Challengers hand Rainbows first loss of the season

Benny Räber allowed no earned run in the Challengers' first complete game of the season en route to a 19-3 rout of the previously unbeaten Embrach Rainbows on Sunday.

	Chris Palatinus being congratulated at home plate after hitting his grandslam homer in the 2nd inning.

Räber received a big offensive boost from Chris Palatinus who hit a grandslam homer in the second inning and a three-run shot in the third off Chris Campassi. He finished the game with four hits in four at-bats, scoring four runs and collecting a game-high seven RBI's.

Last year's Rookie of the Year Tobias Siegrist also got four hits, three of them doubles.

The Challengers' lead was never threatened as the Rainbows managed only a run in the second inning off Räber, and two more an inning later.

	Chris Campassi gave up nine runs in three innings, but only one of them was earned.

Räber went the distance, allowing three runs on six hits - all of them singles - and four walks, and also striking out two batters. It was his team-leading fourth win of the season to give him a perfect 4-0 record.

The Challengers batted around in the first and second inning to score nine runs, and sent another eight batters to the plate in the fifth to score five more times on two passed balls by Tony Gerig, Siegrist's RBI-double and Anubis Benitez' two-run homer, his fourth of the season.

Game Notes: Only six of the 19 runs given up by Rainbow pitchers were earned. Both homers by Palatinus came with two outs when Manny Marchant, who batted in front of Palatinus, reached twice on an error. ...Benitez' steal in the first inning was his 60th stolen bases in his third season with the Challengers. ...Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer and Joe Cox were the only Challengers who remained hitless in the 19-hit attack.