Wang Sheng-wei’s walk-off double with runners on first and second scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Brother Elephants overcame a 1-2 deficit to top the SK Wyverns 3-2 at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung last night to take Game 1 of the two-game set between the champs of Taiwan’s and South Korea’s professional baseball leagues.
The third-year shortstop lined an offering from ace Wyvern closer Song Eun-beom just beyond the reach of an outstretched glove of the Wyvern third baseman down the leftfield line that scored both runners to give the home hosts the dramatic win against their South Korean counterparts.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to get the job done when it counted the most,” Wang said in the postgame press conference after being dragged by his teammates for several meters around the base paths in celebration of the spectacular come-from-behind victory.
PRIZE MONEY
The win not only guaranteed the Elephants at least a split in the two-game series, but also NT$5 million (US$165,500) of the NT$10 million in total prize money available, even if they lose Game 2, which is scheduled for tonight at 6:35pm.
Should they pick up another win in tonight’s contest between the two clubs to sweep the series, the total winnings would also reach the hefty NT$8 million mark.
Cho Dong-hwa’s RBI single up the middle following Kim Jae-hyun’s one-out double off Orlando Roman broke a scoreless tie in the top of the second for the Wyverns as they took a quick 1-0 lead.
However, the Elephants would return the favor in the bottom of the same inning as Wang Jin-yong also doubled with one out and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Huang Shih-hao to tie the game at 1-all.
Lee Hojoon ’s third-inning solo blast off Roman put the Wyverns back ahead 2-1, a lead that reliever Jun Byung-doo would preserve for more than five innings in relief of starter John Glover through the eighth, setting the stage for Wang’s last at-bat heroics.
Tonight’s Game
Next up for the victorious Elephants will be Game 2 at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, in which skipper Chen Rei-chen will send Taiwan Series MVP Jim Magrane to the mound in a search for the sweep. The Wyverns had not named their starter for the game as of late last night.
OFFENSE SHINES: First baseman Pan Chie-kai hit a solo homer in the fifth inning as all 10 batters Taiwan used contributed at least one hit toward their team total of 14 One day after their first shutout loss at the WBSC Premier12, Taiwan yesterday bounced back with a commanding 8-2 victory over the US, keeping their hopes for a spot in tomorrow’s final alive. The win in the Super Round marked Taiwan’s first triumph over the US at a top-tier international baseball tournament since 2003. Their previous win over the US was at the 2003 Baseball World Cup, with only one win in the previous 10 matchups since 1999. Yesterday’s game was tightly contested through the first six innings, with the margin never exceeding two runs. However, the tide turned in the top of
Taiwan last night defeated Cuba 2-0 in their World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 Group B game at the Taipei Dome and finished the group second. At the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, South Korea yesterday defeated Australia 5-2, while Japan last night won 11-3 against the Dominican Republic. On Sunday, Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome to advance to the Super Round. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champions and Group B winners Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the
Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome last night to advance to the Super Round of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 tournament. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champion and Group B winner Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the off. After taking a walk to first base, Taiwan’s Chen Chieh- hsien (陳傑憲) then stole second before Tseng Song-en (曾頌恩) drew a walk to first in the top of the first inning. Chen then
TWO-NIL LOSS: Taiwan’s best chance to score came at the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and one out, but Venezuela’s Liarvis Breto got out of the jam Taiwan yesterday suffered a shutout 2-0 loss to Venezuela in the opening game of the WBSC Premier12 Super Round at the Tokyo Dome. Taiwan had seven hits, one more than Venezuela’s six, but catcher Carlos Perez’s two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning delivered the only runs scored by both teams and secured victory for Venezuela. Taiwan’s best chance came at the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded and only one out. However, Venezuela reliever Liarvis Breto struck out Chen Chen-wei before reliever Pedro Garcia finished the inning by allowing an infield flyball by Lin
RSS