[rink23]

Record: 85-74, 2nd, 4 GB Cedar Rapids; eliminated from playoff contention
Springfield scored three runs in the top of the third inning, St. Louis scored two in the bottom and that was it as the Railers downed the River Walkers 3-2 at Busch Stadium (2006).
The win was the second for Springfield to close out the three-game series. The loss eliminated St. Louis from playoff contention as Cedar Rapids claimed the title of the National League South Division.
The Railers opened the top of the fourth with three consecutive hits off Walkers rookie starter Juan Farias -- Joseph Hughes and Hideaki Taguchi both singled and Jose Chavez picked up an RBI with a double -- and Luke Leto later connected on the big hit with a two-out, two-run double.
St. Louis used the long ball to get its runs off Railers starter Pascal Marcovicci in the bottom half.
Manuel Coke opened the inning with his MBL-leading 50th homer of the season.
Two batters later Mark Waterson hit his 16th of the season to make it 3-2.
But St. Louis would not score again.
Marcovicci (6-13) went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked two.
Kerry McIntyre worked a silent fifth inning and got the first two outs of the seventh.
Alan Albanese finished off the seventh for the Railers.
The eighth belonged to Blake Schwartz.
The ninth belonged to Jon Santiago, who registered his 40th save.