After a disappointing first half of the season (24-3-23), the President Lions appear to have pulled things together in the second half to make a serious run for the title.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Amid a five-game winning streak, the Lions have won 10 of the past 13 games with a 4.5-run average margin of victory in those wins. Contributing four of those 10 wins is former major leaguer John Frascatore of Ozone Park, New York (4-2 with a 2.05 ERA).
Frascatore joined the Lions in June and was initially treated to a couple of tough losses against the league-leading Brother Elephants and the first-half champs Sinon Bulls. Winless in his first two games, the 33-year-old right-hander has since settled in and won the next four contests by allowing a total of four runs in those games, slashing his ERA from over 5 to 2.05.
In addition to his low earned-run average, Frascatore's 45 strikeouts in 44 innings put him at the same level as strikeout leader Osvaldo Martinez of the Bulls, who has fanned 133 hitters in 123 innings this season.
Experts attribute Frascatore's success to his power and control. His ability to get ahead early in the count gives him the edge against hitters and is the main reason that he has only issued seven walks so far.
"Frascatore has a devastating slider,"Lions catcher Tseng Chih-cheng (
Round Up
Riding its three-game sweep of the Makoto Gida last week, the Lions continued their winning ways as they beat the Chinatrust Whales in the series opener in Tainan on Tuesday by a score of 2-1.
Lions starter John Burgos went the distance in a winning effort for the home team as he allowed one run on five hits while striking out seven.
The American left-hander took a shutout into the ninth before yielding a run-scoring double to Whales catcher Shih Chin-sho (
Doing the damage on the offensive front was Tseng Yang-chih (
The lack of run support dealt Whales starter Hsieh Cheng-hsun (
Game 2 of the series featured another quality start for Lions starter John Frascatore, who seems to have turned his game up a notch, going 4-0 in his last four starts.
Frascatore followed his complete-game victory against the Gida last week with a 5-0 rout of the Whales Wednesday.
The former major leaguer allowed eight hits in as many innings to go with 11 strikeouts before handing the game to closer Tsao Jung-yang (曹竣揚) in the ninth inning.
Offensively for the Lions, the night belonged to designated hitter Lou Ming-ching, whose solo home-run blast off of reliever Liu Yu-jan (
The victories put the Lions ahead of the Bulls in the standings and only one game behind the Elephants.
Upcoming Games
Two of the three games between the Bulls and the First Securities Agan take place in Taichung yesterday and today before they do battle in Hsinchu on Sunday.
Bulls' pitcher Jeff Andra will look to extend his league-high victory total to 14.
The Lions will finish the four-game homestand in Tainan against the Whales today and tomorrow. Two more victories by the Lions, coupled with two Elephant losses could mean the lead in the league standings for the streaky Lions.
The Elephants will take on the Gida in Hsinchuang today and Sunday, with another game to be played in Tienmu tomorrow.
Japanese right-hander Yokota Hisanori will have to beat a charged-up Gida team if he wants to get his 13th win of the season.
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