Challengers drop Series opener 12-10

The Swiss Finals started with a dramatic game that saw the Therwil Flyers beat the reigning champions Challengers 12-10 in Game 1 in this best-of-five Series.

	Thomas Landis took the loss although allowing just four earned runs to score in his fourth complete game of the season.

The two teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard over the first three innings as starters Richi Kurz and Thomas Landis were in full command.

While the Challengers had just four baserunners in the first three frames, Landis had to survive several threats as third baseman Jose Valdez committed two errors that almost led to runs.

The Flyers had four baserunners in scoring position of which none scored in the first three innings.

But in the fourth, the run productions kicked into gear.

The Challengers scored four times off Kurz on Landis' RBI-double and Manny Marchant's three-run shot, his league-leading 16th of the season, for a 4-0 lead.

But the Flyers answered with five runs in the bottom half of the inning, but all of them were unearned as the Challenger defense made three errors to set up Reto Siegel's three-run double and Daniel Eichenberger's two-run double.

	Manny Marchant hit the only homer for the Challengers, a three-run shot in the top of the fourth inning.

The Challengers managed to tie the game at 5-5 on Landis' run-scoring ground out off reliever Alain Kurz, but that was not enough against the Flyer offense.

They scored six more runs in the bottom of the fifth for a huge 11-5 lead thanks to two throwing errors by shortstop Joe Cox. No. 9 batter Stefan Siegel hit a two-run single with the bases loaded, Fernando Abril stole home, Reto Siegel hit an RBI-double and later scored on Cox' second error of the inning, and Djibril Traore capped the scoring with an RBI-single.

That was too much for the Challengers' offense that managed only a single run off Kurz on an error by first baseman Abril.

	Tobi Siegrist went 2-for-4 but was hit in the ankle by a pitch in the 6th inning. He was listed as day-to-day after the game.

The teams settled down after that offensive fireworks and again exchanged zeros for the next four half-innings.

Alain Kurz broke the dry spell for the Flyers with a solo homer off Landis in the bottom of the eighth inning to put his team ahead 12-6.

Reto Siegel then relieved Alain Kurz to pitch the final inning, but trouble arose when the first four batters reached on two walks, a fielding error by second baseman Seppi Zwyer, and Chris Palatinus' two-run double that cut the Challengers' deficit to 12-8 with no outs in the ninth.

Marchant was Siegel's first victim as he struck him out with a high fastball inside. It was also the first strikeout against the Challengers who lead the league with only 88 whiffs in 1014 at-bats.

But Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer followed with a double that plated both Valdez and Palatinus to get his team within two runs.

	Armin Blickenstorfer hit a big two-run single in the top of the ninth that kept the final Challenger rally alive.

Tobias Siegrist, who was hit by a pitch by Alain Kurz in the ankle and had to catch with big pain after that, was issued a walk to put the tying run at first base.

Up came Bryan Shemley, who was suspended for the entire regular season after an incident in last year's Finals and now appeared in only his 10th at-bat of the season. He struck out looking for the second out.

Then Anubis Benitez followed with a bloop single over the infield to load the bases for Nick Lehmann.

Lehmann, 0-3 up to that point, but a .442 hitter for the season, grounded weakly to third baseman Traore who just had to pick up the ball and get the force at third base and end the game.

Landis threw his fourth complete game of the season and suffered his fourth loss in nine decisions, giving up 12 runs - only four of them earned - on ten hits and five walks while striking out five.

The Challengers outhit the Flyers 12-10 but also left ten runners on base - compared to eight by the Flyers -, and their seven errors also led to costly runs.

Game notes: Landis tied Enrico Zingg on the career list for most runs scored as he crossed the plate in the ninth inning for his 298th career NLA-run. ...Palatinus' double in the ninth inning broke the Challengers' single-season record for doubles, set last year with 131. ...Cox surpassed his season-high for hits by doubling in the fourth inning for his 34th hit of the season. ...Benitez reached 300 total bases for the Challengers as he doubled in the fifth inning. ...Valdez popped out to shortstop Siegel in the seventh inning in his 100th at-bat of the season.