The Uni-President Lions yesterday stayed alive in the Taiwan Series, shutting out the CTBC Brothers 6-0 in Tainan.
With the Brothers ahead in the series 3-1, the Lions started the game with Canadian right-hander Brock Dykxhoorn, while Dominican pitcher Esmil Rogers started for CTBC.
The Lions ignited their offense in the second inning after two outs against Rogers, with second baseman Lin Ching-kai tapping a liner for a single, followed by shortstop Lin Chu-chieh battling Rogers for a walk.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
With players on the first and second bases, catcher Lin Yu-le slammed a shot toward outfield for a double, driving both runners home for the Lions to take a two-run lead.
The Lions cranked out a sustained rally of runs in the bottom of the fifth, with outfielder Tang Chao-ting leading off with an infield single to take second base, and veteran Pan Wu-hsiung delivering an RBI-single to bring Tang home.
After another batter was walked to put two runners on bases, third baseman Pan Chieh-kai ripped a shot toward left field for a double, knocking in another two runs, and sending Rogers to the showers, as CTBC brought in relief pitcher Chen Po-hao.
Photo: Huang Chih-yuan, Taipei Times
One out later, Lions shortstop Lin Chu-chieh slapped a bouncer up the middle for an RBI-single, pushing another runner across home plate for the Lions to nab four runs in the fifth.
In Wednesday night’s game, the Brothers held a 6-0 lead over the Lions heading into the eighth inning, scoring three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings in Tainan.
The Lions finally broke out in the bottom of the eighth inning, when third baseman Kuo Fu-lin connected on a high fastball from CTBC reliever Cheng Kai-wen for a solo shot, to open the account.
In the ninth, CTBC brought in closer C.C. Lee, who has played for the Cleveland Indians in the US and Japan’s Seibu Lions.
The Lions stayed alive when outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien lined a single into center field, and facing two outs, Taiwanese-Argentine slugger Lin An-ko teed off on a change-up from Lee, smashing it over the wall for a two-run homer, and for Lions to claw back to within three runs.
However, Lee struck out pinch hitter Tang, ending the game at 6-3, giving the Brothers their third win to hold the series lead.
Lions manager Lin Yueh-ping lauded the opposition.
“CTBC had quite a number of nice plays on defense, turning hits into outs against us. Overall, through the first four games, CTBC have been good with their pitching, hitting and defense, which has made a big different in the series,” he said.
“This series is an experience to go through, and everyone wants to come out ahead, but to win the title, it is up to fate,” he added.
“If we lose the Series, it is not like losing out in life. It cannot be any worse than when I laid in a sickbed in the hospital,” he said, referring to when he underwent open-heart surgery in 2007 when he was a pitcher for the Lions, which sidelined him for most of the season.
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