The Rakuten Monkeys rallied to post three late runs for another close win, prevailing 5-3 over the Uni-President Lions yesterday as Taiwan’s second-half CPBL season got started with lower scoring output, but exciting finishes.
It was Rakuten’s third win in a row.
In two games this week, they seized victory in dramatic fashion with their last at-bat and have drawn level with the CTBC Brothers on top of the table after yesterday’s results, 0.5 games in front of the Fubon Guardians and 1.5 games ahead of the Lions.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
It was tied at 1-1 early, with Rakuten hosting the Lions at the Taoyuan Intenational Stadium yesterday.
The visitors piled on two runs in the top of fourth to go ahead 3-1, but in the bottom of the inning, Rakuten first baseman Chen “My Show” Chun-hsiu blasted a solo homer to close the gap to run.
Shut down by stellar pitching on both sides, the scoreline remained the same through to the seventh frame, when Rakuten designated hitter Lin “Chubby Kid” Hong-yi slapped a single to get on base.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Liao Chien-fu in the next at-bat drilled the ball over the right-field fence for a two-run homer, giving his team their first lead at 4-3.
In the bottom of eighth, Chen drove another run in with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3 for the home side.
Closer Chen Yu-hsun got the call at the top of ninth. He had control problems, issuing a walk and a single to the Lions, but got a fly-out and struck out two to record his seventh save.
Photo: Liao Yau-tung, Taipei Times
In the other game last night, the Brothers left it even later with a run in the 10th inning to edge the Guardians 3-2 at the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium.
After trading early runs, it was tied at 2-2 without further scoring through to the regulation ninth inning, with the visitors unable to get their offense going.
With one out, designated hitter Lin Chih-sheng took an issued walk and the coaches insert pinch-runner Lin Shu-yi on first before outfielder Chang Chih-hao delivered a clutch hit with a long ball to right field.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Lin Shu-yi raced around the bases to snatch the victory.
It was not only the Monkeys who won with final at-bats this week, as the Brothers also left it late.
On Friday in Taoyuan, the Monkeys entered the bottom of ninth trailing 2-1 against the Lions, when Lin Hong-yu knocked in a run with a shot up the middle.
One batter later, with two runners on, but facing two outs, second baseman Kuo Yen-wen broke out of a slump, ripping a shot to right field and driving in the winning run in a 3-2 win.
The Brothers also won with their last at-bat on Friday after their contest against the Guardians went into ninth inning tied at 3-3.
The hosts put a runner on third to give designated hitter Chou Ssu-chi the stage.
He ripped a shot down the first-base line, which allowed the go-ahead run in a 4-3 victory in Taichung.
On Wednesday, Rakuten were facing defeat heading into the bottom of ninth, with the Brothers in front 7-6.
However, facing Brothers closer C.C. Lee, a former MLB pitcher who also played in Japan, they got a man on base with a walk.
Their last batter, Chen Chun-hsiu, tagged Lee with a cannon shot to straight center for a two-run homer and an 8-7 win.
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