Peng Cheng-ming's average slips

Closer Michael Garcia thanks his catcher after another successful outing recently. Garcia's unprecedented number of scoreless innings ended at 45 on Thursday. PHOTO: CPBL

Two amazing streaks ended this week in the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Brother Elephants slugger Peng "Chia Chia" Cheng-ming's (彭政閔) record-setting number of games played with an above .400 batting average ended at 49, while President Lions ace closer Michael Garcia's unprecedented number of scoreless innings stopped at 45.

Since the 3-for-4 night against the Chinatrust Whales that boosted his batting average to .409 on April 8, Peng has gone on an impressive run by maintaining his batting average above the .400 mark until Thursday night's contest against the same Whales. He has separated himself from the rest league in the art of hitting that at one point, his league-leading batting average was more than .100 points higher than the next player in line.

Opposing pitchers have learned to pitch him low and away, often preferring to walk the fourth-year standout instead of throwing the ball in the strike zone.

Peng also leads the league total hits and total bases.

"It had to end sometime," Peng said. "Opposing pitchers are giving me fewer good pitches."

Tied with American great Jay Kirkpatrick of the 1998 Sinon Bulls for the league record in remaining above .400, 66 games into the season, every game that Peng will play with an above .400 average for the rest of the season will be a new record.

On the mound

Garcia's 45 consecutive scoreless innings ended on a home run by Macoto Cobras' Chuang Jing-heh (莊景賀) in Taichung on Thursday.

Even though the Lions won the game 8-5, there was not a single Lions fan that left the game without feeling a little down after witnessing the end of Garcia's run.

The 36-year-old veteran joined the Lions staff at the beginning of the season, after a five-year absence from the league. His three straight seasons with 20 or more saves and a combined 2.28 ERA, put him in good company with the top closers in the business.

Garcia played for the former Weichuan Dragons from 1996 to 1999.

His .295 ERA just prior to the end of the streak places him in a league of his own.

"As long as the team does well, I'm not too concerned about the streak," Garcia said. "As with any other stat in baseball, streaks are meant to be broken."

The low-key gentleman from Southern California always has the right attitude towards the game.