Wang Chuan-jia's lining single to the right-center gap in the bottom of the 10th scored the game-winner for the Macoto Cobras as they overcame a two-run deficit in the ninth to beat the President Lions 5-4 in an extra inning at Hsinchu on Wednesday night.
The 34-year-old veteran slugger, who played in his 1,000th career game on Wednesday, made sure his former club (he was released by the Lions after last season) realized the impact of letting him go by going 2-for-5 in the game with a leadoff solo home run in the fourth and the game-winning hit in the 10th in a game-MVP performance.
Amaury Garcia's two-out blooper to left off Lions closer Tseng Yi-cheng that could not be fielded by leftfielder Yang Song-hsuen, who slipped on the wet field during the play, was ruled a double that scored the Cobras' first run of the inning. Then came pinch-hitter Chen Keh-fang's one-run single that scored another run to tie the game at four-all.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MACOTO COBRAS
The contest began on a slippery field with the Lions scoring three quick runs in the opening inning on back-to-back RBI doubles by outfielders Lin "Wild Hog" Hong-yuan and Kuo Dai-chi off Macoto rookie starter Chang Hsien-chih.
The Cobras would get one run back in the bottom of the first on cleanup man Hsieh "the Ugly" Jia-shien's run-scoring double to make it 3-1 in favor of the Lions.
After Wang's fourth-inning solo blast cut the Lions lead to 3-2, the Lions would tag on what seemed like an insurance run in the top of the ninth off Lee, setting the table for the Cobras' game-tying two-run rally and the eventual triumph.
Reliever Lee Ming-chin was credited with the win for tossing two innings of one-run ball on a pair of singles in his first victory of the season, while Lions closer Tseng took the tough loss for surrendering the three straight runs on six hits in blowing his first save of the year.
Whales 8, Bears 4 Whales 2, Bears 1
The Chinatrust Whales opened their four-game visit to the La New Bears in Kaohsiung with a pair of sound victories earlier this week, starting with Tuesday night's 8-4 win before edging past the league-leaders in a 2-1 decision on Wednesday.
Four ninth-inning runs by the marine creatures negated what had been a valiant comeback by the Bears to force a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth, as Chinatrust doubled up on the home Bears in the 8-4 final on Tuesday.
First baseman Pan Chung-wei's ill-advised throw to third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by the Whales scored both runners before Wang Yi-min's one-run double and a wild pitch by Bears reliever Lin Shih-chin tagged on two more runs to up the Whales lead to four.
Pan ended up being the goat for the game, even though it was his solo homer in the bottom of the eighth that brought the Bears back from down a run to force a 4-4 tie at the time.
Dominican set-up man Edwin Minaya earned his first win of the season for pitching two innings of one-run relief.
He actually failed to convert a save opportunity for allowing Pan's game-tying homer in the eighth before the offense bailed him out with the ninth-inning runs to gift wrap the win for him.
Three costly errors by the Bears ultimately led to five unearned runs for the Whales, dropping the Bears' lead over the second-place Brother Elephants to only two games in the standings.
Wednesday's game featured a classic pitchers' duel between the Whales' Tseng Jau-hao and April's Pitcher of the Month, Kenny Rayborn of the Bears.
Tseng Han-chou's bases-loaded walk off Rayborn forced home the first run of the game in the top of the fifth before Kao Jung-chiang's sacrifice fly to center gave the Whales a 2-0 advantage.
Tseng Jau-hao scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings to take a shutout into the eighth before Shih Chih-wei's opposite-field double down the first-base line scored Chen Fong-min for the Bears' first run of the contest.
Ace closer Dario Veras entered the game with two outs in the eighth and got the final four outs for his fifth save of the season, preserving the win for Tseng.
Offensively for the Bears, top hitter Chen Chin-fong's 10-day absence due to a pulled abdominal muscle and RBI man Todd Betts' early exist from the game due to an unspecified injury in the fourth inning might have dealt the league's top offense a serious blow, as their run production dropped in the wake of three tough series against the Elephants, the Cobras and the Bulls later this month.
American League
Alex Rodriguez snapped an 0-for-12 batting skid with a RBI single in the 10th inning, helping the New York Yankees finish a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Wednesday.
Rodriguez, who has two hits in his last 18 at-bats broke a 2-2 tie with a line drive to centerfield off Ruddy Lugo, driving in Johnny Damon, who led off the 10th with a ground-rule double off Tyler Walker (0-2). Hideki Matsui followed with a RBI single to make it 4-2.
Kyle Farnsworth (1-0), the fourth of five Yankees pitchers, worked 1 1-3 scoreless innings to get the victory. Mariano Rivera pitched the 10th for his fifth save in six opportunities.
Tomas Perez hit a two-run homer off Jaret Wright to give the Devil Rays a 2-0 lead in the fifth. Jorge Posada and Miguel Cairo drove in runs to make it 2-2 in the seventh.
Tigers 2, Angels 1
At Detroit, Alexis Gomez hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and Detroit beat slumping Los Angeles to extend its winning streak to six.
Brandon Inge homered to tie the score in the sixth, then walked with one out in the eighth against former Tiger Jeff Weaver (1-4). Inge advanced on Ramon Santiago's forceout, Scot Shields relieved and, with two outs, Gomez singled to center.
Twins 6, Royals 1
At Minneapolis, Brad Radke pitched his best game of the season, allowing four hits in seven innings to lead Minnesota over reeling Kansas City.
The Royals, on their second losing streak of six games or more this season, are 0-12 on the road this year, one shy of the record for most consecutive road losses at the start of a season, set by the 1969 Houston Astros and 1988 Baltimore Orioles.
Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6
At Boston, Russ Adams snapped an 0-for-14 slump with a tiebreaking double in the ninth off previously perfect Jonathan Papelbon to lead Toronto over Boston.
Boston tied it 6-all in the eighth, but with Papelbon pitching in the ninth, Lyle Overbay led off with his fourth hit of the night. Gregg Zaun singled one out later, and Adams doubled down the right-field line.
Rangers 2, Orioles 1, 12 innings
At Arlington, Texas, Mark DeRosa homered with one out in the 12th inning to lift Texas over Baltimore.
DeRosa, in his fourth game back from the disabled list, hit a full-count pitch off John Halama (1-1) to right-center field, giving the Rangers their 10th win in 13 games.
White Sox 6, Mariners 5, 11 innings
At Chicago, Pablo Ozuna hit his first major league homer to tie the game with two outs in the ninth and then scored the winning run in the 11th on Juan Uribe's single as Chicago beat Seattle.
Ozuna hit a ball through the middle with two outs in the 11th off Jake Woods (1-1) and then kept running, making second for a double. Uribe then dumped a single into shallow center and Ozuna scored easily as the White Sox won for the 18th time in 22 games. Bobby Jenks (1-0) got the win after getting out of a tight jam in the 11th.
Indians 14, Athletics 3
At Oakland, California, Casey Blake hit a three-run homer in a nine-run seventh inning, and Travis Hafner had four RBIs as Cleveland ended Oakland's season-best, five-game winning streak.
Paul Byrd (4-2) pitched seven strong innings to beat the A's for the first time in his career after going 0-4 in seven previous starts against them. Jason Michaels went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and rookie Kelly Shoppach hit a two-run single in the seventh for his first career RBIs. Jhonny Peralta had three hits for the Indians, who stretched the top of the seventh out for roughly 40 minutes.
National League
Barry Bonds didn't get any closer to catching Babe Ruth after being hit in the head during batting practice. Instead it was Pedro Feliz who went deep, and Jason Schmidt pitched a gem to lead the San Francisco Giants over the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 on Wednesday.
Bonds remained at 712 home runs, two shy of matching Ruth for second place in Major League Baseball's career list.
Schmidt (2-2) outpitched Dave Bush (2-3), scattering five hits and striking out seven for his ninth career shutout.
He retired 13 of 14 during one stretch. However, he got in trouble in the ninth, giving up singles to Brady Clark and Jenkins. Clark advanced to third on a fielder's choice but Schmidt struck out Prince Fielder to end the game.
Bush allowed three hits in eight innings, but one was the two-run homer by Feliz in the second. He struck out six while walking none.
Mets 4, Pirates 3, 12 innings
At New York, Carlos Delgado homered leading off the 12th inning, lifting New York over Pittsburgh after another blown save by Billy Wagner cost Pedro Martinez his sixth win.
Phillies 5, Braves 4
At Philadelphia, Aaron Rowand's two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted Philadelphia to its third straight comeback victory.
The Phillies have won a season-high four straight games and are one game under .500 at 13-14 for the first time since they lost their opener.
Astros 5, Cardinals 4
At Houston, Roy Oswalt pitched eight strong innings and Lance Berkman drove in three runs to lead Houston over St. Louis.
Rockies 3, Reds 0
At Denver, Jeff Francis allowed four hits over seven innings for his first win in six starts this season and Colorado beat Cincinnati to end a two-game losing streak.
Marlins 6, Nationals 5
At Washington, hours after Major League Baseball finally picked someone to buy the Nationals, Florida rookie Hanley Ramirez delivered a go-ahead, pinch-hit RBI single off Washington closer Chad Cordero in the ninth to help the Marlins end a five-game losing streak.
Diamondbacks 5, Cubs 1
At Phoenix, Chad Tracy hit a three-run home run and Arizona continued its dominance of Greg Maddux in win over Chicago.
Padres 11, Dodgers 5
At Los Angeles, Josh Barfield hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in a five-run eighth inning, and San Diego beat Los Angeles to extend its winning streak to four.
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