The Uni-President Lions defeated the CTBC Brothers 7-4 to win the Taiwan Series in Game 7 at the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium last night.
The Lions made an improbable comeback after trailing 3-1 in the series, but delivered in the clutch with three straight wins in the pressure-packed CPBL championship finals.
It was a sweet victory for the Lions, as it was seven years since they last won the series, and was their 10th championship title in the franchise’s history.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
The result also kept alive a rumor that Taiwanese teams operated by banks and large financial corporations are cursed, as none have ever won a CPBL championship title.
Cuban lefty pitcher Ariel Miranda took the mound for the CTBC Brothers, in a duel against the starting pitcher for the Lions, US right-hander Teddy Stankiewicz.
It was fitting that Miranda opened the season final, as he also opened the CPBL campaign in Taichung on April 12, when Taiwan become the first nation in the world to launch its pro baseball season this year, after the COVID-19 pandemic had caused all major sports to be shut down.
In the opening frame, the Lions pounced on outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien’s double to drive in one run, and followed up in their next turn at bat, taking another run when catcher Lin Yo-le hit an RBI single.
In the third frame, with men at the corners, third baseman Chen Yung-chi slapped a bouncer for a ground-out, but it brought one runner home, taking the Lions to 3-0.
In the bottom of the third inning, CTBC’s offense woke up, with outfielder Chen Tzu-hao opening the account to chalk up one run on an RBI single.
CTBC then scored three more runs, to nose ahead 4-3 at the end of the third inning.
Miranda and Stankiewicz were still on the mound in the seventh frame, when momentum shifted back to the Lions. They had runners on the bases and picked up a run on a wild pitch by Miranda to level the game 4-4.
Another RBI-single saw the Lions retake the lead at 5-4.
Miranda was then replaced by CTBC second pitcher Huang En-shih to face Chen Chieh-hsien, who won the CPBL batting title this year for having the best average and most hits.
Huang lost the battle, when with one man on and facing a full count, Chen Chieh-hsien connected on a fastball, sending it over the wall at right field for a two-run homer, which took the score to 7-4.
It was Chen Chieh-hsien’s only home run in this year’s Taiwan Series, but it will be remembered, as it clinched the game.
Canadian pitcher Brock Dykxhoorn then tossed two scoreless innings, preserving the win for the Lions.
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
The Greek basketball league finals between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos were suspended by the government on Monday following on-court scuffles involving rival security teams. The best-of-five series is at 1-1. The third game, scheduled for today, has been postponed. The owners of both clubs were summoned to meet with the country’s sports minister. They “will be asked to provide explicit guarantees that this situation will be brought to an end. If not, this year’s championship will be definitively canceled,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said. “There can be no tolerance for such pathological phenomena of violence and delinquency.” In online posts, the owners of Panathinaikos and
Defender Steph Catley says her UEFA Women’s Champions League title win with Arsenal last week will act as motivation to secure continental glory with Australia when the country hosts the Women’s Asian Cup next year. Catley and compatriots Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross were part of the Arsenal squad that defeated Barcelona in Lisbon on Sunday last week, before flying to Melbourne to feature in the Matildas’ 2-0 win over Argentina on Friday. The game was the first in a two-match series against the South Americans as the Australians continue preparations for the continental championship in March next year, when they would
RSS