[rink23]

Record: 33-28, 1st (Tied/w. Springfield), 2 GA Des Moines
Rhys Hoskins hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to stake St. Louis to a 2-0 lead and the River Walkers never trailed on their way to a 5-2 win over Cedar Rapids at Busch Stadium (1997).
Carlos Vidal got on base in front of Hoskins with a one-out single off Golden Grapplers starting pitcher Rick Atkinson.
Hoskins followed by hitting a 2-1 pitch from Atkinson 378 feet over the left-field wall for his 12th homer of the season.
Jose Leyva drew a lead-off walk from Walkers starter Jimmy Lambert and would later score, pulling the Golden Grapplers to within 2-1.
Vidal got that run back in the third with a lead-off homer, his eight of the season.
But Cedar Rapids made it 3-2 in the fourth, after Dominic Smith led off with a double.
A wild pitch from Lambert moved him to third and he scored when Leyva grounded out.
That would be the final run for Cedar Rapids.
St. Louis added two insurance runs in the sxith.
Jared Thomas provided the first with a solo homer off Todd Peterson.
Larry Ernesto scored the second.
Trevor Bauer replaced Peterson and served up walks to Larry Ernesto and Edmond American.
Johan Camargo then scored Ernesto with a single.
Lambert improved to 3-1 by going six innings, allowing the two runs on five hits.
Williams Jerez got the first out of the seventh.
Danny Grigg got the final two outs of the seventh and first one of the eighth before leaving with a back injury.
Jake Brentz got the final two outs of the eighth.
Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his 10th save.