[rink23]

Record: 33-42, 5th (Tied/w. Kansas City), 12.5 GB Des Moines
St. Louis' Larry Ernesto broke up a no-hit bid with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Rockford reliever Josh Fleming, in a game the Thunder won 7-0 at Busch Stadium (1997).
The victory allowed Rockford to take the final game of the three-game series after dropping the first two.
Konnor Pilkington (9-1) carried the heavy load for the Thunder, pitching the first 5.1 innings during which he didn't allow any hits while striking out six and walking three.
Jaden Foster recorded the final two outs of the sixth.
The seventh and eighth, also hitless, belonged to Sean Lugo.
Josh Fleming issued a walk to Andrew Benintendi in the ninth but still had the no-hitter going when Ernesto came to the plate with two outs.
But Ernesto laced a ball into right field which managed to elude Ezekiel Pagan and end the no-hitter.
The Lightning used the long ball to put up their seven runs, putting the ball over the all five times.
Bobby Gulden opened the scoring with a solo shot off River Walkers starting pitcher Alex Faedo in the seconde.
Rio Ruiz cranked a solo blast off Faedo in the seventh.
Later in the same inning, with Nick Lodolo on the mound, Pagan hit a two-run homer.
Drew Mendoza led off the eighth with a homer off Lodolo.
Dylan Cozens opened the top of the ninth with a homer off Thad Ward.