St. Louis River Walkers 2021 season: On the rebound

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Record: 57-53, 3rd, 2.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Michael Conforto hit a two-run, two-out homer off Des Moines reliever Leo Vazquez to lift St. Louis to a 7-6 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the River Walkers took two of three games from the Harvesters. St. Louis sits in third place in the National League South Division, but trails first-place Cedar Rapids by just 2.5 games.
Andrew Benintendi got things going for the Walkers in the ninth with a one-out single off Jandel Gustave.
Vazquez came on and got Rhys Hoskins to fly out for the second out.
However, Conforto hit the 3-1 pitch 394 feet over the fence in left field for his 25th home run of the season.
St. Louis entered the ninth inning with a 5-4 advantage, but closer Tommy Kahnle surrendered it when he allowed a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Austin Meadows.
It was the second blown save in as many games for Kahnle, who allowed an RBI single to Austin Hays in the ninth inning of their August 7 game. A contest Des Moines would go on to win in 3-2 in 12 innings.
Kahnle still got the win, his second of the season. But his blown save total has reached five.
Moved into the Walkers' rotation with an injury to Kyle Hendricks, Wade Miley turned in a strong six innings allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out six and walked one.
Phil Maton tossed a scoreless seventh inning, but surrendered a two-run homer to Hunter Fedduccia in the eighth as Des Moines pulled to within 5-4.

A three-run fourth inning allowed the Walkers to grab a 3-1 lead.
Bo Bichette hit a solo homer off Harvesters reliever Frankie Montas in the fifth making it 4-2.

Andrelton Simmons' RBI single in the sixth off Hector Mendoza made it 5-2.

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MBL news: Week 14 Awards and standings

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Record: 58-53, 2nd, 2.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Tucker Barnhart hit a two-run home run off Springfield relief pitcher Gerson Moreno with one-out in the top of the 10th inning and St. Louis went on for a 3-1 win at Olympic Stadium (Montreal).
Andrelton Simmons had reached on an error by Prairie Fighters left fielder Delino Deshields Jr. just before Barnhart hit a 3-2 pitch 397-feet into the seats in right field.
The River Walkers got a dominant effort from starting pitcher Aaron Nola, who took a shutout into the bottom of the eighth.
But the Fighters got to him Kevin Pillar reaching on a one-out single and scoring on a two-out double by Ryan Mountcastle.
Nola ended up going eight innings, giving up the one run on four hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
Grant Dayton pitched a quiet ninth inning, setting the stage for his third win.
Bobby Poyner got the first out of the 10th. Reyes Moronta handled the other two for his first save.
St. Louis took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, after Andrew Benintendi drew a one-out walk from Springfield starter Josh Hader.
A Rhys Hoskins and Michael Conforto both followed with singles, Conforto's earning him the RBI.
Hader left in the fifth inning with an undisclosed injury. He struck out eight St. Louis batters, altogether the six pitchers who took the mound for the Fighters whiffed 17.

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Record: 58-56, 4th, 2.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Springfield scored three runs in the fourth inning and four in the seventh and that was enough to carry it to a 7-5 win over St. Louis at Olympic Stadium (Montreal).
With the win, the Prairie Fighters took the final three games of the four-game series. The losses dropped the River Walkers back into fourth place in the National League South Division, 2.5 games behind first-place Cedar Rapids.
Down 2-0, the Fighters took the lead for good with their third-inning outburst against Walkers starting pitcher Yu Darvish.
Trevor Lanarch led off with a single. A Todd Frazier double moved him to third and he scored on a Kevin Pillar sacrifice fly.
Light-hitting catcher John Hicks then sent Frazier across the plate with a two-run homer.
Left-hander Bobby Poyner's inability to get anyone out haunted St. Louis in the seventh as Max Schrock led off the inning with a homer.
J.P. Crawford and Freddie Freeman both drew walks before Lanarch launched a three-run homer.

All four Springfield hitters bat from the left side.
Michael Conforto hit a two-run homer off reliever Tim Hill in the eighth,drawing St. Louis to within 7-4.
In the ninth, Rhys Hoskins' RBI single off Gerson Moreno made it 7-5 and had runners at the corners with one out.
But Moreno got Conforto to hit into a double play to end it.
The Fighters used eight pitchers to get through this one.
Starter James Paxton exited in the second inning with an undisclosed injury.
Matt Barnes (2.1 IP) and Kenyon Middleton (2.0) handled the heaviest loads.
Barnes ended up collecting the win, his first of the season.
Moreno got the final two outs of the eighth and survived the ninth for save No. 27.

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Record: 59-56, 4th, 2.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Andrew Benintendi homered and scored three runs while starting pitcher Wade Miley worked into the seventh inning as St. Louis won 6-3 over Akron at Candlestick Park (1993).
Benintendi's homer came with two outs in the top of the first inning, a solo shot off Flying Feet starting pitcher David Paulino.
The River Walkers added another single run in the second inning, Ender Inciarte collecting an RBI when he drew a bases-loaded walk from Paulino.
St. Louis broke it open in the third, as Paulino walked the bases loaded to start the frame.

A fielder's choice hit by Andrelton Simmons scored the first run. Nicky Delmonico plated the second with a double. A successful squeeze bunt by Miley made it 5-0.

On the mound, Miley allowed three runs on six hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Four relievers -- Phil Maton (0.1 IP), Bobby Poyner (1.0), Reyes Moronta (0.1) and Tommy Kahnle (1.0) -- combined to finish the game off the St. Louis.
Kahnle set the Feet down in order in the ninth for his 19th save.

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Record: 60-56, 4th, 1.5 GB Cedar Rapids and Springfield
Aaron Nola faced the minimum 27 batters while tossing a shutout in St. Louis 7-0 win over Akron at Candlestick Park (1973).
Nola allowed just two baserunners, a lead-off single to Kyle Tucker in the fourth inning and when Brendan Rogers reached on an error by shortstop Andrelton Simmons in the sixth.
Both runners were eliminated in double plays.
Nola struck out three batters and walked none.
The River Walkers grabbed the lead early when Bo Bichette hit a solo homer off Flying Feet starting pitcher Luis Severino in the first inning.
A Rhys Hoskins two-run homer off Ralston Cash in the fifth inning made it 3-0.
The rest of the scoring came in the eighth, Nicky Delmonco doing the bulk of the work with a three-run home run.

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Record: 60-57, 4th, 2.5 GB Cedar Rapids
A day after Aaron Nola tossed a shutout against it for St. Louis, Jack Flaherty and a trio of relievers combined to turn the tables in a 3-0 Akron win over the River Walkers at Candlestick Park (1993).
With the victory, the Flying Feet avoided dropping all three games of the series to St. Louis.
Flaherty handled the first three innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four and walking one.
Ralston Cash, Jake Reed and A.J. Minter all handled an inning apiece to close it out, with Minter earning his 26th save of the season.
The Feet got the only run it needed in the bottom of the first against Walkers starter Danny Duffy.
Kyle Tucker led off with a double, A ground out moved him to second.
Anthony Rizzo chased him home with a sacrifice fly.
Akron's other two runs came an inning later.

Tucker collected both the RBIs with a single.

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MBL news: Week 15 Awards and standings

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Record: 60-58, 4th, 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Yasiel Puig hit a game-winning two-run double off St. Louis reliever Reyes Moronta in the top of the 10th inning as Toledo defeated the River Walkers 5-3 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Josh Harrison singled off Omar Garcia to open the 10th.
Jake Diekman then took over and sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a walk to Tommy Edman.
Moronta took the mound, and with a 2-2 count Puig laced a two-run double into left field putting the Mud Hens up 5-3.
It was the second big hit of the game for Puig, who hit a three-run homer off River Walkers starting pitcher Alex Faedo in the top of the sixth to wipe out a 2-0 deficit.
St. Louis tied it in the eighth when Andrew Benintendi scored on a wild pitch by reliever Ian Hamilton.
Luke Weaver handled the first five innings on the mound for Toledo, allowing two runs on three hits.
Six pitchers combined to handle the next five innings. Ian Hamilton, Zach Burdi and Sandy Alcantara took care of an inning apiece to close it out.

The win went to Burdi, his fourth of the season. Alcantara notched his second save.

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Record: 61-59 4th, 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Toledo broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the top of the fourth inning and held on for a 2-1 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the Mud Hens took two of three games in the series with the River Walkers.
Four straight singles -- from Harrison Bader, Howie Kendrick, Jurickson Pofar and Tommy Edman -- off St. Louis starter Wade Miley opened that inning for the Hens.
Pofar's base knock plated Bader with the game's first run. Kendrick scored when Jin-De Jhang hit into a fielder's choice for the inning's first out.
The Walkers finally got on the board when Bo Bichette smacked a solo homer off Toledo starter Beau Burrows.
It would be a strong effort for Burrows, who left after walking Michael Conforto following Bichette's homer, having allowed just the one run on three hits.

Justin Dunn closed out the sixth inning without sustaining any more damage.
Kyle Brandish, Ian Hamilton and Zack Burdi all pitched a scoreless inning apiece to close out the win.
Burdi earned his 23rd save.

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Record: 62-59, 3rd, 4 GB Kansas City
Down 1-0, St. Louis took control with a three-run top of the seventh inning as the River Walkers went on to defeat Quad City 3-1 at Fenway Park (1970).
Thunder starting pitcher Matt Ruppenthal held the Walkers in check for 5.2 innings before departing after making 101 pitches.
St. Louis finally broke loose against reliever Evan Steele in the seventh.
Nicky Delmonico led off with a double and scored when J.T. Realmuto followed with a single.
Koda Glover took the mound and gave up a sacrifice bunt.

After a strike out, Albert Almora doubled to plate Realmuto.
Almora scored on an Andrew Benintendi single.
Aaron Nola's day was done by the time the Walkers took the lead, but by going six innings he did last long enough to earn his eighth win.
During his time on the mound, Nola allowed one run on five hits. He struck out nine and walked one.
Reliever Reyes Moronto pitched a scoreless seventh inning and Phil Maton and Jake Diekman combined to do the same in the eighth.
Closer Tommy Kahnle allowed Quad City's first two batters in the ninth to reach base.
But retired the next three, including a strike out of Scott Kingery to end it for his 20th save.

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Record: 63-60, 4th, 4 GB Kansas City
St. Louis closer Tommy Kahnle allowed all four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth inning to reach base, helping Quad City to score a pair of runs and rally for a 6-5 win at Fenway Park (1970).
With the win, Quad City was able to grab the third game of the series after dropping the first two.
Down 5-4, Mark Canha greeted Kahnle with a lead-off double to open the bottom of the ninth.
The next batter, Wil Myers, hit a ball back to Kahnle and he promptly pulled first baseman Rhys Hoskins off the bag for an error and put runners at first and second.
With the St. Louis bullpen out of arms, Kahnle was stuck out there and walked Marcus Wilson to load the bases.
Anthony Alford followed with a single, scoring Canha and Myers to give the Thunder the victory.
It marked the sixth blown save of the season for Kahnle.
Midway through the game, Quad City grabbed a 2-1 lead after Scott Kingery hit a two-run homer off River Walkers starting pitcher Alex Faedo in the bottom of the fifth.

That lead grew to 4-1 in the sixth when Kingery slapped a two-run single off reliever Reyes Moronta.
But St. Louis tied it with a single swing of the bat in the seventh, Rhys Hoskins knocking a three-run homer off Q-C starter Mike Montgomery.
Montgomery went 6.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits.
With its bullpen running on fumes, Evan Steele was forced to close it out and did a fine job tossing 2.1 innings during which he allowed one run on three hits.

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MBL news: Week 16 awards and standings

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Record: 64-60, 4th, 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Kansas City 7-4 at Municipal Stadium (1969).
Rhys Hoskins got the River Walkers on the board with a solo homer off Pit Masters starting pitcher Dinelson Lamet in the fourth inning.
St. Louis grabbed the lead an inning later when Carlos Asuaje had an RBI single off Lamet, and another run scored on a bases-loaded walk to Rhys Hoskins.
Allen Cordoba's solo homer off Walkers starter Yu Darvish in the fifth.
But the Walkers broke it open in the eighth by scoring three runs.

Nicky Delmonico drove in the first two runs with a double off reliever David Berg.
Pinch-hitter Andrew Toles drove in the third with a single.
St. Louis added an insurance run in the ninth, Nicky Delmonico with a sacrifice fly which scored Hoskins.
Darvish handled the first six innings for the Walkers, giving up three runs on six hits.
John Curtiss and Jake Diekman combined to handle the seventh.
Diekman ended up with the win, his second of the season.

The eighth belonged to Bobby Poyner and Phil Maton, respectively.

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Record: 65-61, 3rd (Tied/w. Springfield), 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Down 4-3, St. Louis scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to pave the way for a 6-4 win over Kansas City at Municipal Stadium (1969).
With the win, St. Louis took three of four games in the series. The River Walkers sit in fourth place in the National League South Division, 4.5 games in back of first-place Cedar Rapids.
Carlos Asuaje got things started for the Walkers in the seventh with a lead-off single off reliever Michael Pineda.
Pineda was quickly replaced, only to see the first batter he faced, Michael Conforto, crank a two-run homer to put St. Louis ahead 5-4.
The Walkers were not finished.

After a couple of strikeouts, Nicky Delmonico hit a solo homer, pushing the lead to 6-4.
St. Louis starting pitcher Danny Duffy was not at the top of his game, but he pitched well enough to earn his 12th win.
He lasted six innings, giving up four runs on five hits.
John Curtiss, Phil Maton and Tommy Kahnle all took care of an inning apiece to seal the win.
Kahnle notched his 22nd save.

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Record: 66-62, 3rd (Tied/w. Springfield), 5.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Dominic Smith's single off St. Louis relief pitcher Grant Dayton with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Cedar Rapids to a 4-3 win at Shibe Park (1949).
The Golden Grapplers had tied it in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out homer from Alex Bregman off Bobby Poyner.
In the ninth, Phil Maton allowed singles to Wilson Ramos and Trevor Story to open the inning.
A walk to Keon Broxton then loaded the bases with no out, before Victor Robles flew out for the first out of the inning.

Dayton came on and got Terrin Vavra to ground into a force play at the plate.
But Smith followed with his game-winning single.
St. Louis actually led 3-0 after 4.5 innings.
Story drove in the first run of the comeback with a one-out single off Alex Faedo in the fifth inning.
Justin Bour's pinch-hit double to greet Poyner in the seventh helped make it 3-2.
Grapplers starting pitcher Chris Archer went five innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
Four relievers -- Mike Zagurski, Ryan Webb, Jacob Rhame and Danny Grigg -- all worked an inning apiece to close it out.
Grigg earned his fourth win of the season.

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Record: 68-62, 3rd, 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
J.T. Realmuto had drove in the game's only run with a seventh-inning double and four relievers combined to complete a shutout after starter Wade Miley left in the third inning as St. Louis defeated Cedar Rapids 1-0 at Shibe Park (1949).
With the win, the River Walkers took the final two games of the three-game series against the first-place Golden Grapplers.
With the win, St. Louis remains in third place in the National League South Division, 3.5 games in back of Cedar Rapids.

In the middle game, Realmuto had scored the game-winning run in the top of the ninth after leading off with a single scoring on a Michael Conforto single as the Walkers won 4-3.
This one was scoreless until the seventh when Andrew Benintendi reached on an error by first baseman Dominic Smith while leading off the inning.
Realmuto then connected for a two-out double off David Cullison for what turned out to be the only run of the contest.
St. Louis starting pitcher Wade Miley left the game in the third inning with back tightness.
Phil Maton got the final out of the third and handled a scoreless fourth inning.
John Curtiss and Grant Dayton both worked two inning apiece.
Closer Tommy Kahnle allowed Cedar Rapids' first two batters to reach in the ninth and eventually issued an intentional/unintentional walk to Justin Bour to load the bases with two outs.
But Nick Williams hit into a fielder's choice to end it, giving Kahnle his 24th save.
Grapplers starting pitcher Trevor Bauer was impressive against his former team. He lasted 6.1 innings, allowing just the one run (it was unearned) on five hits. He struck out eight and walked none.

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MBL news: Week 15 awards and standings

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Record: 68-63, 3rd (Tied/w. Springfield), 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids scored three runs off St. Louis ace Aaron Nola in the top of the third inning and made it stand up in a 3-2 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Clint Coulter led off the inning with a single off Nola and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from pitcher Matt Andriese.
A wild pitch moved Coulter to second and a double from Max Schrock chased him home.
Two batters later, Freddie Freeman hit his 18th homer of the year, a 421-foot blast worth two runs, to make it 3-0.
Andriese gave up solo homers to Andrew Benintendi in the fourth and Nicky Delmonico in the fifth innings, allowing the Walkers to crawl to within 3-2.
That was as close as they would get, despite putting two runners aboard in the ninth.
Matt Barnes got Andrelton Simmons to fly out to end it and earn his first save.
Andriese worked five innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Four relievers -- Eduardo Paerdes, Aaron Loup, Anyelo Gomez and Barnes -- all worked an inning apiece to close it out.
St. Louis' Michael Conforto left the game after being hit by an Andriese pitch in the knee. He is expected to be slowed for about a week, with the 40-man roster expansion coming up in a day he will not be placed on the disabled list.

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St. Louis has learned right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks has suffered a setback as he tries to return from a strained hamstring.
While it was uncertain if Hendricks would return during the regular season, it is not confirmed that he will not as he is expected to be sidelined for up to seven more weeks.
Hendricks has won 4-6 with a 4.50 ERA during the 2021 season.