Lin Chih-ping’s two-out single with runner on third scored the go-ahead run for the Lamigo Monkeys as they held on to defeat the EDA Rhinos 3-2 at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium last night to take their home weekend series.
Slugger Lin Chih-sheng returned to the Monkeys lineup for the first time in nearly a month and cleanup man Lin Hung-yu enjoyed his third game since returning from injury.
The defending champs drew first blood against the league-leading Rhinos with a run in the bottom of the second off EDA starter Andy Sisco, courtesy of three straight base hits off the American lefty.
Sisco regained his poise with a scoreless third after teammate Chang Chien-ming knocked in a run to tie the game at 1-1. However, he surrendered the Monkeys’ second run of the game in the fourth on Lin Cheng-yi’s two-out single that scored the runner from second to fall behind for the second time in the game.
The 2-1 lead stood through the sixth for the hosts until Lin Yi-chuan knotted things up once again in the seventh with his league-best 11th homer of the year, a solo blast to deep-center off Lamigo starter Mike Loree that set up Lin Chih-ping’s game-winner in the bottom of the same inning.
Trailing by a run at the top of the ninth, the Rhinos managed to put the first two batters on with a pair of singles by Fang Keh-wei and Manny Ramirez off Monkey’s closer J.D. Durbin.
However, the former major leaguer denied the Rhinos with the help of a double play before getting Cheng Hong-da to ground out to second for the game-ending out.
Loree was credited with his fifth win of the season, allowing two runs on five hits over eight innings to outperform Sisco, who threw seven solid innings of three-run ball on ten hits to fall to a 6-3 mark for the year.
Lions 12, Elephants 2
The Uni-President Lions broke a 1-1 tie wide open with nine runs in the top of the sixth to humiliate the Brother Elephants at the Sinjhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City last night to claim their weekend set against the men in yellow.
The victory not only stretched the Cats’ win streak to four straight, but also propelled them to a tie for first place in the standings with the Rhinos.
Chang “OEO” Tai-shan had a huge day at the office with two doubles in the decisive sixth, with the Cats sending 15 men to the plate while Kuo Jung-yo drove in four on a 2-for-3 night with a home run to his credit.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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