The Brothers Baseball Club leveled the Taiwan Series at 1-1 after they exploded for 10 runs in the opening frame on their way to a 13-6 victory over the Lamigo Monkeys in Game 2 last night.
The Monkeys scored in their last-at bat to take Game 1 on Saturday.
It was billed as a match-up between Brothers rookie pitcher Liao Yi-chung and Lamigo starter Michael Nix from the US, but the visiting Brothers delivered a knock-out punch against Nix in the first inning.
Photo: CNA
Facing shaky pitching, the Brothers batters pounded Nix for six hits and took two walks, with the most damage delivered by outfielder Chang Chih-hao, who blasted a grand slam.
Nix had only one out at that point, while he had conceded six runs.
Two batters and another run later, Nix was pulled for Weng Wei-chun, but the Brothers continued the assault, taking three runs off Weng to tie the record for the most runs in an inning in the Taiwan Series.
Photo: CNA
Brothers captain Peng “Chia Chia” Cheng-min came home on the grand slam, setting a record of 40 runs in Taiwan Series games, surpassing the 39 scored by Chang Tai-shan, a retired slugger who had a 20-year career with three teams.
Lamigo replied with one run in the bottom of the first, but the Brothers hitters drove in three more runs on four hits, including two triples, to make it 13-1 at the bottom of the second.
The Monkeys rallied in the sixth. With two men on, Lamigo first baseman Chen Chun-hsiu drilled a shot over the wall to make it 13-4.
Photo: CNA
They scored one more in the next inning and added another in the ninth to make the score somewhat respectable.
Liao picked up the win, yielding seven hits and one walk for five charged runs. He struck out five batters in his first Taiwan Series win.
In contrast, Game 1, also at the Taoyuan International Stadium, was a tight affair.
Saturday’s game was a see-saw battle throughout, with the Brothers drawing first blood with two runs in the second frame. Lamigo replied with three runs.
In the third inning, Lamigo outfielder Chu Yu-hsien slapped a single up the middle to bring home two runners for the home side to go in front 5-2. The Brothers clawed back one run in the sixth.
At the top of the ninth, Peng came in as a pinch hitter and delivered with a shot to the fence that drove in two runners to tie it up.
However, Lamigo pinch hitter Liao Chien-fu had the clutch hit with two outs, striking a grounder to bring home the go-ahead run for a walk-off 6-5 win.
Games 3, 4 and 5 are scheduled for the Brothers home park, the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium, tomorrow through Thursday.
If needed, games 6 and 7 are to be played in Taoyuan on Saturday and Sunday.
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
RSS