Cards move into the Finals for the first time by dethroning Challengers

The Bern Cardinals finally managed to win an important game against the Challengers.

	Benny Räber lasted just 1 2-3 innings, giving up seven runs.

They beat the Challengers 16-5 in the third and deciding Game to move into the Finals for the first time in franchise history.

The Cards jumped on starter Benny Räber by scoring twice in the first inning, and then extending the lead to 7-1 with a grand-slam by Angelo Rodriguez and an RBI-double by Ron Zimmermann in the second inning.

Zimmermann's double also chased Räber, making way for reliever Roger Brunner who went on to pitch the next 2 2-3 innings.

The Challengers managed to get within 7-5 in the bottom of the fourth inning on Anubis Benitez' three-run homer off Curtis Volk, but the Cards got all three runs back in the next inning.

	Tobi Siegrist went 0-for-3 and was thrown out in the sixth inning for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Challenger defense committed two errors, and Severin Fries had a run-scoring ground out to put his team up 10-5.

But the Cards added three more in the next inning on yet another RBI-double by Zimmermann, Marco Haas' RBI-single and an error by substitute second baseman Manuel Schretzmann.

Schretzmann had to be put into the game after catcher Tobias Siegrist was thrown out of the game after an unsportsmanlike play at the plate. He positioned himself on home plate as Zimmermann headed for home on Haas' single to the outfield. Although not being a close play, Siegrist remained at the plate and even applied a tag on Zimmermann.

Jose Valdez came in to catch, with Chris Palatinus moving to third, and Schretzmann at second base.

After that, the Challengers fell apart even more and practically conceded.

Closer Manny Marchant pitched the final inning, giving up three runs - none of them earned - for the final score of 16-5.

Curtis Volk was relieved twice by Jed Leake in the bottom of the second and fourth innings with two outs, a move the Challengers protested. The rule says that a foreign pitcher is allowed to pitch at maximum four innings. The Challengers said that if a foreign pitcher is taken out, that same foreign pitcher cannot return to the mound. Or else, he could close out every inning of a game, a fact that is not in the sense of the game.

But after the score being that clear, the Challengers pulled their protest back, acknowledging the Cards' outstanding effort on the field.

Game notes
Benitez doubled in his 450th at-bat with the Challengers. ...Thomas Landis' RBI-double in the first inning was his 100th of his NLA-career.