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Series: Twin Cities leads 2-1
Down 2-0, Twin Cities scored four times in the bottom of the fifth inning and rode that to a 5-3 win over St. Louis in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series at Metropolitan Stadium (1977).
The River Walkers grabbed an early 2-0 advantage thanks to solo homers from Steve Rossi and Jordan Groshans off Snow Cats starting pitcher Avery Williams in the top of the first.
But things fell apart for St. Louis in the bottom of the fifth.
Rookie starting Jesse McNaboe, who had fared well up to that point, gave up a lead-off double to Bruce Navarete and a walk to pinch-hitter Aaron Watson to open the inning.
That led to McNaboe's exit for lefty Yeison Santos.
Sants was not good.
He walked Roc Riggio to load the bases.
He then threw a wild pitch to score Navarete.
Jim Peebles then followed with a fly ball, scoring Watson to tie it.
With one more batter to face, Mike Sartain was issued an intentional walk.
Cory Tiller took over, and his first pitch eluded catcher Jared Thomas allowing the runners to move to second and third.
Drew Bowser then pounded a double, scoring them both and putting Cats ahead 4-2.
Twin Cities added an insurance run in the seventh.
Riggio led off with a single off Elian Acosta.
A Sartain double moved Riggio to third.
Friedman lifted a fly ball to the outfield off Josh Grissom to score Riggio and make it 5-2.
St. Louis got its third run in the top of the eighth.
Thomas doubled off Jesse Gathier with one out and scored when pinch-hitter Heston Kjerstad tripled.
But the next five St. Louis batters did nothing - covering the end of the eighth and all three outs in the ninth -- to end it.
Jim Messina earned his first save of the postseason.