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

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Record:47-38, 2nd (Tied/w. Kansas City), 6 GB Des Moines
Kansas City lost starting pitcher Trevor Oaks after one batter to an injury, but seven relievers stepped up to carry the load as the Pit Masters downed St. Louis 5-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Oaks left the game with elbow inflammation after allowing a lead-off single to Ender Inciarte in the bottom of the first inning. (He is expected to miss four weeks).
Patrick Corbin led the parade of seven relievers to the mound and worked through the first and the first two outs of the second.
He was followed to hill by Max Fried (1.1 IP), Andrew Ryan (2.2), Chance Adams (0.1), Kyle Nelson (0.1), Dario Alvarez (0.2) and Ryan Burr (2.0).
Corbin was credited with the victory.
The Masters went up 1-0 in the top of the second when Danny Cushing hit a home run off River Walkers starting pitcher Brendan Spagnuolo.
Yasmani Grandal and Freddy Galvis then hit back-to-back homers off Spagnuolo in the fifth, Grandal's a two-run blast, to push K.C.'s advantage to 4-0.
Cushing collected another RBI in the eighth, with a run-scoring single off Walkers reliever Brad Hand.

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Record: 47-39, 3rd, 6 GB Des Moines
Kansas City smacked four home runs to help it overcome a 4-2 deficit en route to a 10-8 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Down 4-2, the Pit Masters took the lead on the first of Brian Mundell's two home runs, a three-run shot off River Walkers starting pitcher Aaron Nola, in the top of the third inning.
Kansas City pitcher Dinelson Lamet tripled off Nola in the fifth and scored on a two-out single from Yordan Alvarez.
Joey Gallo and Mundell hit back-to-back solo homers off Phil Maton in the fifth, pushing the Masters lead to 8-4.
The Walkers scored twice in the sixth -- RBI double from Andrew Benintendi and sacrifice fly by J.T. Realmuto -- to pull within 8-6.
Kansas City answered back with two runs in the seventh, Wily Adames going yard off reliever Eduardo Jimenez.
But St. Louis would not go away.
K.C. reliever Dario Alvarez walked three of the first four batters he faced in the ninth to load the bases.
Andrew Ryan then took over and promptly allowed a two-run double to pinch-hitter Bo Bichette, making it 8-6 with just one out.
Ryan settled down to get Javier Baez to fly out and Ender Inciarte to ground out, posting his third save of the season.
Lamet worked four innings for the Masters, allowing four runs on eight hits.
David Berg worked the fifth and sixth innings.
Kyle Nelson recorded the first two outs of the seventh. Fried recorded the final out of the seventh and tossed a scoreless eighth.

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Record: 48-39, 2nd (Tied/w. Kansas City), 6 GB Des Moines
Andrelton Simmons' three-run inside-the-park home run capped a four-run bottom of the sixth inning for St. Louis, helping it rally for a 5-4 win over Kansas City at Busch Stadium (1997).
The Pit Masters had scored three times in the top of the third off River Walkers starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks -- Danny Cushing delivered the big blow with an RBI triple and later scoring on a sacrifice fly by Joey Gallo -- to go up 4-1.
But St. Louis offense erupted in the sixth against Kansas City reliever Patrick Corbin, who had just replaced Kyle Wright.
Wright had limited the Walkers to a single run on four hits over five innings. He also struck out seven and walked none.
Bo Bichette and Andrew Benintendi immediately got things rolling with back-to-back doubles to open the inning, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Andrew Ryan came on and got Rhys Hoskins to fly out before being replaced by Max Fried.
Nicky Delmonico flew out for the second out, but J.T. Realmuto followed with a single to put runners at the corners.
Simmons followed with a shot into the left-field corner that left fielder Yonder Alvarez was unable to corral as it caromed out of the corner.
Simmons circled the bases putting St. Louis in front.
Hendricks didn't have his best stuff but still earned his league best 15th win of the season, allowing four runs on nine hits over six innings.
Bobby Poyner (0.2 IP) and John Curtiss (0.1) combined on a scoreless seventh inning. It was the combo of Brad Hand (0.1) and Reyes Moronta who did the same in the eighth.
Tommy Kahnle was a solo act in the ninth, posting his 16th save.

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MBL news: All-Star fan voting final results July 10

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MBL news: All-Star game rosters

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Record: 49-34., 2nd, 6 GB Des Moines
Alex Faedo limited Kansas City to one run over 6.1 innings and the St. Louis bullpen didn't allow a run the rest of the way, as the River Walkers down Kansas City 7-1 at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the victory, St. Louis managed to split the series with the Pit Masters by taking the final two games of the four-game set. The River Walkers sit in second place in the National League South Division standings, six games in back of first-place Des Moines but a game ahead of the third-place Masters.
St. Louis took control with a three-run bottom of the fourth inning against K.C. starter Jameson Taillon.
Ender Inciarte opened the inning with a lead-off single. He stole second and moved onto third on a throwing error by catcher Yasmani Grandal.
A ground out by Bo Bichette chased Inciarte across the plate.
The other two runs came via the long back, as Rhys Hoskins and Nicky Delmonico delivered back-to-back homers off Taillon.
The Walkers broke it open by scoring four times in the seventh off the Masters bullpen.
Andrellton Simmons drove in three of the runs with a two-out, bases-loaded triple off Ryan Burr.
Faedo lasted 6.1 innings, allowing one run on seven hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Felipe Vazquez, John Curtiss and Brad Hand all recorded one out apiece to get the game to the one out in the eighth.
Reyes Moronta handled the remainder of the mound chores and earned himself his first save of the season.

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MBL news: Week 15 awards and standings

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MBL news: American League leaders at All-Star break

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MBL news: National League leaders at the All-Star break

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MBL news: K.C.'s Cushing is MVP of National League All-Star game victory

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Record: 50-39, 2nd, 6 GB Des Moines
Andrew Benintendi hit a third-inning grand slam and Kyle Hendricks allowed just one run over seven inning to secure his 16th win of the season, as St. Louis downed Milwaukee 4-2 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Keg Lifters starting pitcher Yeo-San Park allowed singles to Andrelton Simmons, Ender Inciarte and Bo Bichette before Benintendi hit his grand slam on a 1-1 pitch from Park.
Milwaukee scored its two runs off Hendricks on a two-run homer from Andrew Knizner off Hendricks with two outs in the seventh.
Hendricks faced just one more batter, striking out Max Kepler to end the seventh.
In his seven innings, Hendricks allowed just three hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Brad Hand tossed a scoreless eighth inning. Closer Tommy Kahnle did the same in the ninth for his 17th save.

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Record: 50-39, 2nd, 6 GB Des Moines
Down 5-1, St. Louis used the long ball to help it push across five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and lead it to a 6-5 win over Milwaukee at Busch Stadium (1997).
An RBI double from Andrew Knizner off River Walkers reliever Phil Maton in the top of the seventh had put the Keg Lifters up 5-1.
But the River Walkers quickly went to work against Milwaukee reliever Antonio Santillan in the bottom of the inning.
Andrelton Simmons drew a lead-off walk and he moved to third when Carlos Arroyo followed with a double.
Ender Inciarte drove in the inning's first run with a single.
Two batter later, it was tied when Andrew Benintendi slammed a 3-1 fastball from Josiah Gray 430 feet over the wall in right-center field.
Gray struck out Rhys Hoskins for the second out.
But Nicky Delmonico got to him for the second homer of the inning, this one a 352-foot blast which put the Walkers in front 6-5.
St. Louis starter Alex Faedo had his struggles allowing four runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings.
But the Walkers bullpen stepped up.
Felipe Vazquez was responsible for the Lifters run which scored in the seventh. He got the final two outs of the sixth inning and first two of the seventh.
For the second consecutive game, Brad Hand worked a scoreless eighth and Tommy Kahnle did the same in the ninth.
For Kahnle, it was his 18th save.

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Record: 52-39, 2nd, 5 GB Des Moines
St. Louis pounded Milwaukee for seven runs over the first two innings on its way to posting a 9-1 rout at Busch Stadium (1997).
The River Walkers got just one run in the bottom of the first inning after Byron Buxton led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a Bo Bichette single and scored on a wild pitch by Keg Lifters starting pitcher Brendan McKay.
St. Louis exploded for six runs in the second inning.
Home runs did the bulk of the damage, Buxton with a three-run shot and Rhys Hoskins knocking out a two-run homer.
Both homers came off McKay.
Nicky Delmonico drove in the Walkers final two runs with another homer, this one in the fourth off Josiah Gray.

St. Louis starting pitcher Aaron Nola was impressive allowing one run on five hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
The only run he allowed came on a solo homer by Greg Bird in the sixth.

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Record: 52-40, 2nd, 5 GB Des Moines
Daniel Mengden and a trio of relievers combined on a six-hit shuout as Milwaukee downed St. Louis 1-0 at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the Keg Masters salvaged the final game of the four-game series.
The game's only run came in the top of the second inning when Andrew Knizner hit a one-out homer off St. Louis starting pitcher Argenis Batista.
Mengden worked 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing six hits while striking out one and walking two.
Jon Gray recorded the final out of the seventh inning.
Sam Freeman pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Arquimedes Caminero took care of the ninth for his 12th save.
Batista handled seven innings, giving up just the one run on seven hits. He struck out eight and walked none.

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MBL news: Week 16 awards and standings

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Record: 52-41, 2nd, 5.5 GB Des Moines
Twin Cities put up five runs in the bottom of the second inning and that fueled the Snow Cats to a 7-3 win over St. Louis at the Metrodome (1996).
Trailing 1-0, the Cats needed just three hits score their five runs as they were aided by an error, a walk and an hit by pitch as River Walkers starter Brendan Spagnuolo struggled with his control.
The first four Twin Cities batters reached base, with pitcher Alex Reyes driving in a run when he draw a bases-loaded walk.
Jose Devers drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly.
Eloy Jimenez had an RBI single, before a Anthony Santander plated the final two runs, making it 5-1.
Jimenez later hit a two-run homer off Spagnuolo in the fourth, as Twin Cities went up 7-2.
The Snow Cats got just 2.1 innings out of Reyes, who made an early exit due to a back issue.
He allowed one run on two hits in his time on the mound.
Six relievers -- Zach McAllister (1.2), Xavier Cedeno (0.2), Junichi Tazawa (1.1), Rex Brothers (1.0), Joe Gatto (1.0) and Thyago Vieria (1.0) -- combined to finish the game for Twin Cities.

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Record: 53-41, 2nd, 4.5 GB Des Moines
Twin Citiies starting pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but once St. Louis' J.T. Realmuto led off with a single it quickly fell part for the Snow Cats.
Down 3-0, the River Walkers scored twice in the sixth and tacked on three more in the seventh on their way to a 5-3 win at the Metrodome (1996).
Andrelton Simmons and pinch-hitter Christian Arroyo followed with single off Loaisiga to load the bases.
Ender Inciarte hit into a force play at the plate for the first out.
That was the final batter Loaisiga would face.
Zach McCallister came on and struck out Bo Bichette for the second out.
Andrew Beintendi, however, followed with a two-run single pulling the Walkers to within 3-2.
In the seventh, Twin Cities reliever Xavier Cedeno retired the first two batters before Realmuto got another rally started with a single.
Simmons chased Realmuto home with a double.
Pinch-hitter Javy Baez added another double double, putting St. Louis ahead 4-3.
Baez would score on a single by Bo Bichette off reliever Rex Brothers.
Walkers starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings.
The St. Louis bullpen handled the rest of the load.
Felipe Vazquez worked a scoreless sixth, setting himself up to earn his first win of the season.
Reyes Moronta (0.1 IP) and Brad Hand (0.2) combined to take care of the seventh.
Phil Maton pitched around single in the eighth. Tommy Kahnle did the same in the ninth, earning his 19th save.

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Record: 53-42, 2nd, 5 GB Des Moines
Jordan Prendiz two-out in single in the bottom of the ninth inning off St. Louis reliever Felipe Vazquez scored Bradley Zimmer to give Twin Cities a 2-1 win at the Metrodome (1996).
Zimmer had reached on a one-out single off Brad Hand, and moved to third when pinch-hitter Colton Welker followed with another single.
Maton came on to strike out Will Banfield.
But Vazquez could not retire Prendiz who singled. A wild throw to the plate by right fielder Ender Inciarte assured Zimmer scored.
The game was scoreless through seven innings until the River Walkers got on the board in the top of the eighth when Ender Inciarte reached on a two-out double off reliever Zach McAllister.
He scored when Snow Cats second baseman Jonathan India made a throwing error on a ball hit by Christian Arroyo.
Twin Cities tied it in the bottom of the eighth against St. Louis starter Aaron Nola.
The Snow Cats first two batters failed to reach, but with two outs Lucius Fox singled and moved to second on a Jose Devers single..
A third straight single, this one by India, scored Fox to tie it up.
Cats starting pitcher Mike Shawaryn worked 5.1 shutout innings, allowing just one hit. He struck out four and walked three.
Junichi Tazawa finished the sixth inning and worked a scoreless seventh.
The eighth belonged to McAllister, who gave up the lone St. Louis run.
Joe Gatto took care of the ninth and earned his fourth win of the season.
For the Walkers, Nola worked 7.2 innings, allowing one run on nine hits.

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Record: 53-43, 2nd, 5.5 GB Des Moines
Chris Archer and three relievers combined on a seven-hit shutout and Trevor Story and Noah Naylor hit solo home runs to lift Cedar Rapids to a 2-0 win over St. Louis at Shibe Park (1949).
Archer handled the first 6.1 innings, allowing five hits while striking out six and walking one.
Taylor Bashlor handled the final two outs of the seventh inning.
The eighth and ninth belonged to Sean Doolittle and Danny Grigg, respectively, with Grigg earning his 17th save.
Story put the Golden Grapplers up early with a homer off St. Louis starter Alex Faedo in the second inning.
Naylor's solo shot came in the seventh off reliever Bobby Poyner.

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Record: 53-44, 2nd, 6 GB Des Moines
Cedar Rapids exploded for five runs in the bottom of the third inning and that was enough as it defeated St. Louis 5-1 at Shibe Park (1939).
21-year-old St. Louis starting pitcher Argenis Batista retired James McCann to open the inning before allowing a single to Golden Grapplers starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner.
Batista then had to exit the game with a finger blister. He is expected to only miss one start.
John Curtiss took Batista's spot on the mound and took a beating.
Much of it was self-inflected as he walked the first two batters he faced, before hitting Domingo Santana to send home the game's first run.
After recording a strike out of Dominc Smith, Curtiss issued his third walk of the inning, this one to Alex Bregman, sending in another run.
Joc Pederson did the rest of the damage with a three-run double, putting Cedar Rapids up 5-0.
Bumgarner worked six innings for the Grapplers, allowing one run on five hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Kelvin Herrera, Tylor Bashlor and Jacob Rhame all pitched an inning apiece to wrap up the win.