Flyers survive late Challengers rally, win 13-12

If this was a preview of this year's Swiss Finals, then a good series is awaiting us.

	Thomas Landis had a game-high three hits and three RBI's.

The Therwil Flyers had just three scoring innings, but scored twice, six and five times in the first, third and fifth innings, and also survived a late rally to defeat the Challengers 13-12.

After the Flyers went ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning on a sac fly by Roy Allenspach and an RBI-single by Djibril Traore, the Challengers jumped on starter Richard Kurz and scored four times on an RBI-single by Nick Lehmann, a passed ball by Allenspach, a steal home by Thomas Landis, and a run-scoring ground out by Manny Marchant for an early 4-2 lead.

Benny Räber, starting his 11th game of the season, retired the side in order in the next inning, but lost it in the third.

He allowed four hits, and a fielding error by Joe Cox led to two unearned runs and an 8-4 Flyers lead.

	Manny Marchant hit his league-leading 15th homer to lead of the fifth inning.

The Challengers didn't answer until the bottom of the fourth inning as Anubis Benitez homered with two outs and nobody on, and Lehmann and Landis followed with back-to-back doubles to close the gap to 8-6.

But Räber again got into trouble the next inning, giving up a homer to Beat Eichenberger, a walk to Alain Kurz and a double to Richard Kurz before being lifted for reliever Marchant.

Marchant and his defense allowed four more runners to score to give the Flyers a huge 13-6 lead after 4 1/2 innings.

But Richard Kurz also started to wear down and eventually was relieved by Reto Siegel after Landis' RBI-single in the top of the sixth inning.

But three more runs scored, and the score was just 13-11 in favor of the Flyers.

Marchant held the Flyers scoreless in the top of the seventh and final inning to give his team a chance to tie the game or send it to extra innings.

And the Challengers again manufactured a rally.

Pinch-hitter Jose Valdez led off with a double, but got trapped between second and third on Benitez' fielder's choice grounder to shortstop Koller. Lehmann got on with a hit-by-pitch, and Landis plated Benitez with a ground out to second.

With the tying run at third base and two outs, Chris Palatinus then hit a deep fly to center field that was merely caught by center fielder Stefan Siegel on the warning track to end the game.

Game notes: Benitez' fielder's choice in the bottom of the seventh inning was his 100th at-bat of the season. ...Landis' ground out in the seventh inning was his 800th at-bat of his NLA-career. ...Lehmann's double in the fourth inning was his career-high 11th of the season, and 30th of his NLA-career. It also broke his career-high for hits in a single season with 46.