2026 River Walkers: Ready to defend what we've earned

[rink23]

Record: 61-47, 1st, 4.5 GA Springfield and Quad City
St. Louis scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to wipe out a 1-0 deficit and then held on for a 9-7 win over Des Moines at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win gave the River Walkers a sweep of the three-game series.
Down 1-0 after John Lehto had led off the game with a homer off St. Louis starter Tanner Bibee, the Walkers erupted for seven-run off Harvesters starting pitcher Zach Davies in the bottom of the second.
An error by Lehto at second base allowed JT Schwartz to reach to lead off the inning.
Davies later issued a walk to Larry Ernesto to load the bases.
Bibee followed with a single to tie the game.
Davies than hit Carlos Vidal with a pitch to score another run.
Bo Bichette then scored a pair with a single.
Rhys Hoskins did the rest with a three-run homer, making it 7-1.
Hoskins homered again in the sixth -- the opener of a back-to-back with Schwartz -- which made it 9-4.
Des Moines did make it interesting.
St. Louis starter Tanner Bibee exited with two outs in the fifth inning after issing a bases-loaded walk to Alex Freeland which made it 7-4.
Des Moines would close to within 9-7 after sacrifice flies from Rafael Devers and Alex Freeland off reliever Nick Lodolo in the ninth.
But with two runners aboard, Lodolo got Greyson Jenista to fly out to end it.
Bibee lasted 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits.
Jerez got the final out of the fifth.
Angel Batista and Lodolo handled two innings apiece to close out the win.
Batista (5-8) came out of it with the victory.

[rink23]

MBL news: Week 16 awards and standings

[rink23]

Record: 61-48, 1st, 3.5 GA Springfield and Quad City
Springfield chased St. Louis starting pitcher Jimmy Lambert by scoring seven runs in the first three innings and the Prairie Fighters went on for a 9-4 win at Olympic Stadium (Montreal).
Springfield struck quickly with a four-run bottom of the first inning.
Andres Gimenez and Eric Hosmer opened the stanza with back-to-back double off River Walkers starter Jimmy Lambert.

Austin Hendrick scored Hosmer with a three-straight hit,
Dylan Crews then made it 4-0 with a two-run homer.
Crews drove in another run in the second with a single off Lambert.
Anthony Seigler pretty much ended Lambert's outing with a two-run homer in the third.
St. Louis would inch back to within 7-4 after Jared Thomas led off the top of the seventh with a homer off reliever Raul Ahumada.
But the Fighters got back-to-back homer from Crews, his second of the game, and Daniel Becerra to put their lead back to 9-4.
Springfield starter Jard Kelley lasted four innings, allowing three runs on six his.
Luis M. Castillo (6-8) pitched a scoreless fifth and earned the win.
Three more relievers -- Kenley Jansen (1.0 IP), Ahumada (1.0) and Dinelson Lamet (2.0) -- combined to close out the win for the Fighters.

[rink23]

Record: 61-49, 1st, 2.5 GA Springfield and Quad City
Springfield scored two runs off St. Louis ace Alex Faedo in both the third and fourth innings to build a 4-0 lead, and the Prairie Fighters held on for a 4-2 win at Olympic Stadium (Montreal).
A two-run double from Austin Hendrick in the bottom of the third staked Springfield to a 2-0 lead.
An inning later, Wander Samuel Franco clubbed a two-run homer off Faedo to make it 4-0.
Back-to-back homers from Bo Bichette and Andrew Benintendi off Fighters reliever Luis M. Castillo did pull St. Louis to within 4-2.
But the Walkers would not score again.
Springfield starting pitcher Pablo Lopez worked 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.
Castillo followed him to the mound, and allowed the two St. Louis runs, while working 1.1 innings.
Castillo (7-6) did get the win.

Four more relievers combined to finish the game.
Chaz Roe (1.0 IP), Dinelson Lamet (0.2) and Mark McConnell (0.1) all pitched before Ken Giles took the ball for the ninth.
Giles came out of it with his ninth save of the season.

[rink23]

Record: 61-50, 1st, 1.5 GA Springfield
St. Louis pounded four solo home runs, but that wasn't enough to overcome a pair of three-run innings by Springfield which downed the River Walkers 6-4 at Olympic Stadium (Montreal).
Homers from Rhys Hoskins and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the top of the fourth inning off Prairie Fighters starter Franklin Perez staked St. Louis to a 2-0 lead.
It didn't last long as Victor Caratini hit a three-run homer off Walkers starter Adonis Medina in the bottom half of that inning.
An inning later, the Fighters struck three more times against Medina.
Relief pitcher Raul Ahumada got things going with a lead-off single.
He scored when Andres Gimenez followed with a triple.
Eric Hosmer's long fly ball then plated Gimenez, making it 5-2.
Springfield, however, was not done, as Austin Hendrick singled, stole second and scored on Daniel Becerra's two-out single.
The Walkers did add two more runs, on back-to-back homers from Larry Ernesto and Andrew Benintendi off Mark McConnell in the seventh, but they would get no closer.
Perez worked the first four innings. allowing two runs on five hits.
Seven relievers -- Ahumada (1.2 IP), Kenley Jansen (0.1), McConnell (0.2), Chaz Roe (0.1), Dinelson Lamet (0.0), Luis Castillo (0.1) and Ken Giles (1.2) -- combined to finish the game.
Ahmuda (2-0) came out of it with his second win of the season.
Giles notched his 10th save since joining the Fighters via trade from Evansville.
He had posted 13 saves with the Big Bossemen.

[rink23]

Record: 61-51, 1st, 0.5 GA Springfield
Dylan Crews drew a lead-off walk from St. Louis reliever John Curtiss to open the bottom of the eighth inning and later scored to give Springfield a 4-3 win at Olympic Stadium (Montreal).
The win gave the Prairie Fighters a four-game sweep of the series and drew them within a half-game of the first-place River Walkers in the National League North Division standings.
Four straight ball from Curtiss put Crews on base and he moved to third when Alex Bregman followed with a single.
Franmil Reyes then hit the first pitch he saw far enough into right-center field to allow Crews to cross the plate.
The River Walkers had tied it at 3 in the top of the eighth inning on Andrew Benintendi's two-run home run off Springfield reliever Chaz Roe.
The Fighters had jumped to a 3-0 lead with a big bottom fourth against Walkers starter Steven Brault.
Reyes drove in the first run with a double. Eric Hosmer plated the other two with a single.
Springfield starter Francis Martes threw a scoreless five innings, allowing just a pair of hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Kenley Jansen and Ahumada followed by working an inning apiece.
Roe got the first two outs of the eight.
Mark McConnell (4-2) handled the rest and earned his fourth win of the season.

[rink23]

Record: 62-52, 2nd, 0.5 GB Springfield
Gary Sanchez snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run home run off St. Louis starting pitcher Tanner Bibee in the bottom of the sixth inning and Akron went on to down the River Walkers 4-1 at Candlestick Park (1993).
The loss was the fifth in a row for St. Louis, and dropped it into second place in the National League South Division, a half-game in back of Springfield.
The Walkers had tied it in the top of the sixth when Carlos Vidal led off with a double off Flying Feet reliever Mychal Givens and scored on a Fernando Tatis Jr. single.
Akron added an insurance run in the seventh.
Williams Jerez issued a lead-off walk to A.J. Reed, and he moved to second on a Jeter Downs single.
Angel Tiburcio took over and allowed a single to Freudis Nova, which loaded the bases.
Jake Brentz then got the call, but allowed a single to Robby Martin that made it 4-1.
Feet starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore allowed just two hits in five scoreless inniings. He struck out six and walked two.
Mychel Givens (1-5) pitched a scoreless sixth and would come away with his first victory of the season.
Donato Auguste, Victor Vodnik and A.J. Minter all pitched an inning apiece to close it out.
Minter earned his 24th save.

[rink23]

The St. Louis River Walkers have released veteran catcher Austin Hedges and called up veteran catcher Reese McGuire from AAA Memphis.
McGuire was the backup catcher for the River Walkers 2025 MBL championship team, and was signed to a minor league contract in April after the regular season had started.
Hedges, 33, had been signed to replace McGuire but had struggled mightily batting just .148 with one homer and three RBIs in 27 games.
Also, the Walkers had gone 9-20 in the games in which he had appeared including 7-13 in the last 20.
McGuire was serving as the backup catcher at Memphis, where he was hitting .222 with three homers and five RBIs in 55 games.

[rink23]

Record: 62-53, 2nd, 0.5 GB Springfield
Robby Martin's two-out home run in the bottom of the eighth inning off St. Louis reliever Argenis Batista proved to be the difference in Akron's 4-3 win over the River Walkers at Candlestick Park (1994).
Down 3-1, St. Louis had tied it in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer from Jared Thomas off Flying Feet reliever Mychal Givens.
RBI singles from Miguel Gerardo and Nick Fortes in the fourth off Walkers starter Jimmy Lambert had given Akron a 3-1 lead.
Feet starter Chris Archer allowed one run on four hits in the game's opening five innings. He struck out eight and walked none.
Givens got the first two outs of the sixth, before giving way to Taijuan Walker who got the next four outs.
Fernando Fernando (4-3) handled the final two innings, earning himself his fourth win.

[rink23]

Record: 63-53, 2nd, 0.5 GB Springfield
Jared Thomas hit a three-run home run off Akron starting pitcher Gerrit Cole in the top of the sixth inning to wipe out a 2-1 deficit and help carry St. Louis to a 4-3 win over the Flying Feet at Candlestick Park (1994).
The win gave the River Walkers a win in the finale of the three-game series and snapped a six-game losing streak.
Akron had gone up 2-0 with single runs in the first and third innings off St. Louis ace Alex Faedo.
The Walkers notched their first run in the fifth against Cole.

Fernando Tatis led off with a single and moved to second when Bo Bichette drew a one-out walk.
Tatis came home when Carlos Vidal connected on a single.
An RBI single from Freudis Nova in the seventh off reliever Luis Palomo drew the Feet to within 4-3.
But the St. Louis bullpen kept them silent the rest of the way.
Faedo (13-5) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in the opening six innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Williams Jerez and Palomo combined to work the seventh inning.
Jake Brentz took care of the eighth, a scoreless ninth earned Edwin Diaz his 19th save.

[rink23]

MBL news: Week 17 awards and standings

[rink23]

Record: 62-54, 2nd, 0.5 GB Springfield
Toledo got two-run home runs from Shane Langeliers and Jorge Alvarado to wipe out a 4-3 deficit and pave the way for a 7-5 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
A two-run single from Andrew Benintendi off Mud Hens reliever Brad Tonks in the bottom of the sixth had put the River Walkers up 4-3.
But that disappeared in the eighth as the St. Louis bullpen faltered late.
Williams Jerez struck out Matt Bryant to open the eighth before allowing a single to pitcher Brian Clark.
Rookie Angel Tiburcio took over and struck out Yasiel Puig to begin his outing.
Langliers, however, followed with his two-run homer to put the Hens ahead for good.
Jake Brentz suffered a similar fate in the ninth.
He walked Ronny Maurcio to open the inning before retiring Cole Hinkleman.
Jorge Alvarado turned around a 98.8 mph fastball, and put it over the left-field wall for his 27th homer of the season.
Jared Thomas did hit a solo homer for St. Louis in the bottom of the ninth off Drew Steckenrider but it was not nearly enough.
Kleiber Bordones handled the first four innings for Toledo, allowing one run on five hits.
Six relievers followed Bordones -- Michael Feliz (0.1 IP), Tommy Kahnle (1.0), Tonks (0.1), Bryan Clark (1.1), Taylor Rogers (1.0) and Steckenrider (1.0) -- with Clark (5-3) coming out of it with the win and Steckenrider his third save.

[rink23]

Record: 62-55, 2nd (Tied/w. Quad City), 0.5 GB Springfield
Anthony Rendon snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-out homer off St. Louis reliever Luis Palomo in the top of the ninth inning to help give Toledo a 2-1 win over St. Louis at Busch Stadium (1997).
Toledo had broken up a scoreless game in the top of the sixth, when Matt Bryant drew a two-out walk from River Walkers starting pitcher Steven Brault and scored when Cole Hinkelman followed with a double.
St. Louis tied it in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out solo homer from Jean Carmona off Mud Hens reliever Michael Feliz.
He didn't earn a win, but Toledo starter Allen Stephany was outstanding allowing just three hits over 7.1 shutout innings. He struck out five and walked none.
Feliz got the second out of the eighth inning, along with allowing the Carmona homer.
Brad Tonks (4-8) got the final out of the eighth and allowed two hits in the ninth, but helped out by a double play earned his fourth win of the season.

[rink23]

Record: 63-55, 1st, 0.5 GA Quad City and Springfield
Fernando Tatis and Jean Carmona both hit two-run home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against Toledo to rally St. Louis to a 6-5 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
The win allowed the River Walkers to salvage the final game of the three-game series and also regain first place in the National League South Division, a half-game in front of Springfield and Quad City.
At one time, the Walkers trailed 5-1 after the Mud Hens pounded St. Louis starter Tanner Bibee for five runs in the top of the second inning.
Rhys Hoskins, who had homered in the first inning off Toledo starter David Peterson, took Peterson deep for the second time in the fourth to make it 5-2.
The rest came in the eighth, with Andrew Benintendi getting it started with a one-out double off Michael Feliz.
Tonks took over and was greeted by Tatis, who hit a 2-2 pitch 386 feet over the wall in left field.
Tonks then allowed a triple to Larry Ernesto, which spelled the end of his outing.
Luke Dunkin got the ball for the Hens, and his 2-1 pitch to Carmona was pounded 431 feet to put St. Louis ahead for good.
Bibbe did throw three shutout innings after getting pounded in the second.
Five relievers took care of the final four innings, as Toledo didn't score a run over the final seven innings.
John Curtiss got the first two outs of the sixth.
Williams Jerez finished the sixth and worked a silent seventh.
Nick Lodolo (0.1 IP) and Angel Tibrucio (0.2) combined on a scoreless eighth.
Tiburcio (2-1) would come out of it with the win.
Edwin Diaz set Toledo down in order in the ninth for his 20th save.

[rink23]

Record: 64-55, 1st, 1.5 GA Springfield and Quad City
Down 3-1, St.Louis got home runs in the fourth inning from Andrew Benintendi (a two-run homer) and Larry Ernesto (a solo shot) to grab the lead and the River Walkers went on to a 6-3 win over Quad City at Fenway Park (1970).
The game was supposed to be part of a day/night doubleheader only to have the afternoon game rained out. The doubleheader will be played August 22.
Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a two-run homer off Walkers spot starter Argenis Batista in the bottom of the first, staking the Thunder to a 2-0 lead.
That lead became 3-1 an inning later after Josh Bell walked and came around to score on a ground out by Q-C starter Matt Ruppenthal.
But St. Louis got to Ruppenthal in the top of the fourth, when it took the lead for good.
Ruppenthal walked Rhys Hoskins to open the inning.
Bennintendi followed with a 422-foot blast to tie the game.
Two batters later, Ernesto put one over the right-field wall to put St. Louis in front.
The Walkers continued to use the long ball to extend their lead.
Hoskins was the final batter to face Ruppenthal, as his solo homer in the fifth made it 5-3.
Hoskins collected another RBI in the seventh, his two-out single off reliever Dante Mendoza scoring Vidal Brujan who had led off the inning with a single.
Batista (6-9) would end up pitching six innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
Nick Lodolo recorded the first two outs of the seventh inning.
Luis Palomo notched the third and worked a scoreless eighth.
Palomo also started the ninth and recorded the first out before giving up a double to Carter Kieboom.
Rookie Ricky Cisneros took over and allowed a lead-off single to Josh Bell to put runners at the corners.
Miguel Gomez drove in Kieboom with a long fly ball.
But Cisneros got Bradley Zimmer to hit into a fielder's choice to end it and earn his first MBL save.

[rink23]

Record: 65-55, 1st, 2 GA Springfield
Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run homer and Rhys Hoskins followed with a solo shot as St. Louis scored three times in the top of the sixth inning to wipe out a 2-1 deficit and pave the way for a 4-2 victory over Quad City at Fenway Park (1970).
It all happened with two outs.
Thunder starting pitcher Evan Steele retired the inning's first two batters before Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on an error by Q-C first baseman Josh Bell.
Four pitches later, the Walkers had the lead as Benintendi lashed a Steele pitch 412 feet over the right-field wall for a two-run homer.
Six pitches later, St. Louis extended its lead as Hoskins went yard for the 28th time this season.
Walkers starter Jimmy Lambert (5-7) lasted 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Angel Tiburcio finished off the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh.
Williams Jerez was flawless in the eighth and Edwin Diaz followed suit in the ninth to earn his 21st save.

[rink23]

The second game of the doubleheader between the St. Louis River Walkers and Quad City Thunder at Fenway Park (1970) has been postponed by rain.
It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on August 23.

[rink23]

Record: 66-55, 1st, 2.5 GA Des Moines
Alex Faedo took a shutout into the ninth inning before running out of gas, and the St. Louis bullpen finished it off as the River Walkers downed Quad City 5-0 in the opening game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park (1970).
Faedo got the first out of the ninth before allowing a single and a walk leading to his exit.
For the game, Faedo (14-5) allowed no runs on five hits in his 8.1 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
Luis Palomo stepped in and did walk a batter to load the bases, but allowed no other damage to complete the shutout.
The Walkers got all of their runs in one big chunk putting up a five-spot in the top of the third inning.
Fernando Tatis shouldered much of the load with a grand slam off Thunder starter Nick Wood.
Dahiandy Johnson made it back-to-back long balls with his first homer of the season, as the Walkers went up 5-0.

[rink23]

Record: 67-55, 1st, GA Des Moines
Adonis Medina allowed one run on one hit over seven innings, and St. Louis completed a doubleheader and a four-game sweep of Quad City with a 2-1 win at Fenway Park (1970).
The only hit Medina allowed was a solo homer from Chase Davis which led off the bottom of the fifth inning and tied the game at 1-1.
Overall, Medina allowed just that hit while striking out eight and walking one.
St. Louis would score what-would-prove to be the game-winning run a half-inning later.
Rhys Hoskins reached on a one-out single off Thunder reliever Chad Kuhl.
Hoskins was eliminated when Larry Ernesto hit into a fielder's choice.
But Reese McGuire came through with his first hit on the major league level this season, a double, as Ernesto crossed the plate.
Williams Jerez took Medina's place on the mound in the eighth and struck out the side.
Edwin Diaz set Quad City down in order in the ninth for his 22nd save.

[rink23]

MBL news: Week 18 Awards and standings