2025 St. Louis River Walkers -- Here we go again

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MBL news: National League leaders on Oct. 1

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Walkers news: Team statistics for September

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Player of the Month: Carlos Vidal -- The 29-year-old right fielder batted .341 with eight homers with 21 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 25 games. He got on-base at a .405 clip and boasted a .670 slugging percentage.
Starting pitcher of the Month: Aaron Civale -- Also the National League Pitcher of the Month, the 30-year-old Civale was 4-1 in six starts with a 1.74 ERA. He worked a total of 41.1 innings, during which he struck out 31 and had a 0.94 WHIP.
Relief Pitcher of the Month: Tim Hill -- The 35-year-old lefty got into 1 games going 1-0 with a save and did not allow a run. He worked a total of 11.2 innings, during which he struck out 11 and had a 0.77 WHIP.

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Walkers news: Team totals on Oct. 1

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Walkers news: Organizational Report on Oct. 1

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Record: 94-65, 1st, NL South clinched; 3 GB Chicago for best NL record
The St. Louis River Walkers have not given away many games on their way to winning the National League South Division title this season, but on this night they did allowing four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to Des Moines in what turned out to be a 5-4 loss at LaBatt Park.
The win over the Harvesters a three-game sweep of the series.
The Walkers actually had taken a 4-1 lead after Johan Comargo unleashed a three-run double off Des Moines reliever Omar Benitez in the top of the ninth.
But St. Louis two best relievers, Edwin Diaz and Jake Brentz, brought nothing to the table in the bottom of the inning as the Harvesters stormed back.
It started against Diaz as Andrew Diaz and Rafael Devers both singled before Cody Bellinger drew a walk to load the bases and chase Diaz from the mound.
Brentz retired the first batter he faced, Jarron Silva, and the scored remained 4-1.
But he followed with a walk to Carson Kelly to make it 4-2.
Pinch-hitter Nander De Sedas then hit a ball back to Brentz, who lost his grip on the throw to first allowing the inning's second run to score.
Another pitch-hitter, Jackson Miller, hit a single to left field which Andrew Benintendi overran allowing two runs to score and give Des Moines the win.
Harvesters starting pitcher Yeo-San Park worked six innings, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Jon Olsen handled the seventh and eighth innings.
The ninth belonged to Benitiez (7-3), who would come away with the win.

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Record: 95-65, 1st, 8 GA Springfield; NL South clinched; 2 GB Chicago for best NL record
Alek Thomas connected on a two-out single off Kansas City relief pitcher Cam Bedrosian to score Larry Ernesto to give St. Louis a 6-5 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Ernesto's run was the second of the inning for the River Walkers.
Tanner Kohlhepp scored the first after he led off with a single off Chaz Roe and crossed the plate when Ernesto doubled.
The Pit Masters had battered St. Louis starter Aaron Civale for four runs in the top of the first and another in the second to go up 5-1.
But Civale had held Kansas City into the sixth inning, and the Walkers bullpen did the same the rest of the way.
Luis Palomo worked the sixth inning. Nick Lodolo handled the seventh.
Adam Wenger pitched a scoreless eighth and got the first out of the ninth.
Tim Hill (4-3) finished the ninth and would earn the win.
The Walkers had pulled to within 5-4 by scoring three runs in the third.
Carlos Vidal drove in final two of them with his second homer of the game off Masters starter Ben Harris.

Alek Thomas tallied the first. He had led off with a double and scored on a Johan Camargo single.

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Record: 96-65, 1st, 9 GA Springfield; NL South clinched; Chicago clinched NL nest record
Tied 2-2. St. Louis put up four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to carry the River Walkers to a 6-2 win over Kansas City at Busch Stadium (1997).
Carlos Vidal got things moving with a one-out walk off Pit Masters reliever Jace Fry, and Rhy Hoskins followed with a single.
Jake Woodford took over and his second pitch to Andrew Benintendi eluded catcher Yasmani Grandal allowing VIdal to score.
Benintendi was then issued an intentional walk.
Larry Ernesto reached on an error by Woodford to load the bases.
Jared Thomas and Tanner Kohlhepp then collected RBI single.
After Christian Arroyo hit into a fielder's choice, Alek Thomas drove in the inning's final run with a single.
Walkers starting pitcher Derek Gordon worked six innings, allowing one run on three hits.

Dan Jennings (0.1 IP) and John Curtiss (0.2) combined to pitch the seventh inning.
The eighth belonged to Nick Lodolo.
The ninth was supposed to be handled by Adam Wenger, who did record two outs but also allowed a pair of hits.
Williams Jerez got the call and got Yasmani Grandal to fly out to end it.
It wss Jerez's second save of the season.

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Record: 96-66, 1st, 8 GA Springfield
Kansas City busted loose for six runs in the top of the fourth inning to spur it to a 7-3 win over St. Louis in the final game of the regular season at Busch Stadium (1997).
The victory allowed the Pit Masters to grab the final game of the three-game series after dropping the first two.
Tied 1-1, Kansas City battered River Walkers starter Jimmy Lambert for six runs on six hits in that inning.
The big hits were a two-run single by Josh Shuler and two-run home run by Danny Cushing
Kansas City starter Max Fried (6-6) worked 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Five relievers -- Austin Hansen (1.1 IP), Jake Woodford (0.1), Trevor Hildenberger (0.1), Kyle Nelson (0.2) and David Berg (1.0) -- combined to finish the game.

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The Akron Flying Feet waited until the final day of the regular season to wrap up the American League East Division with a 9-1 win at Columbus.
The long ball played a key role in the win, as Michael Conforto, Miguel Gerardo, Gary Sanchez and Robby Martin all hit home runs.
The Feet finished the season 92-70, two games ahead of second-place Toledo.
Akron will face Fort Wayne in the American League playoffs. The Mad Men will host the first two games after going 97-65.

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MBL news: Final standings and American League leaders

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MBL news: Final National League leaders

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Walkers news Final 2025 regular season statistics

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MBL news: Playoff pairings are set

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MBL news: OOTP -- National League Championship Series preview -- Chicago G-Men vs. St. Louis River Walkers

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MBL news: OOTP American League championship series -- Akron vs. Fort Wayne

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National League Championship Series previewAmerican League Championship Series: Akron Flying Feet (92-70) vs. Fort Wayne Mad Men (97-65) (best-of-five)
National League Chamipionship Series: St. Louis River Walkers (96-66) vs. Chicago G-Men (98-64

NLCS schedule
Game 1: St. Louis (Alex Faedo 15-5, 2.88 ERA) at Chicago (Shohei Ohtani 23-5, 2.82)
Game 2: St. Louis (Argenis Batista 12-7, 2.83) at Chicago (Jake Mullholland (15-10, 3.25)
Game 3: Chicago (Josh Hader 13-4, 1.93) at St. Louis (Steven Brault (11-7, 3.13)
Game 4: Chicago (Luis Noguera 15-9, 4.57) at St. Louis (Aaron Civale 11-13, 3.41)
Game 5: St. Louis (Faedo, 15-5, 2.88) at Chicago (Shohei Ohtani 23-5, 2.82)

Regular season series: Chicago won 4-3
June 26 : at Chicago – St. Louis 7, Chicago 3, 18 innings
W: Nick Lodolop 2-0, 3.22. L: Chris Rodriguez 0-1, 3.86. HR: STL -- Bo Bichette 13.
Player of the Game: River Walkers starting pitcher Alex Faedo allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked one.
June 27: at Chicago –St. Louis 6, Chicago 2
W: Batista 9-3, 2.58. L: Jake Mullholland (8-2, 2.09).
Player of the Game: Batista limited Chicago to two runs on six hits over the opening 6.1 innings.
June 28: at Chicago – Chicago 4, St. Louis 3
W: Ben Bowden (1-0, 0.00). L: John Curtiss (4-1, 3.42). Sv: James Pazos (21, 1.57).
Player of the game: G-Men starting pitcher Luis Noguero limited St. Louis to three runs on six hits over six innings.
June 29: at Chicago – Chicago 6, St. Louis 5
W: Shohei Ohtani (10-3, 2.99). L: Steven Brault (7-3, 2.66). Sv: Bowden 1, 0.00). HR: StL – Rhys Hoskins 15, Edmond Americaan 3. Chi – Petey Halpin 4.
Player of the Game: Chicago’s Petey Halpin was 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs scored and three RBIs.”
Sept. 8: at St. Louis – Chicago 8, St. Louis 1
W: Jake Mulholland (13-8, 3.26). L: Argenis Batista (11-5, 2.51). HR – Chi – Steven Williams 3 (32), Matt Wallner 2 (26).
Player of the Game: G-Men catcher Steven Williams was 4 for 4 with three home runs, a double, three runs scored and three RBIs. Matt Wallner also hit two homers for Chicago.
Sept. 9: at St. Louis – Chicago 8, St. Louis 5
W: Tony Cebero (1-2, 4.05). L: Steven Brault (10-5, 3.13). Sv: James Pazos (34, 2.66). Chi – Jarred Kelenic (14), Cruz Calderon 33. StL – Jean Carmona 10.
Player of the Game: The G’Men’s Jarred Kelenic was 3-for-5 with a homer, two runs scored and three RBIs.
Sept. 10: at St. Louis – St. Louis 3, Chicago 2
W: Tim Hill (3-1, 2.10). L: Dalvin Rosario (0-3, 5.28). Sv: Jake Brentz (15, 1.18). HR: StL: Rhys Hoskins 26, Bo Bichette 18, Larry Ernesto 11).
Player of the game: St. Louis’ Larry Ernesto was 1 for 3 with a home run that put the River Walkers up 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

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MBL news: St. Louis River Walkers 2025 regular season statistics

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MBL news: Chicago G-Men 2025 regular-season statistics

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St. Louis pounded Chicago pitching for seven runs over the first five innings -- five of them being charged to probable NL Cy Young winner Shohei Ohtani -- and then survived a late charge by the G-Men to take Game 1 of the National League Championship Series 9-6 at Wrigley Field (1979).
The River Walkers scored once in each of the first three innings -- Andrew Benintendi, who had a big game, drove in the first run with a double off Ohtani which scored Carlos Vidal -- to seize the early advantage.
They then appeared to blow it open with a four-run fifth to go up 7-0.
Bo Bichette drove in the first two runs with a homer, which chased Ohtani.
Larry Ernesto and Jean Carmona then had RBI sigles against reliever Jake Junis.
But the G-Men climbed right back into it by pounding out five runs against St. Louis starter Alex Faedo in the fifth.
Six of Chicago's first seven hitters in the inning collected hits, including an RBI single from Cruz Calderon, an RBI double from Cory Acton and two-run double from Matt Wallner.
Faedo, however, fought his way out of it getting Junis to fly out and striking out Steven Williams with a runner on second.
Chicago would threaten multiple times over the final four innings, but a good mix and match of relievers prevented them from scoring again until the ninth by which time it trailed 9-5.
Pinch-hitter Tyler Kehoe doubled with two outs off reliever Williams Jerez and scored when Steven Williams singled.
But Phil Fitzgerald flew out to end it.
Faedo (1-0), who allowed five runs on seven hits in five innings, came out of it with the win.