Taiwanese and international sports media lauded slugger Chu Yu-hsien of the Rakuten Monkeys, dubbing him “the new Babe Ruth” and “the world’s home run king” after he blasted another shot out of the ballpark to bring his season total to eight in eight games, but their pitching woes continued as they lost two to the Uni-President Lions over the weekend.
Although Rakuten’s first baseman has had hot hands to start the season, he cooled off somewhat last night, picking up only one hit in four at-bats as his team slumped to second straight defeat to the roaring Lions.
The Monkeys on Friday had made history with their seventh consecutive win, breaking their own 2011 record of six wins to start a season, behind a pitching gem by starter Wang Yi-cheng in a 14-4 rout of the Lions in Tainan.
Photo: Huang Chih-yuan, Taipei Times
However, the Lions have awoken from their early-season slumber, scoring 20 runs over the weekend against Rakuten pitching staff and winning 12-5 yesterday.
MORE FANS
Chu gained more fans around the world when with one runner on, he unloaded on an offering from Lions’ lefty Ryan Feierabend, sending it into the stands over right field.
Photo: Huang Chih-yuan, Taipei Times
Taiwan commentators and netizens said that all of his homers have been from Lions’ pitchers, but no matter how it was done, Chu was the hottest star in baseball.
US sports media have labeled him “the new Babe Ruth,” after the US Major League Baseball star of the early 20th century, for his home run exploits.
Chu led in all of the offense categories in the CPBL, topping the charts with eight dingers, along with 17 RBIs, a batting average of .514 and 18 hits.
Photo: CNA
His form has continued from last year, when he won the League MVP award.
His exploits have led to attention in Japan, where fans are watching the action in Taiwan with the Nippon Baseball League suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japanese sports journalists said many of their baseball fans are excited by Chu’s slugging power and have suggested that a Japanese team sign him.
SATURDAY GAME
In Saturday’s game, Rakuten went ahead 7-2 early on, but the Lions chipped away and were behind 7-6 in the ninth frame when they rocked Rakuten closer Chen Yu-hsuen with two runs for a thrilling comeback win to finish at 8-7 for the home team.
In New Taipei City yesterday, the Fubon Guardians hit three homers to edge out the CTBC Brothers 5-4, with closer Chen Hung-wen chalking up a save in the final inning at the Sinjuang Stadium.
The Guardians celebrated at home, with catcher Tai Pei-feng, first baseman Fan Kuo-chen and slugger Chiang Chih-hsien hitting homers.
In Saturday’s game, it was the Brothers’ pitchers who held firm late, producing a 6-5 win.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
RSS