With the Taiwan Series to begin on Saturday, first-half winners the Lamigo Monkeys are to enjoy a home-field advantage as they take on the Brothers Baseball Club, Chinese Professional Baseball League officials announced yesterday on releasing the post-season schedule.
The Brothers had a string of wins down the final stretch last week, winning three out of four games, to clinch the second-half title and a post-season berth.
For the best-of-seven Taiwan Series, the Monkeys are to host the Brothers at the Taoyuan International Stadium for Game 1 on Saturday and Game 2 on Sunday, both with a 5pm start, the officials said.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
The Fubon Guardians had a slim chance of grabbing a post-season berth before they lost to the Brothers 3-8 on Tuesday last week. They were eliminated as contenders when the Monkeys thrashed the Brothers 15-4 on Thursday.
In the final game of the regular season on Saturday, the visiting Brothers cruised to a 14-5 victory over the Monkeys in Taoyuan.
The game determined the top batters and pitchers for the season.
Monkeys first baseman Chu Yu-hsien blasted a solo homer, his 30th dinger of the season, with which he clinched the title of home run king, followed by the Guardians’ Lin Yi-chuan and the Uni-President Lions’ Su Chi-chieh with 27 homers apiece.
In his fourth season, Chu had his best year at the plate for the Monkeys. He topped the league for most hits with 159 and was in second for total RBIs with 105, three behind the Guardians’ Lin, who was first for RBIs with 108.
“I thank the coaches and fans for their confidence in me, but I must concentrate on the Taiwan Series to win the championship for my team,” said Chu, who has been selected to play for the national squad in next month’s Premier 12 tourney, a qualifier for next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
Monkeys shortstop Lin Li took the title of batting king with an average of 0.389, followed by Monkeys slugger Chen Chun-hsiu with 0.381 and Brothers outfielder Chan Tzu-hsien with 0.351.
Monkeys fireballer Radhames Liz of the Dominican Republic, in his first season in Taiwan, ended the season as the pitcher with the most wins (16-6).
Guardians right-hander Mike Loree, in his seventh season in Taiwan, chalked up an ERA of 2.78, the lowest among league pitchers, while his 12-9 record placed him second in wins behind Liz.
In the race for strike-outs, Liz finished first with 179 for the season, followed by Loree with 167.
Among relief pitchers, the Lions’ Chen Yun-wen registered the most saves, 24 for the season, followed by the Guardians’ Chen Hung-wen with 20.
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