by Chris Byrnes
The Zurich Barracudas travelled to Bern to face the defending champions with both teams fighting for first place. The Barracudas prevailed in game 1 with great pitching from Andi Rüesch by a score of 2-0 and took the night cap with Chris Michaels throwing a 3 hit 15 strike out performance to win 5-3 and push the Barracudas to the top of the Swiss NLA leader board with a record of 6-1.
In game one the Barracudas gave the ball to Andi Rüesch 2-0 on the season to face the Cardinals ace Tobias Imboden. The Barracudas struck first by scoring two unearned runs in the top of the first off Imboden. The Cardinals defense allowed two errors to start the game as both Josh Crouse and Bert Marsnik reached on errors and Marsnik scored on a bloop single by Chris Michaels and Harry Wischnewski scored on a Nderim Coma sac fly to make it 2-0 Barracudas. The Cardinals mounted a rally in the bottom of the sixth inning when Santo Pena walked, Thierry Burkhardt singled and Steven McIntosh executed a nice sac bunt to place runners on 2nd and 3rd base with two outs. Johnny Perigos one of the most dangerous hitters in Swiss baseball stepped to the plate to try to tie the game. The Barracudas with first base open walked Perigos to load the bases to face cleanup hitter Ernesto Pereira. Rüesch fell behind 2-0 in the count but he stayed calm and made his pitch on the outside of the plate and Pereira flied out to left field to end the inning. This was the key play and the turning point for the Barracudas.
Both pitchers were lights out but it was Rüesch in the end who won the battle moving to 3-0 on the season getting his second complete game and the shutout and lowering his season era to 0.91. Tobias Imboden pitched just as well going the distance allowing no earned runs but fell to 1-2 on the season with a 1.33 era.
Game Two – Barracudas 5 – Cardinals 3
In the second game the defending champs gave the ball to their import pitcher Ernesto Pereira who has been spectacular all season in hopes of winning the night cap. The Barracudas sent their import pitcher Chris Michals to the mound with a sweep on their minds. The Barracudas once again struck first with a run in the first inning when Josh Crouse led off with a walk and advanced on a passed ball. Harry Wischnewski then singled Crouse to third base and Wischnewski stole second base. Chris Michals grounded out to score Crouse from 3rd base to make it 1-0.
The Cardinals answered back in the bottom of the first when Thierry Burkhardt reached 1st base on an error and moved to second on a single by Johnny Perigos. Michals walked Pereira to load the bases and then Marc Oboussier hit a sac fly to score Burkhardt to knot the score at 1-1.
The Barracudas scored again in the 4th inning when Chris Michals singled moved to second on passed ball and tagged up and moved to 3rd base on fly ball from Nderim Coma. Andi Rüesch stepped to the plate and with the infield in hit a ground ball to second base and Chris Michals was thrown out trying to score. Rüesch moved to second on a passed ball and then scored when Sascha Stanko singled to make it 2-1.
Again the Cardinals answered back in the bottom of the 4th by scoring two runs to take the lead 3-2. Moritz Kocher singled with one out and Miro Bussman grounded to second base but the throw was off line and the Cardinals had runners on 2nd and 3rd base. Michals threw a wild pitch to score Kocher to tie the game and then Thierry Burkhardt reached first on error and Steve McIntosh scored.
The Barracudas settled down after that inning and Chris Michals was dominant the rest of the way. The Barracudas reached Pereira for one run in the 6th when Michals doubled, Coma singled and Marcel Loco Ochsner ripped a single up the middle to tie the score.
The Barracudas kept the pressure on Pereira the rest of the way and in the 8th inning they blew the game open by scoring two runs to make it a 5-3 ball game. Andi Rüesch led off with a walk and Sascha Stanko executed a perfect sac bunt to move Rüesch into scoring position with one out. Marcel Loco Ochsner once again came threw for the Barracudas by knocking a double down the left field line to score Rüesch with the go ahead run. This was key to the game. Alex Bruce the young 17 year old came through with a single to move Ochsner to 3rd base and then Josh Crouse hit a sac fly to provide the Barracudas with a very important insurance run.
Chris Michals was absolutely lights out keeping the Cardinals bats off balance all day long. He registered his third win and complete game on the season and struck out 15 batters. His season era is now at a skinny 0.67 to lead the league.
The Barracudas move to 6-1 on the season while the Cardinals fall to 4-5. The Barracudas have next weekend off but will take on the Luzern Eagles in two weeks at the stadium in Zurich.
The Barracudas were led offensively by Chris Michals who went 4-7 with 2 rbi’s on the day to raise his average to .347. Marcel Loco Ochsner deliver two clutch hits driving in 2 rbi’s. Alex Bruce also went 3-8 on the day.