Lin Yi-chuan’s walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth broke a 2-2 deadlock as the EDA Rhinos scored two unanswered runs to edge past the Lamigo Monkeys 3-2 at home at the Chengcing Lake Baseball Field in Kaohsiung last night to clinch the three-game set.
The line drive shot over the right-center wall brought the crowd to its feet, capping an otherwise frustrating night for the EDA offense, which managed to plate only a pair of runs on the dozen hits it dialed up off a Lamigo pitching staff that pitched into and out of trouble on more than one occasion to keep it a 2-2 game through the top of the ninth.
“I’d like to thank the fans for sticking with us over the years. This [home run] is for you,” Lin said after being unanimously voted as MVP of the game for his series-clinching blast.
Photo: Chang Chung-i, Taipei Times
Prior to his late-game heroics, the Rhinos had squandered two golden scoring opportunities by stranding two in the seventh and eighth after placing runners in scoring position in both innings.
The hosts drew first blood in the bottom of the second, when Lin Tsung-nan singled off Lamigo starter Wang Yi-cheng and scored two batters later on Chen Kai-lun’s single to left. The Rhinos loaded up the bases in the same inning, before Wang struck out Kao Kuo-hui to keep the Rhinos from doing further damage.
After three scoreless frames against the stellar pitching of Rhinos starter Ni Fu-teh, the visitors finally got on the board in the top of the fourth with Lin Chih-sheng’s two-out double that scored the runner all the way from first to even things up at 1-1.
The Primates took their first lead of the game in the top of the sixth, when Lan Ying-lun led off the inning with a blooper single to left, reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Yu The-lung and scored on Lin Chih-ping’s RBI single.
The 2-1 Lamigo lead lasted less than an inning as the home squad promptly returned the favor by producing the equalizer in similar fashion, courtesy of Lin Cuen-sheng’s run-scoring single off Ni that made it 2-2 a score that stood until the bottom of the ninth before Lin Yi-chuan’s game-winning homer.
Picking up the win was Rhinos closer Luo Chia-ren, who tossed a scoreless ninth, despite giving up one hit to beat his counterpart, Lin Po-yo, who served up the game-winning shot for his second loss of the year.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS