Mon, Mar 06, 2006 page1

• Taiwanese bats roar against China

  • By Paul Huang / CONTRIBUTING REPORTER
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  Chen Yung-chi's (陳鏞基) five-RBI effort, including the game-winning grand slam off Chinese starter Wang Nan (王楠) in the top of the fourth inning propelled Taiwan to a 12-3 triumph over China to end with a 1-2 record after completing Round 1 action of the inaugural World Baseball Classic in Tokyo yesterday.

  The 22-year-old leadoff man, who spent the past two years in the Seattle Mariners' minor league system, racked up 10 total bases with three doubles in the game to account for nearly half of Taiwan's total run production, making him an instant man-of-the-hour back in Taiwan.

  Taitung county hero

  

  Chen Yung-chi smashes the ball on his way to hitting a grand slam during a game between China and Taiwan yesterday at the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo, Japan. Chen's hit gave Taiwan a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, instantly making him the man-of-the-hour here in Taiwan. Taiwan beat China 12-3.

  PHOTO: LIN FANG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES

  "All I wanted to do was to bring home the runners," the talented young slugger from Taitung County said after the game. "I guess I did OK today."

  Despite knowing that the outcome of the game had no bearing on their chances for advancing into the next round after earlier losses to South Korea and Japan, the Taiwanese squad still gave 100 percent in its final effort.

  Tentative start

  

  Taiwanese baseball fans team cheer and wave flags, bats and musical instruments at Taipei Arena yesterday morning during a live broadcast from Tokyo of a game between Taiwan and China at the World Baseball Classic.

  PHOTO: LIN FANG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES

  Taiwan didn't have a good start, with the first 13 hitters managing to produce only one run on four hits through the first three innings.

  It was not until Chen's towering grand slam over the left field wall with two outs in the fourth inning that Taiwan finally got its hitting rhythm, along with a comfortable 5-0 lead.

  After Taiwan scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on Chen's second double of the game and Chinese reliever Bu Tao's (卜濤) run-scoring throwing error to make it 7-0, China strung together two doubles from second baseman Liu Guang-biao (劉廣標) and catcher Wang Wei (王偉) against Taiwanese reliever Chiang Chien-ming (張建銘) for its first two runs of the contest to break up Taiwan's shutout bid.

  With China answering with a two-run sixth, Taiwan batters struck again in the top of the eighth -- this time led by outfielder Chan Chih-yao (詹智堯) and catcher Chen Fong-ming's (陳峰民) back-to-back scoring singles and a two-run fielding error by Chinese right fielder Zhang Hong-bo (張洪波).

  Each team added another run in the ninth with Cheng Chang-ming's (鄭昌明) one-run double to deep left-center for Taiwan and China's final run scored on a wild pitch by Taiwan's Kuo Hong-chih (郭泓志).

  Starter Pan "Du Du" Wei-luen (潘威倫) was credited with Taiwan's first win in the tournament, tossing four strong innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts and two walks, while, Wang, his Chinese counterpart, bore the loss for surrendering three early runs (only one earned) on six hits in three-and-a-third innings of play.

  Three other Taiwanese players besides Chen had multi-hit games, headed by shortstop Hu Chin-lung's (胡金龍) 3-for-5 outing and outfielder Chang Chien-ming and catcher Chen Fong-ming's two-hit efforts.

  "Our bats finally came alive today, but the defense was not quite up to par," Taiwan manager Lin Hua-wei (林華韋) said.
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