[rink23]

Record: 68-46, 2nd, 3.5 GB Des Moines
Tied 1-1 and no-hit through five innings, St. Louis scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning -- and later blew it open with seven in the eighth -- as the River Walkers downed Kansas City 11-6 at Royals Stadium (1973).
The Monarchs' Anderson Parra didn't allow a hit in his five innings as the starter.
But he did allow a run in the top of the third when Thairo Estrada drew a lead off walk.
A bunt from pitcher Xavier Wigfall moved Estrada to second, and a wild pitched advanced Estrada to third.
Peter Ahn drove him home with a fly ball, tying it at 1-1.
It didn't take long for the Walkers to post their first hit following Parra's exit.
Jose Ramirez led off the top of the sixth with a single off reliever Tony Locey.
And fact, it would be three straight hits.
A Jared Thomas doubled moved Ramirez to third.
When rookie Nick Shaw hit his 15th homer of the season, St. Louis led 4-1.
Solo homers from Darren Miller in the bottom of the sixth (off Wigfall) and pinch-hitter Jesse Salmons in the seventh (off Nick Ruffalo) pulled the Monarchs within a run.
But by the time they would hit again, they would trail by eight.
St. Louis needed just four hits to score seven runs -- thanks to a couple of walks.
Estrada had an RBI double and Nathaniel Dixon plated one with a single off Matt Broussard.
Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk from Tyler Whitaker before Jared Thomas delivered the big blow with a grand slam.
Wigfall (2-2) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out five and didn't issue a walk.
Nick Ruffalo (0.2 IP) and Josh Grissom (0.1) combined on a scoreless seventh.
Andres Hernandez did the same in the eighth before getting raked for three runs in the ninth.
Josh Forgy came on to strike out Ed Moore to end it.