NLA Game 7, May 03, 08

DEV
8
 123456789RHE
Devils 000100142894
Challengers 01204210x10142
W: Burger, Th. L: Savoldelli S: Landis, Th.
CHA
10

Challengers survive late Devil rally, win 10-8

The verdict was clearer than the result as the Wil Devils came back late from a 10-2 deficit, eventually losing 10-8.

Martinez hit two homers and collected four RBI
Martinez hit two homers and collected four RBI's.
The Challengers struggled early on against starter Roger Savoldelli and managed to score only three times in the first four frames.

Thanks to Thomas Burger, who shut out the Devils over the first three innings, the Challengers led 3-1 through the fourth inning. Jesus Martinez hit a solo homer in the second inning, and added a run-scoring fielder's choice in the third. Carlos Peña singled in another run in the third.

The Devils got one run back on an error by second baseman Peña, but other than that, Burger (1-3) was pretty much in control.

The Challengers then erupted for four runs in the fifth frame on Bryan Shemley's two-run double, an RBI-double by Saentis Zeller, and a successful double-steal on a first-and-third situation.

Martinez' second homer of the game sent Savoldelli to the showers in the bottom of the sixth inning with no outs.

Claudio Studerus came on and pitched the rest of the game for the Devils.

Burger allowed one more unearned run in the top of the seventh, and was then relieved by Willy Schaub to start the eighth.

Burger picked up his first win of the season by tossing seven excellent innings.
Burger picked up his first win of the season by tossing seven excellent innings.
Schaub didn't manage to record an out as he walked three of the four batters he faced, and hit another one with a pitch.

On came Harry Bregy who still suffers from a bruised rib, to put out the fire.

But Josh Crouse greeted him with a single, Rusty Tiedemann walked, and Savoldelli plated another run with his RBI-single.

Hutchinson then grounded into a 1-2 force out back to the mound, Mark Imhof struck out swinging, and Sandro Nussberger popped out to third to end the threat.

While the Challengers went down quietly in the bottom half of the inning, the Devils had still something left.

René Berger and Studerus opened the ninth by hitting back-to-back doubles. Gloor followed with a single before Crouse's fielder's choice led to the first out.

Another walk to Tiedemann made the day for Bregy, and Thomas Landis came in to close out the game.

He did just that by striking out Savoldelli, hitting Hutchinson with a pitch, and getting Imhof to ground into a game-ending 4-6 fielder's choice.

Game notes
Zeller's homer in the seventh inning was his 30th of his NLA-career.