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Elephants and Bulls rivalry has become the talk of the town

The Brother Elephants and the Sinon Bulls rivalry is heating up following a pair of Bulls victories earlier this week, reducing the gap between the two teams in the league standing to just two games.

In what could be this year's postseason championship matchup, the Bulls proved that their first-half title was no fluke by taking two straight from the Elephants in Games 1 and 2 of the four-game series in Hsinchuang on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Game 1 began with the Elephants scoring a pair of runs in each of the first two innings, highlighted by solo blasts by center fielder Chen Chih-yuan (陳致遠) and right fielder Peng Cheng-ming (彭政閔) in the the first. The batting tandem of the Elephants have connected for a total of 28 homers this season, one short of the Bulls' very own home-run duel -- Chang Tai-shan (張泰山) with 19 and Cheng Jau-han (鄭兆行) with 10.

The Elephants' 4-1 lead disappeared in the top of the fifth as the Bulls pounded Elephants starter Jonathan Hurst for three runs on three hits, coupled with a throwing error by third baseman Chang Tai-shan.

But Chang came back to break the four-all tie in the top of the seventh with a two-out, two-run double that gave his team its first lead of the game.

Fighting right back, the Elephants would make it 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh on Bulls reliever Kuo Yong-chih's (郭勇志) third walk of the game that brought the runner home from third after the Elephants had loaded the bases. Bulls set-up man Ho Chi-shien (何紀賢) then came in and slipped out of the jam with a ground-ball out.

After a scoreless eighth, the Elephants put the tying run on base with home-run threat Peng Cheng-ming due up at the plate. Peng, who had already homered once in the game, bounced out to short to end the game, giving the Bulls the victory.

Bulls reliever Kuo Yong-chih recorded his second win of the season, while Hurst took the loss.

The Elephants got on the board early in Game 2 of the series with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first.

In the top of the fourth, the Bulls evened the score at two-all with designated hitter Tseng Yang-yueh's (曾揚岳) two-run double.

An inning later, the Bulls made it 4-2 on shortstop Cheng Jau-han's two-run double off Elephants starter Nakagomi Sin.

The Elephants rallied for one run in the bottom of the seventh on second baseman Fong shen-shian's (馮勝賢) RBI-single.

The tying run from second was tagged out at the plate after Chang Jia-hao's (張家浩) perfect throw from shallow right.

The Bulls added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a bad throw to first from Elephants third baseman Chen Huai-shan's (陳懷山), making the final score 5-3.

Rookie Bulls starter Yang Chien-fu (楊建福) is 4-0 for the season. Yang was named the Pitcher of the Month in July by the Baseball Writers Association.

Upcoming Games

The Bulls complete their series against the Elephants in Hsinchu today and Tienmu on Saturday.

The President Lions visited the Makoto Gida in Hsinchu yesterday and are in Hsinchuang today and Sunday in a three-game series. A sweep by the Gida would put them within a game of the Lions in the league standings.

The Whales host the First Securities Agan in Chiayi yesterday, tomorrow and Sunday in a three-game homestand. It will be a good opportunity for the Whales to rack up some wins against the weaker Agan that had not won a game in 11 contests before they face the Lions in Tainan for four tough games next week.
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