CPBLA bitter 4-3 upset loss at home to the last-placed Chinatrust Whales in Tainan on Tuesday night ended all hopes of the President Lions winning the first-half title, while they also gift-wrapped the first-half crown for the La New Bears.
After their 5-3 loss to the Macoto Cobras last Saturday that not only ended their record setting 17-game winning streak but also made Tuesday night's contest a must-win situation to remain in contention for the first-half title, the Lions sent lefty ace Eric Cyr to the mound to take on the Whales' newly arrived Venezuelan southpaw Alexander Herrera.
The game began with the marine creatures jumping to a 3-0 lead in the second inning when third baseman Chen Jia-hong singled in outfielder Mike Lockwood on a play that scored two runs (the other by a Lions defensive error), followed by catcher Chih Jin-sho's RBI single to deep center field.
Down by three, the hosts got two of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning when second baseman Yang Seng's line-drive shot bounced off the right-field wall for a triple that scored two runners.
The Whales added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning with Chen's sacrifice-fly up the middle with the bases loaded that scored what ended up being the game-deciding run as the Lions rallied for one more run in the eighth on outfielder Pan Wu-hsiung's run-scoring single off Whales reliever Liu Yu-jang.
Whales reliever Shen Yu-jeh was credited with the win for his 1-2/3 innings of one-hit relief work in beating the Lions' Cyr, who allowed all four of the Whales runs (only two earned) on six hits over 5-2/3 frames. It was Cyr's third loss of the season.
Base-running woes late in the game plagued the Lions for the second straight game as pinch runner Chang Jia-yuan, representing the tying run, was picked off by Shen at first base for the second out of the inning to crush a Lions comeback.
Elephants 12, Cobras 5
The Brother Elephants rang up a dozen runs on 17 total hits off a depleted Cobras staff that resorted to four different fielders for pitching duty in a 12-5 final at Sinjhuang on Tuesday to end an otherwise disappointing first half on a high note.
Despite allowing five runs on eight hits in eight innings, Elephants starter Chuck Smith of the US won for the first time in his second game this year behind a generous offense that had three different hitters with at least three hits on the night, highlighted by third baseman Wang Jin-yong's 4-for-5 effort with five RBIs. Wang hit a towering shot off Cobras reliever Chuang Jin-her in the top of the second inning with the bases juiced for a grand slam to put the Elephants up 4-0.
Taking the loss was Cobras reliever Tsai Shih-chin, who was ejected from the game by league rules for hitting a batter in the head in the third inning. It was his first loss this season.
Cobras 8, Elephants 5
Monday's rematch in Sinjhuang had the serpents striking for five runs off a shaky Wang Jing-li in the top of the eighth inning to turn a 4-3 deficit into an 8-4 lead and an eventual 8-5 win for the Cobras.
Five consecutive singles on top of a walk off Cobras starter Chang Hsien-chih plated four quick runs for the Elephants in the bottom of the third inning to help the Elephants gain a 4-2 advantage after the Cobras had taken a 2-0 lead earlier in the inning on a sacrifice-fly by Wang Chuang-jia and an RBI single by Hsieh "The Ugly" Jia-shien.
The Cobras made it 4-3 in the sixth inning when Chiou Chang-rong's blooper to shallow-left dropped for a single that scored Hsieh to set the stage for the Cobras' ferocious eighth-inning rally.
Set-up man Lee Ming-jin pitched a scoreless seventh for his third win of the year.
Major Leagues
Craig Monroe hit an RBI double off reliever Dan Wheeler in the three-run seventh and Nate Robertson threw seven scoreless innings to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-0 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday.
In his second start this season, Roger Clemens allowed two runs -- one earned -- and three hits with two walks in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out three consecutive batters over the fifth and sixth innings, but didn't fan another Tiger in his 84-pitch outing.
Robertson (8-3) gave up six hits and three walks while striking out four. He has lost only one of his last 13 starts.
Braves 5, Yankees 2
At New York, Horacio Ramirez won for the first time in three weeks, allowing eight hits over eight innings as Atlanta beat the New York Yankees.
Jeff Francoeur drove in runs with singles in the second and eighth innings and Adam LaRoche had a solo homer in the seventh for the Braves, who are 5-20 in June.
Ramirez (3-2), making his first career start against the Yankees, gave up one run, walked one and struck out two.
Jaret Wright (4-5) allowed five hits over six innings, walked two and struck out four. He gave up the run in the second when the Braves got two of the five hits.
Melky Cabrera homered for New York.
Red Sox 9, Mets 4
At Boston, Mike Lowell and Alex Gonzalez homered to back rookie Jon Lester and Boston beat the New York Mets for its 10th consecutive win -- all against the National League.
Lester (3-0) eked out five innings, allowing two runs and four hits with five walks -- one with the bases loaded. He struck out Chris Woodward with the bases loaded in the fourth and fanned David Wright on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth, hopping off the mound and punching the air as he left the field.
Alay Soler (2-2) gave up eight runs and 10 hits and walked three in 4 1-3 innings. Carlos Beltran went 2-for-2 with two walks and a homer, and Carlos Delgado and Eli Marrero also homered for the Mets.
The Red Sox swept three-game series against the Braves, Nationals and Phillies -- all teams with double-digit deficits in the NL East -- and improved to 12-1 in interleague play. But Boston was expecting a bigger challenge when the first-place Mets came to town.
Indians 3, Cardinals 1
At St. Louis, C.C. Sabathia worked eight dominant innings to help Cleveland win consecutive games for the first time since the beginning of June and send St. Louis to its eighth straight loss.
Ronnie Belliard hit a two-run homer in the first for the Indians, who clinched their first series win since taking three of four from the Chicago White Sox from May 29-June 1.
The Indians, who are 9-15 this month, last won consecutive games on May 31-June 1. They're 10-3 all-time against the Cardinals, including 6-2 in St. Louis.
Sabathia (6-4) allowed one run and five hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
Mariners 11, Diamondbacks 7
At Phoenix, Kenji Johjima drove in a career-high five runs with his second two-homer game in as many starts and Seattle beat Arizona.
Johjima, who sat out Sunday's game at San Diego with a thigh bruise after a four-hit, two-homer game on Saturday, hit a two-run shot in the first inning and three-run drive in the ninth.
The Mariners won their eighth in 10 games and pulled to .500 (39-39) for the first time since they were 6-6 on April 15.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett Myers will take a leave of absence through the All-Star break next month, saying he has embarrassed his family and the team with his arrest on charges that he hit his wife in the face.
Myers, Philadelphia's best pitcher, said on Tuesday he asked the team for time off in two weeks so he can "concentrate on this matter and make plans for whatever assistance is appropriate."
He was arrested last Friday in Boston and accused of striking his wife on a street not far from Fenway Park. He was freed after his wife posted US$200 bail, and he faces an Aug. 4 court date on assault charges.
"First, while I dispute that the facts are as alleged, I recognize that my behavior was inappropriate and for that I apologize," Myers said in a statement. "Second, I recognize that the incident created an embarrassing situation for many people, including my wife and family, my teammates, the Phillies organization, and fans, and I am very sorry for that."
Charlie Manuel suspended
Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for aggressively arguing with an umpire in a game last week.
Manuel will serve the suspension on Tuesday, when the Phillies open an interleague series against the Baltimore Orioles.
In the eighth inning of a June 17 game against Tampa Bay, Manuel rushed out to defend pitcher Cory Lidle. The pitcher had just been ejected from the bench after yelling at Julio Lugo, who attempted to bunt. Manuel faced first base umpire Bill Miller and was thrown out for the fourth time this season. Tampa Bay won 7-2.
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