Challengers avenge loss in Game 1 with 6-3 victory

The Challengers came back in game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader and beat the Bern Cardinals 6-3.

	Benny Räber pitched his 3rd complete game of the season, allowing just two earned runs and striking out eight.

The Challengers got a good start, and managed to score two runs in the first inning off starter Killias on Thomas Landis' run-scoring ground out, and Roger Brunner's solo homer with two outs, his fifth of the season. It tied his previous season high, set last year.

Starter Benny Räber allowed no runs to score through the first three innings, striking out the side in the third.

His offense provided him with one more run on Anubis Benitez' solo shot, his 10th round-tripper of the season.

	Nick Lehmann watches his single in the 3rd inning. It was his 100th total base of his career in the NLA.

After taking a 4-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings on yet another solo homer, this time by Manny Marchant, the Cardinals finally managed to put their first runs on the board against Räber.

Hänzi led off with a solo homer, and Zimmermann scored on Scheidegger's RBI-single to cut the Challengers' lead to 4-2.

They came within one run in the next inning, getting an RBI-double by catcher Haas with just one out.

But Räber (4-3) got the next two outs, and his offense got that run back on Bryan Shemley's run-scoring ground out for a 5-3 lead.

	Thomas Landis is congratulated by his teammates at home plate after hitting his record-tying 49th homer in the NLA for the Challengers.

Landis added another solo shot in the seventh inning for the final score of 6-3.

It was his 49th four-bagger in his NLA career, and tied the Challengers' alltime record for most homers, set by Adris Linares.

Räber completed his team-high third game of the season, giving up just three runs - one of them unearned - on four hits and three walks. He struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 5.09.

The Challengers committed just one error, setting a season record.

	Anubis Benitez is welcomed by his teammates after his 10th homer of the season.

By splitting their doubleheader, the Cards and Challengers remained tied for 2nd place, trailing the front-running Therwil Flyers by six games. They have a one-game lead over the Embrach Rainbows, and a two-game lead over the Zurich Barracudas with four games remaining in the regular season.

Game Notes: Lehmann's single in the third inning was his 100th career total base in the NLA.