In a similar way as in seven straight games over the past two seasons, pitcher Wu Jung-yi (
The victory gave the defending champions a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven Fall Classic.
Wu was brilliant in holding the powerful Bulls offense to four hits through the seventh inning, retiring the side in the first, third, and the seventh innings.
It was not until the bottom of the eighth that Wu lost some of his control and allowed an RBI by designated hitter Chen Tsung-fu (
Wu baffled the anxious Bulls hitters throughout the game by changing speeds with his trademark underhand delivery.
"I should have stuck with his call for a changeup against Chang Tai-shan (
As a result, Wu missed the chance for a complete-game victory, because he would yield another single after Chang's double to draw out reliever Wang Ching-li (王勁力) from the bullpen for the last two outs in the ninth.
Offensively for the Elephants, it was a night with mixed emotions. Two key members from the heart of the order, Chen Chih-yuan (
For cleanup man Peng Cheng-ming (彭政閔) however, the 0-for-4 night snapped his record for longest postseason hitting streak at 12 games.
The victory also came at a price, as Chen Chih-yuan twisted his ankle in the fourth inning on an attempt to stretch a single into a double. Team officials have listed his status as day-to-day.
Taking the loss, Bulls starter Tsai Chung-nan (蔡仲南) did not have his best stuff in the first postseason game of his career. He lasted only 2-2/3 innings, yielding four runs (two earned) on five hits.
"I guess the splitter that didn't drop against Chen Chih-yuan really hurt me a lot," Tsai said, referring to Chen's first-inning double that knocked in two runs for the Elephants.
He didn't comment on errors made by his teammates.
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