Taiwan got under way in Group A at the WSBC Premier 12 baseball competition last night, getting off to an easy start on some wild play from Italy and easing to a comfortable 7-1 win.
Italy brought no pressure in the first as Yang Dai-kang was walked and then scored after Kuo Yen-wen singled when a throwing error allowed both to advance. Kuo then came home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
Lin Chih-sheng hit a home run to left field in the third frame and Lin Yi-chuan made it home in the fourth, getting on base with a double and carving out a four-run lead after a single by Yang, who stole second and third, but was unable to add to the score, despite there being no outs.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Italy’s Alex Sambucci homered to left center in the fifth.
The two Lins combined in the seventh, both hitting singles, before being brought home by Chen Chun-hsiu, who singled to left center.
Shortstop Kuo slammed a home run over the left-field wall in the ninth inning to complete the scoring.
Kuo Chun-lin was credited with the win, pitching seven innings and giving up two hits.
Chen Yu-hsun and Chen Hung-wen threw one inning each.
In other games yesterday, Cuba beat the Netherlands 6-5, Venezuela beat the US 7-5, South Korea eased to a 10-1 victory over the Dominican Republic, while Puerto Rico were defeated 2-0 by Canada.
In Group B, cohosts Japan defeated Mexico 6-5.
Additional reporting by Jason Pan
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