[rink23]

Record: 89-69, 3rd, 5.5 GB Springfield; Eliminated from playoff contention
St. Louis jumped out to leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Rockford took control with four runs in the bottom of the third and rolled to a 9-4 win at RFK Stadium (2005).
The loss eliminated the River Walkers from playoff contention, as they sit in third place in the National League South Division, 5.5 games in back of first place Springfield with four games remaining.
St. Louis' Mark Herman connected on an RBI double off Lightning starting pitcher Gregg Krawczyk in the top of the first inning to put the Walkers ahead 1-0.
After Rockford tied it in the bottom of the second, the Walkers retook the lead in the top of the third when Mark Waterson connected for a single off Krawczyk to score Manuel Coke who had led off with a double.
Going for his team-leading 16th win of the season, St. Louis starter Brad Monroe unraveled in the bottom of the third.
After retiring the lead-off batter, he allowed the next two batters to reach base, Ernesto Ferreras with a double and a walk to David Blanton, before Yui Wantanbe hit a three-run homer to put the Lighting in front.
Rockford wasn't done either.
Erik Stowe and Joel Petrucci followed the homer with singles.
Wen He, who Rockford acquired from St. Louis during the season, made it 5-2 with a single.
The Lightning would continue to build on their lead with a run in the fourth.
Ferreras doubled off Monroe and scored when Eric Stowe reached on an error by second baseman Jordan Quintos.
They later piled on two in the seventh.
Greg Sones allowed three straight batters to reach to open the inning.
Pinch-hitter Duncan Littleton later plated a pair with a single off Ron Cox.
Stowe's RBI double off Cox in the eighth made it 9-2.
Krawczyk (8-7) worked the first five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Michael Steinberg worked the sixth and seventh innings without allowing a run.
Francisco Claros gave up a two-run homer to Manuel Coke to cap the scoring.