Taiwanese star Chang Tai-shan on Saturday ended his stellar career in memorable fashion by hitting a grand slam in his final trip to the plate for the Adelaide Bite in the Australian Baseball League (ABL).
In the season-ending game with the bases loaded in the eighth, Chang in his last at-bat drilled an offering from Sydney Blue Sox pitcher Liam Holm over the left-field fence, sending his teammates to the plate before savoring his own cross.
Chang’s grand slam stretched Adelaide’s lead to 8-1 and ended the record-holder’s career in Taiwan’s CPBL, as it was known that the 41-year-old would retire at the end of the ABL season.
Saturday was the last day of the season for Adelaide, as they did not make the playoffs. They were playing a two-game series at home at Active Displays Stadium.
They took the first contest 3-0, but the pressure was on Chang to deliver after going hitless seven times at bat.
Chang broke down in tears as he rounded home plate and was warmly embraced by his teammates and coaches.
Video of Chang’s homer can be viewed on the ABL’s Web site.
The MLB’s official Web site Cut4 also featured the video with the headline “CPBL legend Chang Tai-shan went out in style with a grand slam in his final at-bat,” and heaped praise for “ending his career in the most fitting way possible.”
The Taiwanese legend holds the record for most CPBL championship rings at seven, and won with three different teams: the Weichuan Dragons (1997 to 1999), the Sinon Bulls (2003 to 2004) and the Uni-President Lions (2011 and 2013).
He still holds CPBL records for career home runs (289), hits (2,134), RBIs (1,338), runs scored (1,075) and games played (1,863).
In other local baseball news, the Popcorn League wrapped up last week, when Taiwan Cooperative Bank on Friday blanked Taipei 6-0 to claim the championship in a three-game sweep.
In the final game at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei, slugger Lin Chu-chieh hit a two-run homer, providing scoring support for starting pitcher Wu Sheng-feng, who sailed through six innings.
Wu was named MVP of the series after an outstanding performance in the first game on Tuesday, when he yielded only one run in five innings, although he did not figure into the decision in the late 3-2 victory.
The bankers surged ahead of Taipei 4-2 on Wednesday, then kept their streak going to shut out Taipei in the best-of-five finals.
“We had a good run this year, with the veterans giving guidance to young players. Someone always came through at pivotal times to help the team win throughout the season and in the finals,” head coach Hsu Shun-yi said.
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