Frustrated Brother Elephants end long losing streak

After losing three straight to the last-place La New Bears by a combined margin of four runs, the frustrated Brother Elephants put up six early runs on the board in the four-game series finale and managed to hold on for a 7-5 victory in Kaohsiung on Saturday night. The win snapped the Elephants' longest losing streak of the season at three and avoided what would have been an embarrassing series sweep for them at the hands of the cellar-dwelling Bears.

The game began with the Elephants scoring three quick runs in the top of the first that chased Bear rookie starter Wu Se-yeo (吳偲佑) before the inning even ended. Then the defending champs went after Bear reliever Wong Fong-yu (翁豐堉) for three more runs in the second and third to take a 6-0 lead.

Retiring the side in order through the first five frames, American veteran Jonathan Hurst took a no-hitter two outs into the sixth before surrendering a single to Bear catcher Chen Jau-ying (沉昭穎). The right-hander would eventually allow a run in the seventh before being relieved by set-up man Wang Jing-li (王勁力). Wang, who did not have his best stuff, then allowed four ninth-inning runs to give the Bears some signs of hope before closer Hsiao Ren-wen (蕭任汶) got the last two outs to record his first save of the year. The win made Hurst the league's first eight-game winner and kept Wu winless for the season at 0-2.

Two run-scoring doubles by Chinatrust Whale sluggers Huang Kwei-yu (黃貴裕) and Shih Jing-sho (石金受) that forced a 2-2 tie in Game 2 on Friday night were the only thing that prevented the President Lions from a clean three-game sweep of the big fish, because the big cats took care of business in Games 1 and 3 against the Whales with two convincing wins: A 5-0 shutout on Thursday and a 4-1 triumph on Sunday.

Game 1 starter Benj Sampson allowed no runs on three hits while fanning six in 6-1/3 innings in his best effort yet since joining the Lions in early-May. The victory promptly ended the Whales' seven-game winning streak and helped the Lions widen their standings lead over the Elephants a full game.

Offensively for the league-leading Lions, timely hitting was the key to their efficient attack as they made the most (five run) out of their seven hits against a decent Whale pitching staff.

Heavy downpours might have delayed Sunday afternoon's series finale for an hour, but it did not cool off the red-hot Lions as they beat the Whales once again behind a stellar performance by second-year righty Pan Wei-luen (潘忠韋). The Rookie of the Year last season yielded a lone run on five hits in seven strong innings en route to his seventh win of the season, second only to Hurst's league-high 8.

Lion first baseman Kao Guo-ching's (高國慶) two-run double in the fourth was more than ample for the win as his pitching mates kept the Whale hitters at bay the entire game.

The 2-1 thriller in favor of the Sinon Bulls in Game 2 of the three-game series against the Macoto Cobras highlighted the series play between the two squads as Bull righty Yang Jien-fu (陽建福) outpitched Cobra ace Lin Ying-jeh (林英傑) in a classic pitching dual.