Peng "Chia Chia" Cheng-min's game-tying three-run double, followed by Lee "Rambo Junior" Chih-jeh's two-run single, all off closer Shen Yu-jeh, capped a five-run ninth as the Brother Elephants overcame a three-run deficit to top the Chinatrust Whales 8-6 in Taichung on Wednesday night.
It was the first win since Sept. 3 for the Elephants following a pair of losses and three rainouts last week.
The victory was especially sweet for the Elephants since they were able to rally to beat a red-hot Whales team that had won four of their previous five contests heading into Wednesday night.
The game began with the Whales drawing first blood in the bottom of the first on designated hitter Tseng Han-chou's opposite-field liner that scored leadoff man Chi Jung-lin, who took second on a throwing error by Elephants shortstop Chu Hong-seng.
The 1-0 Whales lead would last just an inning as the Elephants answered with second baseman Fong Sheng-shien's one-run single off Whales starter Derrick Van Dusen in the top of the third to knot things up at 1-1 before the Whales reclaimed a 4-1 lead with a run in the third and two runs in the fifth, highlighted by Tseng's two-run liner to right-center in the top of the fifth.
The Elephants managed to close the gap with a run in the sixth and the seventh to make it 4-3 before Chinatrust added two more runs in the eighth on US slugger Mike Lockwood's two-run homer that gave his team a 6-3 advantage, setting the table for the dramatic late-inning comeback.
Dominican righty Eddy Candelario (2-0) was credited with the win for his eight innings of work, allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits, including the homer to Lockwood that had him on the brink of his first loss of the year. Instead, he caught a huge break and an early Christmas gift with a five-run ninth by his offense.
Lions 7, Bears 3
Three opening-inning runs by the President Lions set the tone early in the game against the La New Bears as the big cats successfully defended their home turf with a 7-3 win in Tainan to snap a three-game losing skid.
American lefty Jeriome Robertson won his seventh straight start with another brilliant outing, allowing two runs on five hits over eight frames against a potent Bears attack that leads the league with 5.2 runs per game this season.
After outfielder Kuo Dai-chi's two-run blast off Bears starter Anthony Fiore in a three-run first, the Lions added another run in the second, jumping ahead 4-0 on first baseman Chen Jia-wei's sacrifice fly before the visitors countered with a run in the third and the fifth to halve the Lions lead at 4-2.
That was as close as they got, with the Lions striking again in the bottom of the fifth on third baseman Tilson Brito's solo home run off Fiore to take a 5-2 lead before the eventual 7-3 final.
Three different Lions players had multi-hit games on the night, led by Kuo's 3-for-5 effort with a couple of RBIs. The 10-hit performance by the Lions offense was a welcome change after it had been held to four hits for consecutive games that led to two losses earlier this week.
National League
AP, SAN FRANCISCO
Barry Bonds hit one ball over the fence and another almost through it, yet the San Francisco Giants lost ground in the playoff races, falling to the Colorado Rockies 9-8 on Wednesday.
Bonds hit his 732nd career home run and 24th this season leading off the ninth, pulling the slugger within 23 of tying home-run king Hank Aaron's record 755. Bonds connected against Brian Fuentes for the second time.
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