[rink23]

St. Louis entered the top of the ninth inning leading 3-1, but it would not end that way as a bullpen meltdown led to six runs scored by the Madison Muskies who claimed a 6-3 win and completed a sweep of their three-game series at Busch Stadium.
With the sweep, the NL North Division leading Muskies pulled to within a game of the River Walkers for best record in the National League.
The loss also means that St.Louis' lead in the NL South is down to 4.5 games over Des Moines with 14 games remaining.
Brad Boxberger was the first St. Louis reliever to get bounced around in the ninth.

He retired two of the first three batters he faced before falling apart.
The big one was a two-run double from Chase Headley which tied it at 3.
Jake Diekman, who came into the inning slightly fatigued but the entire bullpen was tired outside of Chaz Roe who has not been able to get anyone out for three weeks, allowed a single to Brandon Nimmo before hitting both Francisco Lindor and Nomar Mazara and then walking Matt Olson to score another run.
Out of options, Chaz Roe was given a chance and did just what I expected.
He walked Nick Senzel to score another run.
The late game meltdown spoiled a strong outing from Trevor Bauer.
He went six innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Madison starter D.J. Mitchell lasted just four innings, giving up two runs on three hits.
But once again, Madison got a strong showing from its bullpen with -- Caleb Smith (2.0 IP), Justin Wilson (1.0), Jared Miller (0.1) Drew Steckenrider (0.2) and Zach Littell (1.0) -- combining to limit the Walkers to a single run the rest of the way.
Littell earned his second save of the season in as many games.