Andy Sisco pitched 6-2/3 innings of two-run ball, both unearned, and Lin Kuen-sheng drove in an insurance run in the eighth as the EDA Rhinos doubled up on the Lamigo Monkeys 4-2 at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium last night.
The victory not only gave the Rhinos a 2-1 edge in their weekend series against the defending champions, but it also evened their record at 3-3 after they started their debut CPBL season with back-to-back losses.
Sisco made the most of his debut in Taiwan by holding the Monkeys’ bats to a lone hit through the fourth to give his offense a chance to plate two runs off Lamigo starter Cheng Cheng-hao in the same span.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
The Rhinos offense added to their lead in the sixth, with Su Jien-rong connecting on a two-out single off Monkeys’ reliever Chen Cheng-da to score Cheng Jau-han from third for a seemingly safe 3-0 cushion.
An error by Rhinos third baseman Huang Chih-pei in the top of the seventh helped the Monkeys score two runs that made it 3-2, but the home team simply refused to give up the lead as Shen Yu-jeh calmly struck out Chen Guan-ren with the bases loaded to keep the Monkeys from going ahead.
That was as close as the Monkeys came as the Rhinos tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, before Zach Hammes retired the side in order in a perfect ninth to preserve the win for Sisco.
Taking the loss was Cheng Cheng-hao, who pitched well enough to have won were it not for Sisco’s brilliant effort on the mound.
The Lamigo Monkeys right-hander lasted five frames with three allowed runs, two earned, on six hits, while fanning two and walking two.
LIONS 8, ELEPHANTS 1
The Uni-President Lions cruised past the Brother Elephants at the Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium last night to sweep the weekend series against their archrivals from the north.
Mike Cervenak had a big day at the office for the Cats, driving in three runs on a three-for-four night, with a solo home run off Elephants starter Lin En-yu in the top of the fourth.
Also starring for the Lions was designated hitter Chang “OEO” Tai-shan, who knocked in a pair on a two-for-four outing from his cleanup role to provide Cervenak some much needed protection.
Picking up the win for the Cats was reliever Tsai Jing-hao, who entered in the fourth in relief of starter Luo Ching-lung and pitched three innings of one-run ball on three hits to beat Elephants starter Lin En-yu, who surrendered five runs on seven hits over 4-2/3 innings of work.
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FULL GAME: Henry Sosa pitched nine innings for the Guardians, allowing only six hits all night, while the Monkeys’ offense were also shut out of their game Outfielder Lin An-ko carried a big bat this week — before his Uni-President Lions ran into the Fubon Guardians last night — blasting four home runs, including a grand slam as his side won four games in a row and moved into second on the CPBL table. However, the Lions could not sustain their super-charged offense for the whole week, as they were shut out 4-0 by the Guardians in New Taipei City. Fubon’s rookie catcher, Jhang Jin-de, took a page from Lin’s playbook. With two men on, Jhang smacked a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Henry Sosa of the Dominican Republic
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