Home runs helped the Chinatrust Brothers complete a three-game sweep of the Uni-President Lions and claim first-place in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) second-half table.
In the weekend’s other match, the visiting Lamigo Monkeys took two out of three in the series against the EDA Rhinos at Kaohsiung’s Cheng Ching Lake Baseball Stadium. Lamigo infielder Kuo Yen-wen saw his record hitting streak stopped at the series opener on Friday when he went zero-for-four on the night.
A new CPBL record of hitting home runs in 11 consecutive games was set by the Brothers, who will look to extend the streak in contests this week.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
In the series finale against the Lions in Taichung on Sunday night, the Brothers’ left-handed hitters did most of the damage in their victory.
Right fielder Chang Cheng-wei, third baseman Hsu Hung-chi and center fielder Chang Chih-hao each cranked out one home run early in the game.
The Brothers seized a quick 6-0 lead by the second inning, on their way to a 9-6 triumph over the Lions. Young right-hander Cheng Kai-wen bagged his ninth win of the season by surrendering only one run in 6-1/3 innings against the Lions.
“Everyone has contributed to our recent winning streak. Our coaches have reminded the players to focus on pitch selection, and to not leave runners in scoring positions. I hope the home runs keep coming, because our goal is to capture the second-half title,” Brothers coach Wu Fu-lian said after the game.
On Saturday, veteran cleanup man Peng Cheng-min’s late homer proved the difference for the Brothers, as they edged the Lions by one run.
Peng, the team’s talismanic leader, opened the account for his first blast of the season to settle the game in the eighth inning with the score level at seven apiece.
Peng drove a shot over the centerfield fence, giving the Brothers an 8-7 victory.
Jim Negrych of the US and left-handed slugger Chou Ssu-chi also homered for the Brothers in the contest.
On Sunday in Kaohsiung, the Lamigo Monkeys left it late, recording one run apiece in the eighth and ninth frame to defeat the EDA Rhinos 3-2. Lamigo right-hander Wang Yi-cheng secured his 10th win, giving up two runs over eight innings.
In the second game of the series on Saturday, the Monkeys defeated the Rhinos 4-2, with homers by the Monkeys’ Lin Hung-yu, and the Rhinos’ Lin Yi-chuan and Kao Kuo-hui.
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