St. Louis River Walkers 2021 season: On the rebound

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Record: 50-47, 2nd, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
Omar Garcia will never forget his first major league hit, as it was his home run to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning which gave St. Louis a 5-4 win over Madison at Busch Stadium (1997).
Garcia, who entered the game to pitch in the top of the 11th, had only batted two other times, both hitless, before he hit a 3-2 pitch from Muskies reliever Aaron Barrett 386 feet over the wall in left field.
The home run also made a winner of Garcia for the third time in 2021. He struck out the only batter he faced, Wellington Castillo, to end the top of the 11th with a runner on first.
St. Louis broke off to a 4-0 lead and starting pitcher Aaron Nola was cruising taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

But Nola allowed a lead-off single to Nolan Jones and five batters later -- between two more singles and a pair of strike outs -- Nomar Mozara hit a grand slam to tie it.
Nola ended up pitching seven innings, allowing the four runs on four hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
He also hit a solo homer off Muskies starter Burch Smith in the third inning.

Jake Diekman (1.0 IP), Phil Maton (0.1) and Bobby Poyner (2.1) followed Nola to the mound before the ball got turned over to Garcia.

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Record: 51-48, 3rd, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis left-handed specialist Jake Diekman allowed the five of the six Madison batters he faced in the top of the ninth inning to reach base as the Muskies scored four times to rally for a 6-3 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the Muskies avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the River Walkers.
Reese McGuire and Nolan Jones got things rolling against Diekman with a double and single, respecitively, to open the inning.
After a strikeout of Cory Spanenberg, Brett Gardner walked to load the bases.
Aramis Ademan then drew another walk, sending McGuire across the plate to tie it at 3.
Brandon Nimmo then unleashed a bases-loaded double to make it 6-3.
Diekman's collapse spoiled a strong first start for the Walkers for Alex Faedo, who was making his first start since being acquired from Evansville.
Faedo allowed one one run on hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked one.

He left the game with St. Louis leading 2-1, but Nolan Jones tied it in the top of the seventh with a solo shot off Bobby Poyner.
The Walkers retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double from Andrew Benintendi.
Madison starting pitcher Brian Schaffer allowed two runs on six hits in five innings.
Zech Lemond, Daniel Hudson, Jared Miller and Corey Knebel all pitched an inning apiece to close it out.
Miller earned his fifth win of the season. Knebel collected his 22nd save.

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The River Walkers have announced that right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks will miss at least two months with a strained hamstring.
In 20 starts in 2021, Hendricks has gone 4-6 with a 4.50 ERA.

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MBL news: Week 12 awards and standings

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Record:51-49, 3rd, 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Justus Sheffield pitched into the fifth inning and he combined with five other relievers for a shutout as Quad City won 2-0 over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Sheffield tossed the first 4.1 innings, not allowing a run while giving up four hits. He struck out four and walked the same number.
Hyun-jin Ryu finished the fifth inning and got the first out of the sixth to earn himself his fourth win of the season.
Chris Rivera finished out the sixth inning.
The Thunder got shutout innings from Koda Glover, Evan Steele and Jimmy Herget to close it out.
Herget earned his 13th save of the season.
Quad City got the only run it would need in the top of the sixth when Yu-Cheng Chang drew a lead-off walk from St. Louis starting pitcher Yu Darvish.
An error by shortstop Andrelton Simmons on a ball hit by Miguel Gomez moved him to second.
A two-out single from Derek Fisher made it 1-0.
Quad City got its second run in the eighth when Cedric Mullins led off with a double of John Curtiss. He later scored on a Justin Turner sacrifce fly off Reyes Monronta.

River Walkers starting pitcher Yu Darvish one run on three hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked two.

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Record: 52-50, 3rd, 5.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Quad City put its first three batters aboard in the top of the eighth inning, en route to breaking a 4-4 tie and paving the way for a 5-4 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
With the win, the Thunder took two of the three games in the series. The loss dropped the River Walkers to 5.5 games behind Cedar Rapids in the National League South Division standings.
Justin Turner got things started in the eighth, when first baseman Rhys Hoskins misplayed a grounder to first.
With two lefties coming up, Jake Diekman replaced Phil Maton on the mound but he just didn't have it.
Derek Fisher and Christian Hicks both singled to load the bases.
Reyes Moronta took over the pitching duties and allowed Scott Kingery to hit a fly ball long enough that Turner was able to score breaking the tie.
Two outs walks to Nicky Delmonico and Chrstian Arroyo had the Walkers with two runners aboard and two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Jimmy Herget, however, got J.T. Realmuto to fly out, earning him his 14th save.
The Thunder's Derek Fisher and St. Louis' Bo Bichette both hit two run homers in the first inning.
Turner led off the sixth with a homer off Walkers starter Aaron Nola, putting Quad City ahead 3-2.
St. Louis tied it in the bottom of the seventh, Michael Conforto reaching on a single off reliever Evan Steele and later scoring on an Andrelton Simmons sacrifice fly.
Thunder starter Jose Almonte allowed one run on two hits over five innings.
Kyle Crockett, Steele, Koda Glover and Herget all went an inning apiece to close out the game.
Steele earned his third victory of the season.

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Record: 52-51, 3rd (tied/w. Kansas City), 6 GB Cedar Rapids
Wilson Ramos single off St. Louis reliever Omar Garcia driving in Joc Pederson with what proved to be the game-winning run in Cedar Rapids' 4-3 win at Shibe Park (1949).
Pederson had reached on a one-out double off Jake Diekman.

Garcia came on and struck out Keon Broxton but followed with a walk to Trevor Story.
Ramos followed with his single, scoring Pederson, who had moved to third on a Garcia wild pitch.
A three-run double from Bo Bichette with two outs in the fifth inning off

Golden Grapplers starting pitcher David Cullison had given the River Walkers a 3-1 lead.
But Trevor Story greeted reliever Reyes Moronta, who had just replaced Wakers starter Danny Duffy, with a two-run homer with one out in the seventh to tie it.
Cullison worked five innings, allowing one run on three hits.
Mike Zagurski, Abel De Los Santos and Ben Bowden handled the sixth through the eighth innings, respectively.
Tyler Bashlor got the first two outs in the ninth before departing with an undisclosed injury.
Ryan Webb came on and allowed a single to pinch-hitter Albert Almora to runners at first and second.
But Webb got Ender Inciarte to ground out to end it, earning him his first save.

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The St. Louis River Walkers have completed a three-player trade with the Cincinnati Skyline,

The deal will send St. Louis shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and minor league infielder Brad Miller to Cincinnati in exchange for outfielder Scott Schebler.
Hechavarria has been the starting shortstop of the Walkers since 2018 and has provided good seasons both on the field and at the plate.
This season, the 32-year-old is batting .284 with four homers and 24 RBIs in 94 games.
The acquisition of Andrelton Simmons helped make Hechavarria expendable.
As Simmons is considered one of the best fielding shortstops in the league and at least Hechavarria's equal at the plate.
Miller was an off-season signing for the Walkers, because of his ability to play multiple positions.
He started the season in the majors, where he hit .124 with one homer and two RBIs in 14 games.
He has spent the rest of the season at AAA Memphis, where he has hit .215 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 39 games.
In Schebler, the Walkers pick up a left-handed hitting outfielder who has hit .268 with six homers and 20 RBIs and 83 games.
He will be assigned to AAA Memphis, while infielder Joe Mundy will be recalled to the major league team.

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MBL news: Players and Pitchers of the Month for July

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MBL news: Rookies of he Month for July and August 1 standings

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MBL news: American League leaders on August 1

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MBL news: National League leaders on August 1

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Walkers news: Team reports for July

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Player of the Month: Andrew Benintendi: The outfielder batted .362 with eight homers, 27 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 25 games. He posted an on-base percentage of .450 and a slugging percentage of .691. Named the NL Player of the Month,
Starting Pitcher of the Month: Danny Duffy: The NL Pitcher of the Month, Duffy was 4-0 with an ERA of 3.41 in six starts. He pitched 37.1 innings, striking out 36 while posting a WHIP of 1.30.
Relief Pitcher of the Month:Bobby Poyner: The left-hander got into 14 games and pitched a total of 16.1 innings, during which he posted an ERA of 1.65 with 26 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.86. He had no decisions or saves.

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Walkers news: Player development report for August 1

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Record: 54-51, 3rd, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
St. Louis wiped out a 1-0 deficit by pouring across five runs in the top of the fifth inning and went on for a 6-1 win over Cedar Rapids at Shibe Park (1939).
With the win, the River Walkers took the final two games of the three game series. St. Louis sits in third place in the National League South Division, four games behind the leading Golden Grapplers.
Andrelton Simmons got things going in that big fifth inning with a lead-off double off Grapplers starter Chris Archer.
Tucker Barnhart drew a walk before an Ender Inciarte double scored both baserunners.
A Bo Bichette single pushed Inciarte across the plate.
Andrew Benintendi capped the outburst with a two-run homer.
Walkers starter Yu Darvish went seven innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out five and walked three.
Phil Maton pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Omar Garcia did the same in the ninth to seal the win.

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MBL news: Week 13 Awards and standings

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Record: 54-52, 3rd (tied/w. Kansas City), 4.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Kansas City pounded St. Louis ace Aaron Nola for five runs on 10 hits over 10 innings to pave the way for a 9-3 win over the River Walkers at Busch Stadium (1997).
Nola gave up an RBI single to Yasmani Grandal in the second inning and a solo homer to Brian Mundell in the fourth as the Pit Masters took a 2-0 lead.
Kansas City broke it open with a five-run sixth.
Nola was there for part of it, allowing singles to Yordan Alvarez, Willy Adames and Brett Phillips to open the inning.

A wild pitch to Yasmani Grandal scored Alvarez and led to Nola's exit.
John Curtiss came on and walked Grandal to load the bases.
After striking out pitcher Shelby Miller for the first out.
Tyler Wade followed with a grand slam, after that the Masters led 7-0.
The Walkers climbed three runs closer in the sixth after Rhys Hoskins hit a three-run homer off K.C. reliever Rafael Lopez.
But Brett Phillips powered a two-run homer off Grant Dayton in the bottom of the seventh, pushing the Masters lead back to 9-3.
Miller lasted for six innings, giving up three runs on four hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Wily Peralta handled the seventh inning. Andrew Ryan held the Walkers silent in the eighth and ninth.

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Record: 55-52, 3rd, 3.5 GB Cedar Rapids
Danny Duffy tossed five shutout innings and the bullpen handled the rest as St. Louis defeated Kansas City 4-0 to split a two-game series at Busch Stadium (1997).
Duffy dodged trouble throughout, but kept the Pit Masters off the board. He allowed four hits and five walks during his time on the mound. The left-hander struck out three.
Grant Dayton got the first two outs of the sixth inning and Phil Maton finished it off.
Bobby Poyner prevented the Masters from scoring in the seventh and eighth.

Reyes Moronto closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth.
The River Walkers broke open a scoreless tie in the fifth inning, when Michael Conforto singled with one out and scored on a Andrelton Simmons double off Kansas City starter Alex Wood.
The lead grew to 3-0 an inning later, Andrew Benintendi and Rhys Hoskins with back-to-back homers off Wily Peralta.
A Hoskins sacrifice fly in the eighth made it 4-0.

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Record: 56-53, 3rd, 4 GB Cedar Rapids
Rookie Alex Faedo pitched eight shutout innings and St. Louis defeated Cedar Rapids 4-0 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Making his third start for the River Walkers since being acquired in a trade with Evansville, Faedo allowed four hits while striking out nine and walking just one.
Faedo left the game after his pitch count reached 100 in the eighth inning.
Jake Diekman handled the ninth without much difficulty pitching around a two-out walk.
St. Louis got all of its runs in the top of the fifth against Des Moines starter Rory Stevens.
Faedo drove in the first run himself with an RBI single.
Two batters later, Bo Bichette handled the rest with a three-run homer.