Starting pitcher Pan Hui-lung and several relievers combined on a four-hit shutout against the Uni-President Lions in Taichung last night as the Beijing-bound Olympic baseball team breezed past the Lions 7-0.
It was the Olympic team’s second consecutive win in a series of warm-up matches with Chinese Professional Baseball League squads after Wednesday’s embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Brother Elephants.
Offensively, Taiwan jumped on Lions starter Lou Pote early and got all the offense they needed in a three-run first inning. First baseman Peng Chen-ming drove in the game’s first run with a single, followed by second baseman Chiang Chih-hsien’s two-run single to put them ahead 3-0.
The national team would add three more runs off Pote in the top of the second on outfielder Chang Chen-ming’s three-run home run to right field, and added a final insurance run in the top of the ninth on outfielder Pan Wu-hsiung’s single.
Pan stifled the Lions’ bats over five seamless innings, working the lower half of the strike zone and changing speeds effectively.
Relievers Ni Fu-te and Chiang Chih-chia and dominant closer Lo Chia-jen closed out the sixth through ninth innings with scoreless frames.
Boston Red Sox centerfielder Lin Che-hsuan sparkled again for Taiwan, stealing a base, scoring two runs and working opposing pitchers deep into counts.
He will be counted on heavily if the national team is to enjoy success in Beijing.
Seattle Mariners outfielder Lo Kuo-hui, star of the Olympic Qualifier tournaments last fall, continued to struggle at bat and defensively. He is hitting .091 during the current series of exhibitions.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early on Tuesday struck out 11 in five shutout innings to match a franchise record during his MLB debut against the Oakland Athletics. “Pretty sick performance,” teammate Romy Gonzalez said. “It was fun to watch.” The only other Red Sox starter to rack up 11 strikeouts in his first career game was Don Aase versus the Milwaukee Brewers on July 26, 1977. “It was amazing, just to go out there and have that first opportunity,” Early said after getting the win in a 6-0 victory. “A long day of travel yesterday and just getting to the field, seeing
Mikel Merino on Sunday scored a hat-trick as a majestic Spain thumped Turkey 6-0 away in World Cup qualifying, while a brilliant Florian Wirtz free-kick helped Germany beat Northern Ireland 3-1 to get their bid up and running. European champions Spain were in unstoppable form in the central Turkish city of Konya, claiming their second biggest-ever away win in World Cup qualifying as Arsenal midfielder Merino scored his first professional hat-trick. Barcelona playmaker Pedri Gonzalez opened the scoring inside six minutes and later completed the scoring, with Ferran Torres netting the visitors’ other goal. The quality of Merino’s strikes was remarkable, with his
ELEVEN STRIKEOUTS: Blake Snell allowed two singles and two walks against the Rockies as he ended a personal three-game skid with his first win since Aug. 16 Blake Snell on Wednesday struck out a season-high 11 in six innings, while Mookie Betts hit a grand slam in the eighth as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-0 for their fourth straight win. Helped by their third series sweep of the Rockies this MLB season, the Dodgers increased their National League West lead to three games over the San Diego Padres, who lost 2-1 at home to the Cincinnati Reds. Betts went four for five with five RBIs, capped by his seventh career slam on a 3-0 pitch from reliever Anthony Molina to make it 8-0. Andy Pages and
SWEDEN BEATEN: Goals in the first half by Elvis Rexhbecaj and Vedat Muriqi were enough to give Kosovo their second-ever win in World Cup qualifying Sandro Tonali’s last-gasp winner on Monday edged Italy to a 5-4 victory over Israel in FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying, while Kosovo beat Sweden despite Alexander Isak making his first appearance of the season. After collapsing from leading 4-2 in the final two minutes to drawing 4-4, Tonali’s 91st-minute strike in the Hungarian city of Debrecen sent Italy above Israel and into the playoff spot in Group I. New coach Gennaro Gattuso’s side trail leaders Norway by three points and still have a chance of taking first place and the group’s sole direct qualifying spot as they seek to avoid missing out
RSS