Red-hot Michael Morse continued his productive play at the plate with a crucial two-run single in the sixth to help the MLB All-Stars pull off a narrow 3-2 win over Taiwan’s national team in Game 4 of the Taiwan All-Star Series at Chengcing Lake Baseball Stadium in Greater Kao-hsiung yesterday afternoon.
It was the second straight game in which the cleanup man for the Washington Nationals — and the MLB All-Stars — drove in a pair of runs, which included a solo blast and a run-scoring double, to give his team just enough run support for the victory.
The win not only gave the unbeaten visitors a commanding 4-0 lead in the five-game exhibition series, but also put them on the verge of sweeping what has been a very entertaining series for the fans.
Unlike the first three games, the hosts actually drew first blood, with Lin Che-hsuan (林哲瑄) connecting on a two-out single off Major League starter Dillon Gee (New York Mets) with runners at the corners to give Taiwan a quick 1-0 in the top of the second inning.
The lead lasted less than an inning as the All-Stars answered with a run of their own off Taiwan starter Ni Fu-te (倪福德) in the bottom of the third, courtesy of a triple by Erick Aybar (Los Angeles Angels), to score Emilio Bonifacio (Florida Marlins) all the way from first base to tie the game at 1-all.
Neither team managed to score in the fourth and fifth with reliever Chen Yu-hsun (陳禹勳) holding the visitors scoreless despite giving up a double and a single in the fourth and fifth respectively, and Gee pitching perfect throughout the same span before being relieved in the bottom of the sixth.
However, Chen’s luck finally ran out in the sixth as he walked the leadoff man and gave up a double to Robinson Cano (New York Yankees) to put two runners in scoring position to set up Morse’s two-run single that gave his team a 3-1 advantage.
Taiwan scored one more run in the seventh with Lan Yin-lun (藍寅倫) stretching a double into a triple off reliever Trevor Bell (Los Angeles Angels) to set up Lin Chia-yo’s (林加祐) RBI fielder’s choice, but that was as close as they got as they came up empty-handed in the eighth and ninth.
Picking up the win with two innings of one-run relief was Bell, while Chen was tagged with the loss for serving up Morse’s game-winning hit.
The “Pride of Taiwan,” Wang Chien-ming (王建民) of the Washington Nationals, will represent his country in the series finale this afternoon at 2pm when he takes the mound against Jeremy Guthrie (Baltimore Orioles) in a matchup of Major Leaguers at the Chengcing Lake stadium.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College