by John Baum
Cards get back to winning ways with sweep of last place Eagles
In game one the visiting Cardinals jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Vitus Huber led off the game with a double, and after two errors and a single from Samuel Paulino, both he and Ronnie Zimmermann would score. Chris Beyeler kept the Eagles off the board the first six innings of the game, allowing only five total hits, losing his shutout bid in the seventh and last inning, giving up two runs. Tobias Imboden got the Cards another run in the fourth inning, blasting a solo shot off the right fielders glove for his second homerun of the season. With the score at 3-0 in the fifth, the visitors got their offense rolling, five consecutive singles from Fabri Pessina, Huber, Zimmermann, Rudi Vargas, and Jhonny Perigos helping to score four runs and extend the lead to 7-0. Six runs in the next inning would put the game far out of reach for the Eagles, sloppy defense and timely hitting pushing the total to 13-0. After the two runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles would lose game one 13-2 by mercy-rule in the seventh inning. Vitus Huber: 2-3, 2B, 3 Runs. Rudi Vargas: 3 RBI. Tobias Imboden: 2-4, HR, 2 Runs, 2 RBI.
Game two started much like game one, with the Cards crossing the plate twice in the top of the first. Huber once again led off on base, this time with a walk, as he an Perigos would score the first runs of the game. Tobias Imboden was the starting pitcher for the Cardinals. Imboden would go the distance, registering his second shutout of the year, striking out nine, and allowing only five hits.
In the second, three more runs scored for the Bern team, on two hits, moving the score to 5-0. Ronnie Zimmermann collecting his second hit in the first two innings after an RBI single in the first. The Cards would get back in the scoring column in the fourth, as two more runs scored, along with three more in the fifth. Doubles from Paulino, Miseal Guerrero, and Alex Cruz Tifa doing most of the damage. With the score now sitting at 10-0, the Cardinals put the hammer down in the seventh, sending fourteen men to the plate, eight of them scoring on four hits, and four walks. The final score of 18-0 reflected the dominance on the day by the Bern Cardinals. Cruz Tifa: 3-6, 2 2B, 4 RBI. Huber: 4 Runs.
Flyers escape with two hard fought wins vs. Barracudas
The Flyers took two challenging games from the Zurich Barracudas in the opening series between the two clubs. The Flyers overcame sloppy base running, leaning on pitching depth and some timely hitting to win game one 7-5, and game two 6-3 in extra innings.
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The Flyers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in game one. Chris Blackbee got things started for Therwil, ripping his third homerun of the season in the fourth inning. Singles from Michel La Torre, Matti Jung, and Stefan Koller put runners aboard for Therwil. A two-out bases loaded walk from Daniel Eichenberger and two-run single from Sam Faeder padded the lead. However, Therwil couldn’t hold it for long. After Zurich got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth, Barracudas line up hitter Nderim Coma launched a grand slam over the big wall in center to tie the score at five in the fifth.
Therwil answered right back in the sixth. Showing their trademark resolve, the Flyers loaded the bases after walks to Faeder and Blackbee were sandwiched around a Reto Siegel single. Jung lined a bullet into center that was mishandled by Zurich center fielder Manuel Hirtz, scoring the go-ahead run. Therwil tacked on another run on an RBI ground out from La Torre.
Stefan Koller, starting his tenth consecutive weekend for the Flyers this season, picked up his eighth win of the season. He went 6 1/3, striking out seven, and walking only one. Therwil went to Adrian Kaufmann in the sixth with the tying run on first and one out. Kaufmann escaped the jam, going 2 2/3 for the save.
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In game two, Flyers starter Chris Blackbee left the game after only two innings due to arm stiffness. He exited trailing 3-2, after Zurich leftfielder Miguel Conde hit a two-run homer. Down a run, the Flyers called on lefty Hide Oshima. Oshima, who started games the first two weekends of the season, had not pitched in the NLA in six weeks. He had recently made two successful rehab starts in the NLB after an ankle injury sidelined him in the middle of the season. In his first inning, he escaped a jam with runners on second and third. He was untouchable after that, retiring the final 14 batters he faced. Oshima struck out six batters, and walked none.
The Flyers tied the game in the fifth, on a clutch RBI double from Koller. The game stayed tied at 3 through the standard seven innings. In the first extra frame, though the Flyers put runners aboard after an error from shortstop Colindres allowed Eichenberger to reach base. Faeder followed with a single, setting the stage for Reto Siegel. Siegel ripped an RBI single to right, and the Flyers took the lead. They would add two more insurance runs off the bats of Jung and Taka Oshima. Taka also added two beautiful diving catches to add to his personal highlight reel- one that’s beginning to rival that of second baseman Jung. Kaufmann picked up his second save of the day, throwing a 1,2,3 8th, and lowering his ERA to 0.34.
{mrb-result:2009-07-04|2009-07-05|CH}
[editor’s note: The LAUSANNE INDIANS had to forfeit their games against the EMBRACH RAINBOWS.]
{mrb-standing:switzerland-2009}
Photo: Bern Cardinals