Chang Chih-hao’s (Brother Elephants) RBI single off Wang Jing-ming (Uni-President Lions) jump-started what turned out to be a three-run fifth as Team Red overcame an early deficit to defeat Team White 6-4 in this year’s All-Star Game last night.
The second-year outfielder out of National Taiwan College of Physical Education made the most of his first career start in the All-Star Game by going a perfect three-for-three with an RBI to take the MVP honor.
“I’d like to thank all the fans for voting me onto the starting lineup and I hope my performance did not let them down,” Chang said after the game.
Photo: Huang Chih-yuan, Taipei Times
More than 11,000 screaming fans packed the Greater Kaohsiung Baseball Stadium early yesterday afternoon to create the festive atmosphere that preceded the annual mid-summer classic.
All of them were treated to a great game on a hot summer evening as Team Red overcame a 2-1 deficit with a three-run fifth en route to a 6-4 victory.
Team White wasted little time getting to Team Red starter Yeh Ding-ren (Elephants), grabbing a pair of runs off the right-hander on the strength of Kao Guo-ching’s (Lions) two-run homer in the bottom of the first.
The lead was halved by Team Red in the top of the third when Lin Chih-sheng’s (Lamigo Monkeys) sacrifice fly scored Chang Cheng-wei (Elephants) from third.
After the three-run fifth that put Team Red ahead 4-2, Team White scored their third run of the contest in the sixth to fall to within a run, but that was as close as they got as Team Red answered with a run in the seventh, before tacking on an insurance run in the ninth to seal the victory.
Team Red lefty Cheng Chih-hong (Elephants) was credited with the win for pitching a perfect fourth, while the loss went to Team White’s Wang, who gave up four hits in the game-turning fifth in a shaky outing.
Base-running Contest
Team Red took advantage of a dropped exchange of baton by Team White in the annual base-running contest earlier yesterday to win the bragging rights among the speedsters in the league.
What should have been an easy win for Team White turned into a tough loss as Liu Fu-hao (Lions) mishandled the “handoff” from Cheng Da-hong (Sinon Bulls) on the fifth leg of the eight-man relay, adding more than two seconds to Team White’s total.
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