It’s a rainy Tuesday and whilst this week’s action may get affected by rain, let’s look back at last week.

Rakuten Monkeys v Uni Lions – Tues/Wed in Tainan

Starting in Tainan would be the most logical thing to do after one of the most outrageous series in league history.

On Tuesday Donn Roach matched up against Weng Wei Chun and as expected, this was high scoring. Rakuten took a 4-0 top of the 1st only for Kuo Fu Lin and Lin An Ko to hit RBIs and make it 4-2. This was was close as it got as Rakuten Monkeys went 9-2 up after 3 with Roach exiting after 2.2. A blank fourth followed but runs were scored regularly after that. 10-4 after 5, 13-5 after 6 but a Lions rally in the 7th got it back to 13-9. Rakuten would end up running away 17-10 victors as both sides made 18 hits and all but 2 starters made hits. Final score: Monkeys 17-10 Lions.

Wednesday’s game started off quietly. Justin Nicolino v Chiang Chen Yen, 40 minutes to complete the opening 2 then BOOOOOM! An explosion of runs in the middle innings. Lan Yin Lun put the Monkeys up by 1 in the third, but Lin Jing Kai hit a triple and Chen Chieh Hsien brought him home to level. With the bases loaded with one out Chen Yung Chi smoked one to deep centre and the grand slam had the Lions up 5-1. Into the fourth and An Ko’s double made it 7-1 and knocked Nicolino out the game.

The runs continued with Chen Yung Chi adding his 5th RBI and Lin Tzu Chieh pitching in with a 2 run double. 10-1 with 4 played but the Monkeys came back with Chen Chun Hsiu’s 2 out 3 run home run. Lin Chu Yu Hsien walked and Lin Li added another homer. Chiang was gone. Monkeys back within 4.

With bases loaded and 1 out Chen Yung Chi knocked a shot between 1st and 2nd towards the outfield for 2 more Lions runs… As the Su Chih Chieh advanced to third Lin Li miscaught the ball and Su scored, Lin then threw the ball to 1st with the ball ending up in foul territory and Chen Yung Chi scored! Bases cleared, 2 RBIs, 2 errors and it was 14-6. Kao Kuo Ching then hit a homer and Lions had scored 5 in three straight innings.

Rakuten Monkeys wouldn’t take this lying down and made 5 straight hits off Fu Yu Gang to make it 15-10. Two blank and rather settled innings followed and having scored, and with 2 outs Cheng Jin came to the plate for a potential game tying grand slam. He was ground out and the game was done. Monkeys 11 Lions 15.

CTBC Brothers v Fubon Guardians – Wed/Thurs at Xinzhuang.

This series was rather more tame and saw Bryan Woodall pick up his first win as a starter for around a year. His Guardians side trailed 3-2 going into the 6th but Lin Yi Chuan leveled with a home run and Kao Kuo Lin’s RBI brought brother Kao Kuo Hui home and gave Fubon the lead.

The home side attacked the Brothers bullpen with a further 5 runs to give them a comfortable 9-3 victory.

Thursday’s game was a little different as 23 year old Huang En Sih faced 22 year old Chen Shih Peng. Chen had an uncharacteristically poor start allowing Brothers to go 6-0 up after 4. Huang pitched admirably into the 8th with his side 10-2 ahead. He had a QS with 6 hits, 3 runs conceded. Both sides scored in 9th as it ended: Brothers 11 Guardians 3.

CTBC Brothers v Uni Lions – Weekend series in Tainan

Part three of Ariel Miranda v Ryan Feierabend on Friday evening and one for the pitchers rather than the hitters. Kuo Fu Lin hit a 2 run homer in the bottom of 1st and after 5 shutout innings, Su Wei Da’s RBI gave Brothers a run in the 6th. The pitching remained solid and neither side would score again. Miranda took his first CPBL loss but had a line of 7IP, 7H, 2R, 8K, Feierabend got his first win, 6IP, 6H, 1R, 6K.  Final score: Brothers 1 Lions 2.

Saturday’s game was not as close and neither was Sunday’s. Jose DePaula took on Josh Roenicke and after two tight innings, Brothers took a 5-1 lead with 4 played. De Paula would pitch 7 innings striking out 12 conceding just 4 hits and 1 run with his side cruising to a 9-2 win. The only upside to the Lions day was Lin Jing Kai’s first ever homer in the 3rd which extended the streak of consecutive game home runs to 20.

Sunday was worse from a Lions perspective as Mitch Lively made his much awaited Brothers return. He was not in a charitable mood although Uni Lions Shih Tzu Chien looked to be. Brothers scored 8 in the opening 4, and added 3 more off Liu Hsuan Ta before Lively conceded a run. A Lions rally in the 5th made it 11-4 and with 2 on, Chen Yung Chi was caught superbly at the wall. 5 runs apiece in the 6th-8th inning stretch making it 16-9. Su Chih Chieh hit the Lions mandatory homer in the 8th. Brothers got their 5th home run of the game in the 9th, a PH 3 run blast by Chen Wen Chieh made it 19-9. A painful evening for the home side and an emphatic victory for Brothers. Final score: Brothers 19 Lions 9.

Rakuten Monkeys v Fubon Guardians – Weekend series at Xinzhuang

Friday’s match up was a blockbuster one between Ryan Carpenter and Henry Sosa but neither would impact on the final result. Shen Hao Wei’s solo home run but Fubon ahead and the sides went toe to toe, each scoring 2 in the 4th and 3 in the 6th. With Sosa gone, Lin Li levelled the game with an RBI double in the 7th.

No score in the 8th or 9th but a winner in 10. Liao Chien Fu’s solo homer put Rakuten Monkeys ahead for the first time and reliever Wang Yue Lin finished the job with a shutout inning. Final score: Monkeys 7 Guardians 6.

Saturday’s game was rained out but we had another titanic match-up on Sunday, it was time for the return of CPBL legend Mike Loree. He was going up against Lisalverto Bonila.

Fubon scored twice early on only for Lin Li to tie the game with a 2 run homer. Fubon edged back ahead in the 5th whilst Loree kept the Monkeys at bay. As Loree impressed on the mound, Fubon attacked the Monkeys bullpen with Bonila gone and scored 6 in the 7th inning to take a commanding 9-2 advantage. With Loree the visitors tried to forge a comeback but 7 runs in 2 innings was too much even for the Monkeys, they managed 5. Final score: Monkeys 7 Guardians 9.

This week’s schedule

Fubon Guardians v Uni Lions – Tues/Wed in Tainan

CTBC Brothers v Rakuten Monkeys – Thursday in Taoyuan

Fubon Guardians v CTBC Brothers – Fri, Sat, Sun in Taichung

Uni Lions v Rakuten Monkeys – Fri, Sat, Sun in Taoyuan.

All matches subject to weather. Plum rain is due in Taiwan as it is May. Southern Taiwan has had rain today, Tuesday and it’s desperately needed.

Tom