Extremely wet weather around the country limited the Chinese Professional Baseball League action to just a lone game in Hsinchu on Tuesday between the President Lions and the Chinatrust Whales, where the Whales prevailed to achieve a hard-fought 6-5 victory.
The Lions' desperate intent to finally beat the Whales for the first time this year (after seven futile attempts thus far in the season) was apparent early on as they struck first in the top of the second inning on a two-run double by second-year first baseman Kao Guo-ching to take a quick 2-0 lead.
Not to be intimidated by their nemesis from Tainan, the Whales answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the same inning when consecutive singles by Whales infielders Chen Jia-hong and Chiou Chi-pin, coupled with a wild pitch and an issued walk, knotted things up at 2 all.
The Whales went up to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run by designated hitter Tseng Han-chou and added to their lead two innings later with back-to-back scoring drives from right-fielder Tsai Kuen-shiang and left-fielder Huang Kwei-yu to take a comfortable 6-2 lead.
Kao Guo-ching led off the eighth with a lining double off Whales reliever Kao Jien-san and scored two batters later on fellow shortstop Chang Jia-yuan's RBI single to make it 6-3 in favor of the Whales. Whales ace closer Dario Veras promptly turned away the Lions rally with two groundouts to end the inning.
The Lions made things interesting against Veras in the top of the ninth when they scored twice on an opposite-field double by outfielder Kuo Dai-chi and a groundout to short by catcher Kao Cheng-hua to make it 6-5. That was as close as the Lions got as Veras induced Lions third baseman Wang Tsu-song to pop out at third with the bases loaded to end the game.
The Lions' offensive threat Israel Alcantara went 2-for-4 for the night, but failed to add to his league-leading RBI total of 38 as neither of his hits came with a runner in scoring position.
Whales starter Shen Yu-jeh picked up the win with seven outstanding innings of two-hit ball while striking out six and walking one. His counterpart Tsao Jing-yang allowed three runs on six hits over five innings in a losing effort.
Upcoming action
Three double-headers are scheduled for Kaohsiung and Tienmu over the weekend in order to make up for the time lost because of the rain.
The Whales will host the Lions at Tienmu tonight, followed by a double-header tomorrow to complete their four-game series. The Sinon Bulls look to kick off the week with tonight's contest against the red-hot Macoto Cobras at Hsinchu before another double-header in Tienmu on Sunday.
The La New Bears will play their first two games versus the Brother Elephants in Kaohsiung tomorrow before Sunday's series finale complete their three-game set at home for the week.
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