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.
The Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 36 points from Tyrese Maxey and a triple-double from Joel Embiid, on Thursday beat the Houston Rockets 128-122 in an NBA overtime thriller. Cameroonian big man Embiid scored 32 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 10 assists, posting the ninth triple-double of his career to help the Sixers end the Rockets’ three-game winning streak. Rockets star Kevin Durant scored 36 points and Amen Thompson added 17, but Thompson was scoreless in the fourth quarter. Even so, the Rockets led by nine midway through the final frame, Maxey tying it at 115-115 with 40.1 seconds left. Durant missed a
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah on Saturday secured his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Saudi Arabia with Luciano Benavides scraping home by two seconds to claim the motorbike title. “We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there, deep down. We are so happy to win,” al-Attiyah said at the finish. Al-Attiyah, at the wheel of a Dacia, only had to avoid a final day slip-up to top the podium after bringing his career tally of stage wins to 50 on Friday. The 55-year-old, who took clay pigeon shooting bronze at the
Tobias Harris on Monday scored 25 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics to score a 104-103 victory in their top-of-the-table Eastern Conference showdown. Harris was one of four Detroit players to finish in double figures, with Jalen Duren adding 18 points and point guard Cade Cunningham scoring 16 points with 14 assists. The win sees Detroit extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to 31-10, 5.5 games ahead of second-placed Boston, who fell to 26-16 with the defeat. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 32 points and almost snatched victory in the