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CPBL: Yang Jien-fu returns to form as Bulls top Whales

Chang ``Prince of the Forest'' Tai-shan of the Sinon Bulls hits a three-run homer in the fifth inning of Tuesday's game against the Chinatrust Whales in Douliou. PHOTO: CHAN CHAO-YANG, TAIPEI TIMES

Yang Jien-fu pitched seven strong innings of three-run ball and Chang "Prince of the Forest" Tai-shan drove in four runs on a 3-for-5 effort to pace the Sinon Bulls past the Chinatrust Whales in an 8-3 win in Douliou on Tuesday night.

The struggling right-hander, who has been hampered by a series of nagging injuries all season long, returned to his old form by hitting the high 140s with his fastball and getting his nasty slider to break hard and late to keep the Whales hitters off balance.

As for the previously sagging Sinon offense, the Prince's thunderous swing in the top of the fifth that deposited the ball into the centerfield seats for a three-run homer suddenly upped a narrow 3-2 Sinon lead to 6-2 en route to the 8-3 triumph that gave the Bulls consecutive wins for the first time since July 27.

The contest began with the visiting Bulls getting the better of Whales starter Su Tseh-yi with a run off three singles for a quick 1-0 advantage before striking again in the second with a pair of runs to move out in front 3-0.

Even though the Whales would answer with a run in the third and fourth on RBI singles from Tseng Han-chou and Gee Jung-lin respectively to pull within a run of the Bulls at 3-2, Su was fast to return the favor in the fifth by giving up a pair of singles before serving up the three-run blast to Chang for his 15th blast of the season.

Trailing 2-6, the Whales managed to score one more run in the seventh off Yang on Hsu Ren-jeh's solo shot to deep-left to make it 3-6.

CPBL Standings following Tuesday's game: W L Tied Pct. GB Standings following Tuesday's game: 1. Uni Lions 43 28 1 .606 0 2. La New Bears 41 32 0 .562 3 3. Macoto Cobras 37 35 1 .514 6.5 4. Brother Elephants 33 37 1 .471 9.5 5. Chinatrust Whales 31 41 2 .431 12.5 6. Sinon Bulls 30 42 1 .417 13.5 Tuesday's results: Bulls 8, Whales 3 WP: Yang Chien-fu (4-10) 7 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 5 K, 3 W LP: Su Che-yi (2-2) 4.1 IP, 6 R, 9 H, 4 K, 2 W MVP: Yang Chien-fu Today's games: Bulls v Elephants, 6:35pm, Sinjhuang Cobras v Lions, 6:35pm, Tainan

But that was as close as they got with Yang getting out of the inning without further damage and the Sinon bullpen holding up the rare lead all the way to the end with a scoreless eighth and ninth.

Earning his fourth win of the season with a quality start was Yang, who allowed three runs on seven hits in as many innings while fanning five and walking three.

The former Taiwan-Series MVP was awarded the game-MVP honor for his solid work in bailing his team out of a recent seven-game slump.

Picking up the loss was Su, who dropped to an even 2-2 for the year by surrendering six runs on nine hits over four-and-one-third inning of work. He struck out four and walked two.

Cheng Da-hong and Lin Tsung-nan also had three-hit games on the night to join the Prince and account for the bulk of their offense.

Wet Weather

A spate of wet weather in the south continued to test the limits of the scheduling officials as the fifth rainout in the past week was announced yesterday, calling off the two-game set between the La New Bears and the Macoto Cobras in Kaohsiung.
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