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Record: 91-66, 2nd, 6 GB Des Moines, eliminated from playoff contention
Trailing 3-2, St. Louis scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning and later broke the game open with a five-run eighth as the River Walkers downed Springfield 9-3 at Busch Stadium (1997).
Despite the victory, St. Louis was eliminated from playoff contention by Des Moines' 11-3 win at Quad City.
The Harvesters (97-60) lead the Walkers in the National League South Division standings by six games with five games remaining.
The Railers had just taken a 3-2 advantage in the top of the third by scoring a pair of runs off Walkers rookie starting pitcher Tom McClurg who was making his major league debut.
With losses in four of his five previous starts, St. Louis had elected to skip a start by 17-game winner Jesse McNaboe electing to go with McClurg instead.
Jose Segura got things rolling for the Walkers in the top of the third with a one-out single off former St. Louis pitcher and Railers starter Wilson Lara.
A double from Daniel Becerra moved Segura to third, and he scored on a Jovan Gill ground out.
Thairo Estrada then put St. Louis in front with the second double of the inning off Lara.
Estrada also had the big hit of the five-run eighth hitting a grand slam off Springfield reliever Mario Reyes.
Earlier in the inning, Segura had driven in a run with a double.
McClurg (1-0) allowed three runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
Cory TIller (0.,2 IP) and Yeison Santos (0.1) combined on a scoreless seventh inning.
Ricky Cisneros held the Harvesters scoreless in the eighth inning.
Andres Hernandez allowed a pair of base runners in the ninth, but did not allow Springfield to score.