: 33-34, 4th 7.5 GB Des Moines
Kyle Hendrick allowed one run over six innings and St. Louis took control with a four-run fourth inning on its way to a 6-3 win over Rockford at RFK Stadium (1962).
Hendricks (11-2) allowed one run on two hits while striking out six and walking one in his time on the mound.
The Lightning got to John Curtiss worked a quiet seventh before Rockford got to him for a pair of runs in the eighth. Amed Rosario collected both RBIs with a double.
Bobby Poyner finished the eighth and tossed a scoreless ninth for his first save.
The River Walkers seized control with their four-run fourth against Rockford starter Jimmy Nelson.
Hendricks drove in the game's first run with a single.
Byron Buxton and Andrew Benintendi plated the next two with a bases-loaded walk and ground out, respectively.
A single from Bo Bichette scored Hendricks to make it 4-0.
An RBI double from Tyler Esplin and run-scoring single by Christian Arroyo in the seventh made it 6-1 St. Louis.

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MBL news: June 19 -- All-Star game fan voting update

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Record: 33-35, 4th, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Wili Castro and Lewin Diaz collected RBI doubles off St. Louis starting pitcher Alex Faedo in the bottom of the fourth inning to help lift Rockford to a 3-2 win at RFK Stadium (1962).
The victory allowed Rockford to split the four-game series against the River Walkers/

Ezequiel Pagan led off the inning with a single off Faedo and scored on Castro's double, tying it at 2-2.
Diaz followed with another double, scoring Castro with what proved to be the winning run.
Konnor Pilkington handled the first four innings for Rockford on the mound, allowing both River Walkers runs on eight hits.
Jaden Foster shutout St. Louis through the fifth and sixth innings.
Erasmo Pinales (0.2 IP), Casey Meisner (0.2), Gabriel Moya (1.0) and Craig Kimbrel (1.0) kept the Walkers silent the rest of the way.
Foster earned his second win of the season. Kimbrel notched his 10th save.

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MBL news: Week 12 awards and standings

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Record: 33-36, 4th, 9.5 GB Des Moines
Down 3-1, Madison exploded for five runs in the fourth inning against rookie St. Louis starting pitcher Argenis Batista on its way to a 7-5 win at Comiskey Park (1969).
The trouble started right away as the Muskies opened the inning with four consecutive hits, including an RBI double from Reese McGuire which tied the game at 3-3.
Aramis Ademan had made it 3-2 when he scored on a wild pitch.
A Brandon Nimmo single scored another run, putting the Muskies out in front.
Batista's second wild pitch of the inning then made it 5-3.
Francisco Lindor drove in the uprising's final run with a triple, which also sent Batista to the showers.
Lindor, who was 3 for 4 with two doubles and a triple, made it 6-3 with a run-scoring double off reliever Felipe Vazquez in the seventh.
St. Louis pulled to within 7-5 on a two-run homer from Ender Inciarte in the eighth, but that was as close as the River Walkers would make it.
Madison starting pitcher Keegan Thompson lasted just four innings allowing three runs on six hits.
Zach Lemond handled the fifth and sixth innings to earn his fifth win against no defeats.
Drew Steckenrider, Nick Goody and Jared Miller all worked an inning apiece to finish the game.
Miller earned his 13th save of the season.

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Record: 34-36, 4th, 9.5 GB Des Moines
Tied 2-2, Tyler Esplin drew a bases-loaded walk from Madison's Billy McKay to put St. Louis in front on its way to a 4-2 win over Madison at Comiskey Park (1969).
Muskies reliever Dellin Betances retired pinch-hitter Rhys Hoskins to open the eighth, but followed that by issuing walks to Ender Inciarte and Javy Baez to get the River Walkers going.
McKay replaced Betances and issued the third walk of the inning to Andrew Benintendi.
He struck out Bo Bichette with the bases-loaded, but gave Esplin a free pass to score Inciarte.
The Walkers added an insurance run in the ninth on a Baez double off Jared Miller.
St. Louis had once trailed 2-1, but tied it in the seventh on an RBI single from Bichette off Madison starter Logan Gilbert.
Walkers starting pitcher Brendan Spagnuolo struggled with his control issuing six walks in fifth inning. He also gave up two hits, which led to a pair of runs.
Bobby Poyner pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh inning. Reyes Moronta (0.1 IP) and Brad Hand (0.2) split up the eighth.
The ninth belong to Tommy Kahnle, who notched save No. 12.

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Record: 35-36, 4th, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Byron Buxton led off the top of the 10th inning with a solo home run and St. Louis held on for a 5-4 win over Madison at Comiskey Park (1969).
River Walkers closer Tommy Kahnle ran into all kinds of problems in the bottom of the 10th, but yet came out of it without allowing a run.
Kahnle walked Aramis Adelman and Brandon Nimmo to open the inning. Francisco Lindor then hit into a fielder's choice, putting runners at the corners.
Kahnle struck out Nolan Jones for the second out. Nick Senzel then flew out, giving Kahnle his 13th save.
St. Louis owned a 4-1 lead until Walkers reliever Brad Hand allowed a three-run pinch-hit homer to Cory Spanenberg in the seventh to tied it.
Walkers starter Aaron Nola had planted the seeds for the jam, hitting Nomar Mazara to open the inning and giving up a double to Reese McGuire and brings Spanengberg to the plate.
Nola pitched six innings, giving up three runs on five hits.
Hand, Felipe Vazquez, John Curtiss and Kahnle all went an inning apiece for St. Louis,
Curtiss earned his third win of the season.

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Record: 36-36, 4th, 8.5 GB Des Moines
Kyle Hendricks tossed a three-hit shutout and St. Louis cranked out four home runs in a 7-0 win over Madison at Comiskey Park (1969).
With the win, the River Walkers took three of four games from the first-place team in the National League North Division and climbed back to .500 for the first time in quite a while.
Muskies starting pitcher Nick Lewis matched Hendricks shutout inning for shutout inning until the seventh when the St. Louis bats finally got going.

Andrew Beintendi broke up the scoreless game with a two-run inning in that inning.
The Walkers added three more runs in the eighth, Rhys Hoskins plating the first run with a double.
Benintendi following with his second homer of the game, both off reliever Luke Gregerson.
Nicky Delmonico and J.T. Realmuto led off the ninth with solo homers off Nic Goody to complete the scoring.
As for Hendricks, while allowing just three hits. He struck out five and walked a pair while improving his record to an impressive 12-2.

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Record: 37-36, 4th, 8 GB Des Moines
Tied 4-4, St. Louis scored once in the top of the eighth inning and then exploded for six runs in the top of the ninth in an 11-5 win over Evansville at Yankee Stadium (1952).
The River Walkers grabbed the lead in the top of the eighth after Andrew Benintendi singled with two outs.
He scored when Rhys Hoskins followed with a double, both hits coming off reliever Chaz Roe.
St. Louis big ninth inning was highlighted by a lead-off homer from Andrelton Simmons off Jairo Labourt. And two-run homers from Benintendi and J.T. Realmuto.
St. Louis starting pitcher Alex Faedo had to exit after two innings with back spasms.
Five relievers combined to carry the Walkers to the win -- Bobby Poyner (2.0 IP), Reyes Moronta (1.0), Felipe Vazquez (1.2), Phil Maton (1.1) and John Curtiss (1.0) -- with the victory going to Maton, his third of the season.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have sent slumping almost 23-year-old outfielder Tyler Esplin to AAA Memphis and called veteran infielder Matt Duffy to the majors.
Esplin had a great April, during which he hit .330 with six home runs and 16 RBIs, but his numbers have stumbled over the following seven-plus weeks.
The left-handed hitter is now batting .237 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs in 71 games.
The 31-year-old Duffy, who can play both shortstop and third base, has batted .292 with four homers and 32 RBIs in 70 games for the Redbirds.

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Record: 38-36, 3rd (Tied/w. Springfield), 7.5 GB Des Moines
Rookie Argenis Batista tossed a one-hit shutout to lead St. Louis to a 5-0 win over Evansville at Yankee Stadium (1952).
Batista did not allow a hit until Phil Ervin led off the seventh inning with a single.
Other than that, the Big Bosseman only had three other baserunners on two walks and a hit by pitch.
Batista struck out eight in his gem.
The River Walkers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Andrew Benintendi drew a one-out walk from Evansville starting pitcher Jon Gray and later scored on a two-out single from Byron Buxton.
St. Louis other three runs all came in the eighth against the Bossemen's bullpen.
Benintendi hit a two-run homer off Sarkis Ohanian and Rhys Hoskins immediately followed with a solo shot.
Andrleton Simmons drove in the game's final run with a single off Ohanain.

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MBL news: All-Star fan voting update for June 26