Last night's contest between the visiting Taichung Agan and the Kaohsiung Fala in Kaohsiung started out like many other Agan games, where the regular season champions jumped to an early lead.
However, unlike the result of most Agan games, the last laugh this time belonged to the opposing team.
The Fala, in their 7-2 rout of the Agan, won the game on a six-run sixth. Agan starter Lee Ming-ching (李明進) took a 2-0 shutout into the sixth, before surrendering six runs to the Fala. All of the six runs were scored after Lee had gotten two quick outs to start the inning off. Then, everything that could have gone wrong for the Agan, did.
It began as a harmless fielding error by Agan's first baseman Hsieh Chia-chien (謝佳賢) that put a runner on first. Then two singles, followed by Agan third baseman Kuo Ming-jen's (郭銘仁) costly throwing error that cost the team three runs and gave the Fala a 3-2 lead.
To make matters worse, Fala's designated hitter Cheng Ching-yi (鄭景益) launched a towering three-run blast over the right field fence to increase the Fala's lead to 6-2. With the six runs in the sixth, Fala manager Hsu Shen-ming (徐生明) decided to rest his starter Lee Fong-hua (李風華), who held a potent Agan lineup to just two runs over six innings and was eligible for the win.
Hsu called on reliever Lee Yi-nan (李逸楠) to finish the game and Lee properly responded by giving up only one hit in three innings of relief duty on his way to record his fourth save of the season.
The Fala victory was a great way to celebrate their guaranteed second-placed finish in their league, since the Chiayi Luka lost to the Taipei Gida the night before.
The two teams will take the field once again tonight in a highly anticipated game, with the Agan desperate to avenge last night's embarrassing loss.
By Richard Wang
Contributing Reporter
The rain dictated the rhythm of the Bulls-Lions game that was held last night in Kaohsiung Stadium, but the Bulls managed to win the game with a score of 4-1.
The Bulls sent Ho Chee-shien (何紀賢) to the mound against the Lions' new foreign pitcher, Isreal Lomeli. The Lions scored one run on the top of the third with two hits and one sacrifice bunt to lead the Bulls with the score at 1-0.
The Bulls struck back in the fourth inning. Lomeli walked the Bulls' leadoff, Cheng Chao-hung (鄭兆行) and loaded first and second base when Tseng Yang-yeuh (曾揚岳) was at-bat.
The one-one tie was broken at bottom of the fifth when Tzeng Hua-wei (曾華偉) hit a solo home run to the left bleacher to score the go-ahead run. Huang Chung-yee (黃忠義), the current batting champ, also launched another long shot to let the Bulls lead with the score at 3-1. With Chang Tai-shan (張泰山) and Cheng Chao-hung (鄭兆行) each contributing a hit, the Bulls scored a total of three runs in the fifth inning to lead the Lions 4-1. But, with two out and no one in and the Bulls still batting, the rain came down hard to force the game to a standstill. After a 40-minute delay the league called the game in favor of the Bulls and the Lions were left defeated -- for the second time this week. The two teams will play the last game of the three-game series in the same venue.
Today the Lions will play the Bulls again at Kaohsiung, starting at 6:35pm. The Elephants will play the Whales at Hsinchuang, starting 6:35pm. These game will both be broadcast live on VideoLand Sports and ET FM Radio.
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