[rink23]

Record: 89-70, 3rd, 5.5 GB Springfield; Eliminated from playoff contention
Tied 5-5, Ernesto Ferreras connected on a two-run double off St. Louis reliever Kyle Smarr with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and Rockford went on for an 8-7 win at RFK Stadium (2005).
The win was the third for the Lightning in the four-game series.
The first of two Chris Hyman homers put the River Walkers up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
The Lightning charged into the lead with five runs in the bottom of the second.
A single by Gary Snelling off rookie starting pitcher Billy Hermann drove in the first two runs
Duncan Littleton contributed the next two with a single off Kyle Smarr.
Yui Wantanbe made it 5-2 with another single off Smarr.
St. Louis tied it in the top of the third.
Hyman led off with a homer off Snelling.
Abdul-Nasser bin Amr drove in the second run with a double.
An RBI single by Mario Villa tied it at 5-5.
Rockford responded by taking the lead for good in the bottom of the third.
Joel Petrucci singled with one out off Smarr.
Smarr walked the next two, St. Louis pitchers combined to issue nine in the game.
Ferreras then snapped the tie with a double.
The Walkers tallied a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to draw within 7-6.
Rockford made it 8-6 with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Watanabe drove in his second run of the game with a double off Shuta Kimura.
A Rece Hinds solo homer off Jose Vergara in the ninth ended the scoring.
Snelling lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
Raul Espinoza (1-0) also pitched three innings. He would earn the win.
Jonathan DiGiovanni (2.0 IP) and Juan Vergara (1.0) handled the final three innings.
Vergara earned his 31st save.