Make-up games continued this week, with the Uni-President Lions edging past the Sinon Bulls 4-3 at the Taichung Municipal Baseball Stadium on Wednesday night.
It was a big win for the visiting Cats, not only because starter Kenny Rayborn managed to pitch out of several jams to allow just one run on nine hits over six frames in preparation for the upcoming Taiwan Series, but also because it gave skipper Lu Wen-sheng a chance to substitute his players more freely in the game without much risk of losing.
Starting catcher Kao Chih-kang got a chance to play in the leftfield for the second straight game, while Shih Jin-dien and Hsu Sheng-jeh were able to play at second and third base, respectively, to give Lu a different perspective on his lineup in the hunt for his third straight title.
PHOTO: LIAO YAO-TUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Pan Wu-hsiung’s RBI double in the top of the first got the Lions on the board in a hurry as they led it 3-0 through the fourth by tacking on a pair of runs in the fourth.
Held scoreless after four innings despite ripping a half-dozen hits off Rayborn in the process, the Sinon offense finally managed to score in the fifth on the strength of an RBI groundout by Chang Jien-ming after they had loaded up the bases with two singles and a walk.
The Lions scored a run in the seventh to make it 4-1. This turned out to be crucial, as the Bulls struck back with a run in the bottom of the same inning that cut the lead to 4-2 before a pitch by Lions reliever Lin Cheng-fong sailed wide to score the runner from third in the eighth inning, making it 4-3.
But that was as close as the Bulls got as Lions closer Lin Yueh-ping tossed a scoreless ninth to preserve the fifth win of the year for Rayborn.
BEARS 4, ELEPHANTS 1
The La New Bears vented some of their frustration in missing the postseason after losing out after a heated pursuit by defeating the Brother Elephants at the Chiayi Municipal Baseball Stadium on Wednesday evening.
It was the second straight loss for the Elephants after they clinched the second-half title last Saturday to earn the right to take on the Lions in the Taiwan Series.
“This is not exactly the way we want to play heading into the postseason, so we’ll have to do everything better,” Elephants manager Nakagomi Sin said after the game.
His troops actually outhit the Bears 9-to-8, but had only a lone run on the board to show for it with dismal 1-for-5 hitting with men in scoring position.
Chou Si-chi’s solo blast off Bears reliever Hsu Chih-hua was the lone highlight for an Elephants squad that does not want to go into a slump with the postseason less than 10 days away.
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