Wilton Veras’ tiebreaking RBI-single followed by Cheng Jau-han’s three-run double with two outs capped a five-run eighth as the Sinon Bulls overcame a late-game deficit to rally past the La New Bears 12-8 in Taichung on Wednesday evening.
The win not only extended the Bulls’ winning steak to three in a row, but also dealt the Bears their third straight defeat, setting them 1.5 games back against the league-leading Uni-President Lions with two games remaining in the first half of the season.
Another win by the Lions or a Bears loss over the weekend would give the Lions the first-half title, which would be a giant leap in their quest for their third straight league title.
Wednesday night’s seesaw affair, which featured five different lead changes, saw the home Bulls jump to a quick 2-0 advantage on Veras’ two-run single off Bears starter Aaron Rakers in the bottom of the first before the Bears answered with a two-run second to tie the game at 2-2.
Lin Chih-sheng’s two-run homer off Bulls starter Lin Keh-chien promptly put the Bears ahead 4-2 in the third, only to see the Bulls force the second tie of the game on the strength of a single, a double and a rare triple in the bottom of the same inning.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth, the Bulls offense struck again in the sixth with a pair of runs and they actually led it 7-4 in the seventh on a solo blast by Veras.
Veras ended up with five hits on the night to tie a league mark for most hits in a single game.
Trailing by three, the Bears assembled for one final offensive in the eighth by connecting for four runs on four singles and a double to reclaim an 8-7 lead before the Bulls’ late-game comeback.
Kuo Yong-chih was credited with the wild win for getting Huang Hao-ran to fly out to end the Bears’ four-run eighth despite giving up a pair of hits in the top of the ninth to put the potential tying run on deck.
Suffering the tough loss on Wednesday was Bears reliever Hsu Ming-jeh, who was in line to win the game after his team had come from behind and gone ahead in the top of the eighth inning but failed miserably by allowing three unearned runs in the bottom of the same inning to blow the lead in a losing cause.
BULLS 9, BEARS 3
The Sinon Bulls began the week on a high note by trouncing the Bears in Taichung on Tuesday evening thanks to a great outing by Shen Yu-jeh.
The lefty setup man, who usually does not come into a game until well after the fifth, was called in to relieve starter Lin Keh-chien in the top of the first after Lin’s pitch had sailed wide and hit an opposing hitter above the shoulder, triggering the league’s automatic-ejection rule.
Shen was equal to the task, throwing 4-1/3 scoreless innings of three-hit ball with no walks to enjoy a 2-0 lead after the fifth en route to his third win of the season.
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