The Brother Elephants salvaged a 2-2 series tie against the Sinon Bulls by winning both games of a double header in Tienmu Saturday. They won the day game 10-1, while gaining the winning edge in the night game 6-4.
Chen Guan-ren's pinch-hit infield single off Bulls starter Yang Jien-fu scored the first run in a three-run fifth that upped the Elephants lead to 5-1 before the Elephants erupted for five more runs in the sixth, highlighted by rookie slugger Chen Chih-hong's bases-loaded, three-run triple.
Making his first career start was regular Elephants set-up man Wu Bao-shien, who dodged several bullets in a shaky effort by getting the key outs when it counted.
He allowed the lone Bulls run on seven hits over five innings before reliever Wu Jung-yi came in to pitch four frames of two-hit ball to preserve the win.
Yang lasted six innings while surrendering five runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks.
Tsai "A-Bian" Fong-an's second-inning solo homer, his second of the season was initially thought to be a foul ball before he finally rounded the bases.
Elephants 6, Bulls 4
Chang Tai-shan waited only one day to take over the league's career home-run mark with his 163rd blast off Elephants starter Liu Jung-nan in the night game.
The historical homer came on the first pitch that the 11-year veteran saw in the top of the second inning, which he drove over the left-center wall to give the Bulls a quick 1-0 advantage.
Chang's solo shot must have done something to the Elephants because it triggered six straight runs over the next six innings for a comfortable 6-1 lead, capped by Tsai's two-run double in the bottom of the fourth off American righty Clint Weibl.
The Bulls' best scoring opportunity came in the top of the seventh inning when Liu allowed a leadoff single before walking the next two batters to load up the bases with no outs. But reliever Blas Cedeno managed to deny the Bulls any runs by inducing a ground out on the next play before getting Chang to hit into an inning-ending double play.
After cruising through a scoreless eighth, the Bulls threatened again in the ninth against Cedeno. Only this time, the Venezuelan right-hander could not keep the scoring gate shut, as the three singles by the Bulls and a defensive error on Tsai led to three last-inning runs by the Bulls.
But with the tying run on, Cedeno was able to field the comebacker by Su Jien-rong for the final out and his league-leading eighth save of the season.
Liu was credited with his second win of the season for tossing six innings of one-run ball, while Weibl suffered his first loss of the season.
Bears 7, Whales 0
La New Bears lefty Wu Si-yo improved to 3-0 for the year with seven scoreless innings of five-hit ball against the Chinatrust Whales before the bullpen held up in the final two frames to keep the 7-0 shutout intact in Kaohsiung Saturday night.
Outfielder Tsai Jien-wei's two-run line drive up the middle off Whales starter Du Chang-wei completed a three-run second before Wang Chih-chiang's two-run double staked the home Bears to a commanding 6-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
National League
Jose Reyes and Kaz Matsui each had run-scoring hits in another seventh-inning comeback and the New York Mets beat Atlanta 6-5 Saturday, putting the Braves nine games out in Major League Baseball's National League East Division for the first time since Aug. 11, 1993.
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