Lions upset Challengers 10-9

The Challengers were on the wrong side of a huge upset for the first time in a long time.

On Saturday evening, the Zurich Lions stunned the Challengers 10-9, further reducing the Challengers' hopes for the final Playoff berth.

Just like in the last couple of games, the Challengers left too many runners in scoring position. They outhit the Lions 13-9, but went only 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position.

And just like in the last couple of games, the Challengers' pitching was touched early and hard. Thomas Burger didn't survive the second inning, allowing seven runs on five hits and five walks in 1 2-3 innings.

Harry Bregy relieved and pitched the next 2 1-3 innings, allowing two more runs on two hits and three walks.

Andrea Girasole pitched the final five innings, allowing just one more unearned run.

But the damage was too big to overcome for a Challengers offense that is sputtering in the last couple of games.

Four Challengers had two hits - Bryan Shemley with two doubles, Eidrys Reyes, Jesus Martinez and Burger.

After the two teams scored two runs each in the first inning, the Lions waited out Burger's pitches and drew a total of five walks in the second inning.

Luis Novas' bases-clearing triple was the highlight of the inning, and Burger was replaced after the Lions have batted around in the inning.

Bregy quickly retired Markus Streicher on a called third strike to get out of the jam.

The Challengers loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning, but Tobias Siegrist struck out looking for the third out.

The Lions added two more runs in the next inning on Carlos Reyes' two-run single for a 9-2 lead.

The Challengers came back with three runs in the third and two in the fourth to cut the Lions' lead to 9-7, and even got within one as Robert Sedin crossed the plate in the sixth inning on Reyes' RBI-single which also chased starting pitcher Mateo Benitez.

The Lions were able to score one unearned run off Girasole in the seventh to extend their lead to 10-8, and reliever Raphael Sanchez kept the Challengers in check in the seventh and eighth innings.

They were helped by three baserunning mistakes by the Challengers in the eighth as Martinez was caught stealing third on a move that should have been called a balk. Later on, Burger got thrown out at third trying to advance from first on Girasole's bloop single behind first base, and Girasole later was hit by Colindres' grounder and got called out on interference.

In the ninth, pinch-hitter Yusuke Azuma led off with a double on the first pitch. He advanced to third on a wild pitch before Martinez and Burger both struck out.

Pinch-hitter Nick Lehmann then got hit by Streicher's first pitch, and Francisco Colindres reached safely on second baseman Novas' fielding error, finally scoring Azuma from third.

Sedin then hit a grounder to shortstop Holguin who stepped on second to force Lehmann for the third out and complete the upset.

Game notes
Shemley's double in the fourth inning was his 40th in the NLA.