[rink23]

Record: 27-23, 4th, 6 GB Cedar Rapids
Miguel Mena led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and later scored on a wild pitch to snap a 3-3 tie, and help propel Cedar Rapids to an 8-5 win over St. Louis in the opening game of a doubleheader at Connie Mack Stadium (1960).
Mena led off the inning with a single off River Walkers starting pitcher Xavier Wigfall.
Wigfall followed that by walking Steven Williams. Wigfall than exited the game.
Nick Ruffalo took over.
He got pinch-hitter Danny Ocampo to hit a fly ball, but it was deep enough to move Mena to third.
Jordan Batista grounded out to put the runners at second and third.
Jose Morillo was issued an intentional walk.
But Ruffalo's first pitch to Eric Gerhardt eluded catcher Jared Thomas, allowing Mena to score what would be the winning run.
The Grapplers added to their lead over the next two innings -- with a run in the seventh (Steven Williams with an RBI single off Luke Dunkin) and three in the eighth (Gerhardt with an RBI single and Arnold Hammond plating two with a double, both off Zachary Stella -- to go up 8-3.
The River Walkers did score twice in the ninth against the Cedar Rapids bullpen.
But St. Louis never got the tying run to the plate.
Grapplers starting pitcher Lorenzo Mascorro allowed three runs on three hits over the first five innings.
Joel Glenn, Victor Ortiz and Antonio Echevaria all followed with a scoreless inning each.
Glenn (2-1) would get the win.
Rhett Daniel started the ninth, but allowed all hits to all three batters he faced.
Closer Keith Kirby had to come on and end it, retiring three straight for his 13th save.