Chiou Chang-rong's solo home run off Chinatrust Whales starter Kao Jien-san broke a 2-all deadlock in the bottom of the fourth as the Macoto Cobras overcame a one-run deficit with two solo blasts in the fourth inning to clinch the series finale 3-2 in Tianmu on Sunday.
In a game where every run was scored by way of solo homers, the Cobras were one better, avoiding what would have been a clean sweep at the hands of the marine creatures as they dropped the first three contests of the series by a combined scoring margin of 20-to-12.
Right-fielder Kao Jung-chiang got the Whales on the board with a solo shot to deep-left off Cobras starter Chang Hsien-chih for a quick 1-0 lead before the Cobras answered in the bottom of the same inning with a homer of their own from cleanup man Hsieh Jia-shien to even things up at 1-1.
After the Whales went ahead in the top of the fourth on centerfielder Chi Jung-lin's homer off Chang for a brief 2-1, the serpents again responded with a home run.
Both clubs managed to put runners on base in all but one inning after the fourth, but neither was able to come through with a clutch hit necessary to score, sending Kao to his first loss of the season while making a winner out of Chang for his first career victory.
Set-up man Lee Ming-jin picked up his fourth hold of the season by pitching a scoreless seventh, and Dominican closer Jose Paniagua was credited with the save for two innings of shutout relief work.
Bulls 6, Lions 0
Eight spectacular shutout innings by starter Yang Jien-fu paved the way a Sinon Bulls win as they embarrassed the President Lions 6-0 on their home field at Tainan on Sunday to win the four-game series 2-1-1.
Taking advantage of a two-base fielding error, the defending champs secured two quick runs on Lions starter Tim Kester in the opening inning before they added another run in the top of the second on outfielder Tseng Hua-wei's solo shot over the left field wall to make it 3-0.
Chang "Prince of the Forest" Tai-shan's solo homer off Kester in the top of the sixth made it 4-0 before the Bulls plated two more runs in the ninth on Su Jien-rong's pinch-hit liner up the middle and leadoff man Chang Jien-ming's infield single.
Two of the four runs allowed by Kester were unearned as the American right-hander remains winless (0-2) in his two starts for the big cats.
As for Yang, the Bulls' opening day starter finally came around with a solid game for his first win the year.
American League
It was a bad day to be one of the American League's last three Cy Young Award winners: Bartolo Colon, Johan Santana and Roy Halladay.
The Yankees scored eight runs off 2005 winner Colon in a 10-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, New York's first since a rout in its opener.
The Yankees avoided starting the season 1-5 for the first time since 1989, but still lost two of three in Oakland and two of three in Anaheim heading into Tuesday's home opener against Kansas City.
Santana, the 2004 winner, fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2001 after being outpitched by Cleveland's Jake Westbrook in the Indians' 3-2 victory over Minnesota. Santana gave up three runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings, raising his ERA to 5.73.
Halladay, who won the AL award in 2003, gave up five runs and eight hits in 7 1-3 innings of the Blue Jays' 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay. Toronto finished its opening homestand 3-3.
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