Jeriome Robertson pitched eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball, Lin "Wild Hog" Hong-yuan knocked in a pair of runs, and the President Lions easily handled the La New Bears on the road in a 5-0 win at Kaohsiung on Thursday night.
The former major leaguer held the Bears lineup, best in the league with nearly five runs scored per game (4.96), to only three base runners over eight brilliant innings before reliever Cheng Bo-ren retired the side in order in a perfect ninth to keep the shutout intact.
Lin's two-out single with runners at the corners, followed by first baseman Kao Guo-ching's base hit up the middle off La New lefty ace Wu Si-yo, brought in a run each in the top of the third to gave the Lions a 2-0 lead that proved more than ample as they cruised to an easy victory.
PHOTO: EPA
Leadoff man Yang Seng also had a multi-hit night for the second time in five games with a 2-for-5 effort to help his club extend its non-losing streak to four straight.
Taking the loss was Wu, who allowed three runs (only one earned) on seven hits over 6-2/3 frames in a decent start. The southpaw has lost three of his last four starts to drop to a 12-3 mark after starting off the season in gangbusting manner with 11 "W's" in a row.
Bears 6, Lions 3
PHOTO: LIAO YAO-TUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Three first-inning runs by the home Bears set the tone early in the game as they doubled up on the visiting Lions in Kaohsiung with a 6-3 win on Friday evening.
Lin Chih-sheng's RBI single off President starter Pan "Du Du" Wei-luen got the hosts on the board before Chen Chin-fong and designated hitter Wang Chih-rong connected for two more singles to give the Bears a quick 3-0 lead after just one inning of play.
The Lions cut the Bears lead down to one with a run scored in the second and fourth off Bears starter Tsai Ying-fong, only to see La New answer with a run of its own in the bottom of the fourth to keep a two-run cushion in the then 4-2 game.
PHOTO: AP
Wang's one-run single in the bottom of the fifth put the Bears up 5-2 before each team traded one more run in the eventual Bears victory.
Six different Bears hitters had multi-hit nights against a shaky Lions staff that sent five hurlers to the mound, highlighted by Wang's 3-for-4 effort with a pair of RBIs.
Tsai was credited with the win for limiting the Lions to three runs on eight hits in six solid innings, beating Pan, who surrendered five runs on ten hits in 4-2/3 innings to lose his second straight decision for the first time this season.
Bulls 1, Cobras 0
Lin "Little Chick" En-yu recorded his fourth complete game of the year with another brilliant effort off the mound for the Macoto Cobras. But unlike the three previous occasions in which the Most Valuable Player from last year savored the sweetness of victory, Lin had a loss to show for his gutsy performance as the Cobras lost to the Sinon Bulls in a 1-0 final at Chiayi on Friday night.
Chang Jien-ming's sharp grounder off Lin that shot through the infield in a hurry during the top of the third scored what ended up being the only run in the game for the Bulls as they blanked the Cobras in the classic pitchers' duel between Lin and Billy Sylvester of the US.
The Cobras had several excellent scoring opportunities with runners on second in four different innings, but failed to come up with the clutch hit that would have changed the outcome of the game by hitting a futile 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
David Wells benefited from a seven-run third inning to earn his first victory of an injury-riddled season, pitching seven strong innings to help the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-2 and snap Boston's five-game losing streak on Friday.
Wells (1-2) made his third start since May 26, when he went on the disabled list for the third time this season after taking a line drive off his right knee.
He allowed one run and nine hits before leaving to a standing ovation when Melvin Mora popped up to end the seventh.
Mike Lowell recovered from a frightful first-inning beaning by Adam Loewen (2-4) to make an into-the-stands catch, hit an RBI single and steal a base.
Angels 7, Yankees 4
At New York, rookie Joe Saunders won his fourth straight start, getting early home runs from Garret Anderson and Maicer Izturis to lead Los Angeles over New York.
Rangers 14, Mariners 7
At Arlington, Mark DeRosa went 3-for-4 in his second six-RBI game this week. DeRosa had two-RBI hits in each of the first two innings, when Texas batted through its order both times and led 10-0. He added a solo home run, his 12th, in the third to make it 12-1 and later had a sacrifice fly. The six RBIs matched a career high DeRosa set on Wednesday in Oakland.
White Sox 5, Tigers 0
At Chicago, Jose Contreras pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout and Jim Thome and A.J. Pierzynski homered as Chicago ended Justin Verlander's seven-game winning streak.
Blue Jays 7, Twins 1
At Minneapolis, A.J. Burnett struck out a season-high 10 and Toronto spoiled Matt Garza's major league debut.
Athletics 5, Devil Rays 2
At Oakland, California, Bobby Kielty's two-run homer in the fifth spoiled Scott Kazmir's return to the rotation and lifted the Athletics over the Devil Rays.
Indians 4, Royals 3
At Cleveland, Grady Sizemore sliced a bases-loaded triple in the ninth inning and Cleveland became the latest team to rally against Ambiorix Burgos and beat Kansas City.
Zach Duke struck out seven in his second complete game of the season, Nate McLouth drove in three runs with a home run and triple, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 to end a five-game losing streak on Friday.
Duke (8-10), winless in three starts since July 19, outpitched Jeff Suppan (9-7), who had won three of four with a 1.95 ERA since the All-Star break. The left-handed Duke gave up a run in the first on Albert Pujols' double and Juan Encarnacion's two-out single, then limited the slumping Cardinals to six hits after that.
With third baseman Scott Rolen sitting out with back spasms -- he is hitting .478 against the Pirates this season -- the Cardinals dropped their third in five games on their current road trip and their 11th in their last 15. They had been 7-2 against the Pirates this season and 19-6 over the last two seasons.
Pujols went 4-for-4 with two doubles to raise his average to .571 (12-of-21) with nine extra-base hits against the Pirates this season.
Nationals 2, Mets 1
At Washington, Billy Traber outdueled Tom Glavine and Brian Schneider hit a two-run double for Washington.
Traber (2-1) pitched into the eighth inning, allowing one run and four hits with no walks, to earn his eighth career major league win. That's 279 fewer than Glavine (12-5), who was almost as good: He allowed Schneider's two-run double in the second, and that was pretty much it.
Paul Lo Duca homered in the first inning for the Mets, who had won five straight games.
Chad Cordero pitched the ninth for his 21st save, hitting one batter and walking another before getting Michael Tucker to ground out to end it.
Glavine threw a season-high 123 pitches, allowing two runs and seven hits in six innings.
Braves 2, Brewers 1
At Atlanta, John Smoltz pitched a five-hitter and got the win when Jeff Francoeur hit an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning for Atlanta.
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