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Record: 17-11, 1st, 4.5 GB Springfield
Brad Monroe limited Kansas City to one run on four hits over six innings to earn his second win of the season and St. Louis avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-1 win over the Monarchs at Kauffman Stadium.
The only run Monroe allowed was on a homer by Jose Sotelo in the bottom of the third which put KC ahead 1-0.
The River Walkers grabbed the lead in the top of the next half inning on a two-run homer by Mark Waterson off Monarchs starter Andy Caruthers.
It was Waterson's ninth home run of the season.
St. Louis added two more run in the seventh against the Monarchs bullpen.
Nate Wilson walked the first two batters of the inning before retiring the next two.
Jose Patricio replaced Wilson and gave up RBI singles to Bob Saavedra and Ryan Wibbenmeyer.
An error by KC first baseman Nick Kline with Mark Herman at the plate to lead off the eighth led to the game's final run.
A walk and hit by pitch by Patricio soon loaded the bases.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr scored Herman with a fly ball to left.
Back to Monroe (2-0), he allowed the one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter.
Bobby Westerman worked a scoreless seventh.
Ron Cox kept the Monarchs off the board in the eighth and ninth.