The top-ranked Uni-President Lions needed three unanswered runs over the final two innings to defeat the Brother Elephants 9-5 in Pingtung on Sunday and maintain their slim one-game lead over the Lamigo Monkeys in the standings, but it was a costly victory for the Lions as their top RBI specialist, Chen Yong-chi, suffered a fractured left tibia after he fouled off a pitch that nailed him in the most vulnerable part of his left leg.
In the 45 games that the Lions’ No. 1 pick has played this season, he has amassed an amazing 34 RBIs to lead his team in RBIs, hits (62) and batting average (.341).
“We definitely won’t be the same team without him [Chen], that’s for sure, but that’s part of the game,” Lions manager Lu Wen-sheng said earlier this week.
Chen could be out for as long as three months pending a second opinion from the Lions medical staff, leaving the CPBL leaders without his invaluable services in a tight pennant race with the Monkeys.
Without Chen in the lineup to lead the offense, the Lions lost the only game they have played since Sunday, a 5-1 defeat as the heart of the order batted a combined one-for-11 with one RBI. He will definitely be sorely missed.
Chen’s misfortune is not the only injury a high-profile player suffered in the league this week. The Monkeys also lost their top slugger, “Mr Everything” Lin Chih-sheng, to a stress fracture of his ribs, curbing the current home run leader and the two-time defending home run champ’s playing time for at least a week.
“He [Lin] is the kind of player who gives his all every time he steps into a batter’s box. We hope to see him in action sometime next week,” Monkeys skipper Hong Yi-chung was quoted as saying yesterday.
While injuries have affected the Lions and the Monkeys, the Elephants are excited about the return of their top gun Peng “Chia Chia” Cheng-min, who will return to action after being sidelined for nearly two months nursing a hand injury. Chia Chia will most likely play as a pinch hitter this week, before a full return to the lineup.
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Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled on Thursday as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart, Germany, to set up a UEFA Nations League final with Portugal. Yamal bagged a brace, while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the score sheet for the UEFA Euro 2024 champions. Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal. France’s three late goals — a
Italy crashed to a 3-0 loss away to Norway, as the four-time FIFA World Cup champions made a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, while Belgium had to settle for a draw in North Macedonia. Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland all scored in the first half in pouring rain in Oslo as Norway made it a night to forget for Italy, who missed out on the past two World Cups. “I have no explanation. Our supporters don’t deserve this kind of match. We need to do some soul-searching. It’s unacceptable,” Italy captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi
The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. “Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet
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