Kao Guo-ching’s clutch single with runners on first and second broke a 4-4 tie to put the Uni-President Lions ahead 5-4 in the top of the 10th, before Lin Yueh-ping tossed a scoreless bottom half of the inning to preserve the win against the Lamigo Monkeys at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium late yesterday afternoon.
The win not only helped the Cats avoid a series sweep over the weekend, but it also upped their lead over the second-placed Monkeys to two games as they left northern Taiwan on a high note.
It was the third straight game that went into extra sessions between the two clubs, with the Monkeys taking the first two on the strength of a pair of late-game rallies against Lin that resulted in back-to-back losses for the Lion closer. So he was especially glad that it was third time lucky against the Primates.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
“I’d be lying if I said [losing two straight] was not on my mind when I took the mound today,” Lin said after the game.
He managed to pick up save No. 6 despite giving up a leadoff walk to the Monkeys in the bottom of the 10th, leaving many to wonder if he has what it takes to be a closer.
Fortunately for Lin, he was able to strike out the next batter he faced, before getting the Monkeys’ Lin Hong-yu to bounce to third for the game-ending double play.
Reliever Wang Jing-ming was credited with the win for pitching a scoreless ninth, while the loss was charged against Monkey closer Hsu Ming-jeh, who gave up a pair of walks to lead off the 10th to set up Kao’s game-winning swing.
Bulls 17, Elephants 5
Scoring early and in bunches, the Sinon Bulls teed off against the Brother Elephants in an offensive outpour as they piled on 17 runs to top the Men in the Golden Uniforms 17-5 at the Sinjhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City yesterday afternoon.
Eight of the nine Sinon hitters had multi-hit games on the day, led by Yu Hsing-ming and Cheng Dai-hong’s four-hit outings, as the Bulls exploded for a season-high 23 hits against four different Elephants hurlers.
Picking up the win for the Bulls was reliever Cheng Keng-hao, who entered in the fifth to bail out starter Lin Chi-wei with three innings of shutout ball to beat Elephant starter Lu Hsou-yu.
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