Taiwanese left-handed starter Chen Wei-yin (陳偉殷) of the Baltimore Orioles allowed one run on six hits, striking out four and walking two in seven strong innings in Saturday’s 10-1 win against the Oakland Athletics in Baltimore.
Chen had a rocky start in the first inning, walking two and allowing one hit, but had little trouble after that. He blanked the Atlantics until Jonny Gomes hit a solo homer in the sixth.
The 26-year-old relied on a combination of changeup, and two and four-seam fastballs, with four-seams accounting for 38 percent of his throws on Saturday. He threw 107 pitches, 66 for strikes, with an ERA down to 2.22.
Photo: AFP
Prior to the game, analysts said Chen should watch out for the Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes of the Atlantics, saying that Cespedes had a batting average of 37.5 percent against the left-handed pitcher.
However, Chen proved his strength when he struck out Cespedes at the top of the first inning with a combination of changeup, slider and two-seam fastball.
Orioles Manager Buck Showalter told reporters after the game that he had full confidence in Chen. Showalter said he was not worried about Chen’s performance in the first innings and that he was very proud of the pitcher.
Fans’ respect for Chen soared when he took a shot below the belt in the fourth inning, but still managed to throw out the runner at first base.
Many fans turned out to cheer for Chen despite the cold and rainy weather, some even bringing blankets with them. A Taiwanese couple drove three hours from New York to attend the game. They said they supported both Wang Chien-ming (王建民) and Chen, and that the recent disclosure of Wang having been in an extramarital affair had not affected their support for him.
Meanwhile, Wang threw four strong innings in his first rehabilitation start this year with the minor league Potomac Nationals and ended the game with a 4-3 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
His fastball reached 148kph and he threw a total of 49 pitches in the game and 10 in the bullpen.
Wang said after the game that he felt good about his condition and would gradually throw more pitches. He has not yet scheduled another rehab game.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft