Challengers drop Game 1 13-9

The Playoffs started and the Challengers ended their winning streak, dropping Game 1 13-9 to the Bern Cardinals.

	Starter Harry Bregy didn't survive the third ininng and picked up his first loss in six decisions this year.

Just like in Game 1 in 1999's Playoff Semifinals, the Challengers failed to win the opener by scoring nine runs on just ten hits, their lowest total since getting just five hits against the Therwil Flyers on June 16.

Starter Harry Bregy, who was a perfect 5-0 before the game, gave up five runs in the first inning on Angelo Rodriguez' two-run homer, Larsen Rodriguez' two-run double and an RBI-single by Marco Haas.

The Challengers got two runs back on Jose Valdez' RBI-double, his team-leading 13th of the season, and Manny Marchant's run-scoring ground-out back to pitcher Curtis Volk.

	Roger Brunner set a new career season-high with his 39th hit of the season.

But the Cards got both runs back in the top of the third inning on Angelo Rodriguez' two-run double that chased Bregy.

Roger Brunner relieved and walked Jed Leake to load the bases, but then got Raphael Hänzi to fly out to right to end the threat.

Brunner pitched the next two innings, holding the Redbirds to a single run on Leake's solo homer in the fifth inning while his offense crept closer by scoring three times in the bottom of the third.

Marchant and Tobias Siegrist hit back-to-back doubles, and the Cards committed two errors that led to one more run as Anubis Benitez walked with the bases loaded and just one out.

	Curtis Volk pitched 6 2-3 strong innings to earn the victory.

But Chris Palatinus and Thomas Landis failed to capitalize and were retired by Volk to prevent further damage.

The Challengers profited from one more error in the next inning as Larsen Rodriguez' wild throw scored Marchant, and Palatinus' RBI-single in the fifth inning closed the gap to 8-7.

After Ron Zimmermann and Larsen Rodriguez hit back-to-back doubles in the top of the sixth inning, Marchant relieved Brunner and gave up an RBI-single to Haas before striking out Severin Fries to end the inning with the Cards now hanging on to a 10-7 lead.

	Manny Marchant hit two doubles and scored two runs, and also pitched 3 2-3 innings, getting 10 of the 11 outs on strikeouts.

The Cards added one more run in the seventh inning as Volk hit an RBI-double that scored Leake from third.

But the Challengers rallied for two more runs in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on Landis' two-run single off reliever Leake. Both runs were accounted for Volk who was yanked after Palatinus' single.

The inning ended on plate umpire Jose Beier's call for runner interference on Landis who was standing in front of shortstop Hänzi trying to field the ball. This led to some discussions, but as the game resumed, both pitchers were on top of their games.

Marchant struck out two more batters in the top of the eighth, and Leake just allowed one baserunner as he hit substitute Thor Thoresen with a pitch. It was Thoresen's team-leading seventh hit-by-pitch. The team record is nine, set by Benitez in 1999.

But then Marchant started to get tired in the top of the ninth, allowing two more runs on two singles and two doubles, but also getting all three outs on third strikes.

The Challengers weren't able to touch Leake as he retired the side in the bottom of the ninth to send the Challengers to their first loss in 18 games, extending the Cards' winning streak to 16 games.

Game notes
Bregy went hitless for the first time since July 14, ending his 12-game hitting streak. ...Marchant extended his team-leading hitting streak to 15 games by doubling twice. ...Brunner set a new career season-high by singling in the second inning for his 39th hit of the season. ...Siegrist tied his career season-high for hits with a double in third inning for his 37th hit of the season.