Lin Chih-ping’s walk-off single with runners on first and second broke a four-all tie in the bottom of the ninth as the Lamigo Monkeys overcame four errors in the game to top the Brother Elephants 5-4 at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium yesterday afternoon.
It was the first career walk-off hit for the emerging Monkey shortstop, capping a three-hit afternoon for the fourth-year former Chinese Culture University student.
In addition to committing four errors that nearly cost them the game, the home hosts also hit into four double plays to tie a team record, finding new ways to give the game away without actually doing so.
“That was too close for comfort for me, but a win is a win and I’ll take it,” much-relieved Monkeys manager Hong Yi-chung said after the game.
His troops managed to clinch the weekend series against the Elephants, after splitting the first two games with the Elephants.
The hitters had their way early in the game as the two offenses plated four runs apiece off the opposing starter in a four-all tie.
However, that was all the offense that either team could muster through the eighth, with Lamigo starter Leonard DiNardo and the Elephant bullpen holding their ground to set the stage for Lin’s clutch swing in the ninth.
Picking up the win for the Monkeys was closer Hsu Ming-jeh, who improved to 3-1 by getting the final out in the ninth, while the loss went to Elephant reliever Cheng Hong-chi, whose five-game winning streak against the Monkeys was snapped.
Lions 15, Bulls 5
Scoring early and often, the red-hot Uni-President Lions trounced the Sinon Bulls in a 15-5 final at the Taipei Municipal Baseball Stadium in Tianmu yesterday afternoon to sweep the three-game series.
It was the third straight game in which the Cats had teed off against the Bulls’ pitching as they rang up a total of 34 runs over the weekend to humble the opposing hurlers.
Chen Yung-chi homered for the second straight game as he smashed an offering from the Bulls’ Lee Chi-wei and deposited it into the left-field seats for a three-run shot that capped a five-run second.
Also starring for the Cats was Kao Guo-ching, who led all hitters with four hits and scored three times for the explosive Lion offense.
Starter Chen Yi-huan was credited with the win for allowing a lone run on six hits over five innings to beat Lee, who lasted only two innings after giving up six runs over the same span.
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