[rink23]

Record: 83-61, 1st, 5.5 GA Des Moines
Cedar Rapids pounded St. Louis ace Alex Faedo for six runs in the top of the first inning and rolled to an 8-1 win at Busch Stadium (1997).
Faedo retired two of the first three batters he faced before things fell apart.
Dominic Smith reached on a single to put two runners aboard, Noah Naylor followed with a three-run homer and the Golden Grapplers led 3-0.
The next five Cedar Rapids hitters also would reach base -- four singles and a hit by pitch -- with pitcher Mario Galvez collecting an RBI with his hit and Matt McLain two with his single.
The Grapplers chased Faedo two innings later, after he walked Galvez and allowed a single to Matt McLain.
Argenis Batista replaced him, and Galvez made it 7-0 when he scored on a throwing error by River Walkers shortstop Jean Carmona.
Galvez pitched just four innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Dave Schaeffer pitched two innings of relief.
Chris Flexen (1.2 IP) and Trevor Bauer (1.1) combined to finish the win.