Kao Chih-kang's two-out double with a runner on second scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth as Team Taiwan rallied from behind to edge past the Chinatrust Whales 2-1 at the IBAF Final Olympic Qualification Tournament at Douliou on Thursday evening.
Taiwan's 2003 Asia Baseball Cup hero who also knocked in the game-winner against South Korea in extra-innings to earn his country a ticket into the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens came through once again by lining an offering from the Whales' Du Chang-wei down the third-base line to keep his team's non-losing streak intact at 2-0-1 in the exhibition round.
"It's one of those situations where you just have to go with whatever comes your way," a humble Kao said after the game. He has quietly earned himself the reputation of "Mr Late-innings."
The contest began with neither offense managing to do much at the plate against the solid pitching of Whales starter Steve Watkins of the US and well-traveled veteran righty Chang Chih-jia for Taiwan. Other than the Whales' third-inning run off Chang and a single by the Whales' Wang Hsin-min to put runners at the corner with no outs, the pitchers seemed to have the opposing batters well under control through the first four innings of play.
But after Watkins had thrown 63 pitches in a one-hit shutout through the fourth, it was rookie right-hander Huang Hong-ren's turn to show what he could do against the top hitters that the country had to offer.
Even though Huang allowed a pair of hits to start off the fifth and needed a spectacular double play from fellow infielder Wang Yi-min to bail him out of the inning unharmed, Team Taiwan's Lin Tseh-hsuen made sure his luck ran out in the sixth when he deposited a pitch from Huang well into leftfield seats for a solo home run that tied the game up at 1-1 and eventually forced the Whales hurler out of the game.
The score remained tied with both bullpens doing trying to keep the hitter off balance in a classic pitchers' standoff until Kao's late-game heroics sealed it in the ninth.
Picking up the victory for the national squad was reliever Luo Jia-ren who tossed a perfect ninth on just nine pitches with a couple of strikeouts to salvage what had been a rather disappointing three-game showing for Team Taiwan.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Teng Kai-wei impressed against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday despite an 8-1 loss in the opener of the team’s nine-game road trip. Teng, the only Taiwanese pitcher active in MLB, struck out five while allowing two hits and one walk over four innings at Chase Field to finish with a no decision, as the teams were tied 1-1 when he finished his outing. He surrendered the lone run of his outing in the bottom of the first, which began with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two strikeouts. Diamondbacks leadoff hitter Geraldo Perdomo advanced to third on
New Zealand yesterday basked in “amazing” athletics glory after winning two gold medals in as many days at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Geordie Beamish on Monday claimed New Zealand’s first track gold in history with a shock victory in the 3,000m steeplechase, while high jumper Hamish Kerr followed with gold on Tuesday to make it an unprecedented double success for a country much better known for rugby than its prowess in track and field. Before this week, the country had won only six golds in total at the championships. Yesterday morning New Zealand were in the giddy position of fourth on
DOUBLE: Harry Kane has now netted 12 goals in six games, scoring his second hat-trick this season after Bayern’s opening Bundesliga match against Leipzig last month That man again. Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season on Saturday to steer Bayern Munich to a 4-1 win at Hoffenheim for the best Bundesliga start any team has made after four rounds. The England captain scored before the break and converted two penalties after it to take his club tally to 12 goals in six games across all competitions — 13 goals in seven games including the German Supercup. Kane’s other hat-trick was in the Bundesliga-opening 6-0 rout of Leipzig. Bayern’s record of 12 points with a goal difference of 15-plus is the best after four rounds of the Bundesliga
Rwanda is to take center stage from today as the first African country to host the cycling world championships, in its latest use of sports to improve the country’s reputation. As it prepares for 5,000 cyclists and 20,000 spectators, Rwanda has spruced up its roads, created a network of cycle lanes and run multiple police drills. A poor, landlocked country in east Africa still widely associated with a horrific genocide in 1994, Rwanda has used various sports to revamp its image, attract tourists and impress investors with its organizational efficiency. It has spent lavishly on soccer sponsorship deals with clubs
RSS