Rookie second baseman Kao Kuo-ching's grand slam in the bottom of the first gave the President Lions an early lead that eventually turned into a 6-5 win over La New Bears.
The victory helped avoid what would have an embarrassing three-game sweep of the Lions on their own field by the new-and-improved Bears.
Following their trouncing of the Lions on Thursday and Saturday night by scores of 7-1 and 7-2, the Bears were geared up for their first series sweep of the season.
Even after Kao's first-innings grand slam, the Bears were able to keep their composure and score four straight of their own in the top of the third to trail the Lions 5-4.
The Bears would tie the game up at five-all in the top of the sixth on leadoff man Huang Long-yi's RBI single to short, before the Lions returned the favor and brought home the game-winner on 15-year veteran Chen Cheng-hsien's run-scoring double down the third base line.
Starter Manny Aybar of the Dominican Republic got the win by allowing five runs (only one earned) on as many hits in six solid innings of work, before reliever Michael Garcia one-hit the Bears in three scoreless innings for his second save of the season. It was a historic victory for the Lions as they became the first team in the league to reach the 700-win plateau.
The Macoto Cobras avenged their lopsided 11-2 loss to the Chinatrust Whales on Friday night with two close victories on Saturday and Sunday to win their first series by a 2-1 margin.
Cobra designated hitter Chen Ching-yi (
Starter Yang Chi-jia (楊騏嘉) was immaculate in his first win of the season, as the third-year hurler allowed one run on four hits in six outstanding innings of work.
The Whales would put the game-tying run on in the top of the ninth against Cobra closer Huang Chin-chih (黃欽智), after Huang had walked two and yielded a run on a bases-loaded grounder by Tung Chung-hui (童琮輝).
The former triple crown winner of the Taiwan Major League then fanned the batter for the last out of the game, giving his team their first series of the season.
Friday night's contest was decided after two innings, as the Whale hitters chased Cobra starter Lin Ying-jeh (林英傑) with six quick runs. Lin's counterpart Hsieh Cheng-hsun (謝承勳) pitched his best game thus far by allowing two runs on five hits in the complete-game victory for the Whales. On Saturday night the Cobras edged the Whales 2-1.
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