Challengers rally with two runs for 13-12 win against Barracudas

The Challengers hosted their crosstown rivals Barracudas for a doubleheader on Saturday at the Heerenschürli but made no gifts as they rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win 13-12.

	Manny Marchant went 4-for-4, including two doubles and three runs scored.

It was a classical Zurich derby with both teams desperately wanting to beat their counterpart to win this prestige-filled derby.

The Challengers went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first frame on a two-run double by catcher Tobias Siegrist and an RBI-single by shortstop Joe Cox.

The Barracudas answered with a single run in the next inning before the Challengers added three more in the bottom half of the inning off starter Nico Kölliker.

The Barracudas didn't use their no.1 starter Ueli Von Burg. They wanted to save him for next day's doubleheader against the Embrach Rainbows, because wins in that doubleheader would have a bigger impact on the race for the final playoff spot.

The Barracudas managed to get to starter Benny Räber in the top of the third inning as Holgi Schmidt plated a run with a run-scoring ground out, followed by Tom Huston's RBI-double, and a bases-loaded walk to no.9 batter Götschi to cut the Challengers' lead to 6-4.

All three of these runs were unearned as second baseman Chris Palatinus booted two balls, and shortstop Cox also committed a costly error.

	Nico Kölliker gave up 12 hits in four innings that lead to nine runs - three of them unearned.

The Challengers managed to pull away once again by scoring a total of three runs in the next two innings.

After a scoreless fifth inning and the Challengers holding on to a 9-4 lead, Räber started to tire in the top of the sixth.

The first four batters reached on two doubles, a single and a walk before closer Manny Marchant took over.

He managed to retire Huston on a ground out back to the mound, but Schmidt scored on the ensuing throw to third by first baseman Harry Bregy who saw Schmidt taking a big turn around third. The throw got away from Jose Valdez and the inning went on.

Substitute Guillermo Castro profited from that and placed a bomb over the center field fences to tie the game at 9-9.

	Tobias Siegrist had two walks and also hit a two-run double in the first inning, his 15th double of the season.

Marchant managed to retire the next two batters on ground outs to close the inning.

The Challengers reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning on Cox' run-scoring ground out, and part-time player Urs Blickenstorfer's RBI-single.

Marchant started the final inning but wasn't able to retire any of the three batters he faced. Götschi even scored on Marchant's errant pickoff attempt to first base and he left with the tying run on second base.

Valdez came on to relieve and managed to induce Georgiev to hit a grounder to second. But second baseman Palatinus couldn't handle the ball and was credited with his career-high fourth error of the game, enabling Von Burg to score all the way from second.

Schmidt followed with yet another grounder to Palatinus, but he managed to retire the runner for the first out, but Alain Chisari scored the go-ahead run on the play.

Valdez then struck out Huston and retired Castro on a deep fly to center to end the inning.

	Urs Blickenstorfer had a single and a sac fly and collected two RBI's in just his third game in the NLA this season.

Valdez' offense was three outs away from losing the game, but they refused to do so.

Von Burg relieved but was greeted by Benitez with a single. Von Burg hit Nick Lehmann with a pitch to put the winning run on first base.

Benitez, standing in scoring position on second base, tried to force the Barracudas' defense to crumble under the pressure and took off for third. But backup catcher Georgiev made a perfect throw to third and Benitez was caught stealing for the first out of the inning.

Palatinus then received a walk to bring up Valdez. He tried to help his own luck and lined a single to right center field, just out of reach of right fielder Castro. Lehmann scored easily and Palatinus held at third base while Valdez tried to extend his single into a double. With the relay throw landing perfectly in Von Burg's glove, he didn't hesitate to make the throw to second base although Palatinus was just 90 feet away from winning the game for the Challengers.

As soon as Von Burg let go of the ball, Palatinus took off and was safe easily. So was Valdez as Von Burg made a wild throw that landed in center field.

Game notes: Lehmann singled in his 100th NLA at-bat this season in the second inning. ...Marchant scored his 50th run this season in the fourth inning. That's twice as many as he scored the entire last season. ...Valdez collected his 150th RBI for the Challengers when he hit an RBI-single in the second inning.