Challengers blow away Devils 18-3

The Challengers wrapped up their season series against the Wil Devils with a doubleheader this Sunday in Wil, winning the first contest 18-3.

	Benny Räber pitched a complete-game two-hitter for his eighth win of the season.

Benny Räber mastered the Devils by giving up only two singles and three walks, resulting in three runs. But none of them was earned as the Challenger defense committed six errors. Räber also struck out six batters to earn his eighth win of the season, tying his career-high set last year.

The Challengers lineup included Roger Brunner who came out of retirement, and Urs Blickenstorfer to fill in for Tobias Siegrist and Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer who were both on vacation.

And Urs Blickenstorfer was a perfect 5-for-5 on the bases, receiving three walks, hitting a single and also getting hit by a pitch. He also scored four runs.

Brunner also gave his best effort, hitting a two-run homer in the top of the third inning.

	Jose Valdez went 3-for-5, including his seventh homer of the season, and also collected a game-high five RBI's.

The Challengers had an 8-0 lead after just three innings before they allowed the first run by the Devils. It came on second baseman Chris Palatinus' bobble of a ground ball hit by Isenring that allowed Ruckstuhl to score from third base.

But the Challengers kept pounding starter Patrick Rüegg with six more runs in the next inning.

Manny Marchant had an RBI-double, Nick Lehmann hit an RBI-single, and Thomas Landis added a two-run single to put the game out of reach for the Devils.

The Devils scored one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sac fly by Nussberger after Ruckstuhl advanced to second with a stolen base, and continued to third on a wild pitch by Räber.

	Urs Blickenstorfer reached base in every five appearances, receiving three walks, hitting a single, and being hit by a pitch.

In the top of the sixth, the Challengers added four more runs on Landis' RBI-double and Jose Valdez' three-run homer off reliever Musmacker, his seventh round-tripper of the season.

The Devils scored their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning on shortstop Joe Cox' error on a ground ball.

Game notes: Anubis Benitez grounded out in the top of the third inning in his 300th career at-bat for the Challengers. ...Cox singled in his 200th career at-bat for the Challengers in the second inning. ...Lehmann broke his career-high with his 25th RBI of the season on an RBI-single in the fourth inning.