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.
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
RSS