Chen Chih-hung’s walk-off homer off Tsai Ming-chin in the bottom of the ninth scored the game-winner to lift the Chinatrust Brothers past the EDA Rhinos at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium last night, ending the first half on a high note for the men in their familiar golden uniforms.
“I’d like to thank the fans for coming out to support us. This one [the game-winner] is for you all,” Chen said after being named the game-MVP for his game-winning swing.
SEASON SAVER
His timely homer could very well have been the season-saver for the Brothers, who saw their two-run lead crushed in the top of the ninth when Yang Guan-wei tripled off newly arrived Brad Thomas with two outs to score the game-tying runs.
Also starring for the Brothers was hired gun Jim Negrych.
SEVENTH INNING RALLY
Negrych’s three-run blast off Rhino reliever Shen Yu-chieh in the bottom of the seventh rallied his club from a run down to a two-run margin. It was Negrych’s fourth long ball of the season.
The Rhinos needed little time getting on the board as they squeezed a run off Brother starter Cheng Hung-chi in the opening frame when Cheng Da-hung drew a leadoff walk, took second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Chang Yung-han’s RBI single.
The run turned out to be the only offense that either team could muster through the sixth with Rhino starter Freddy Garcia holding his ground in a four-hit gem and Cheng Hung-chi buckling down through the fifth before being relieved and his successor Armando Galarraga tossing a scoreless sixth.
With Garcia being lifted after the sixth due to a high pitch count (96), the Brothers saw their chance in the seventh as they led off the inning with a double off Rhino reliever Lin Yi-hao and placed two on with two outs to set up Negrych’s three-run shot.
Picking up the win after being charged with a blown save was Thomas while the loss went to the Rhinos’ Tsai for serving up Chen’s game-winner.
The two teams are to have most of the week off before they kickoff the second half on Friday.
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