Taiwan beats Australia 5-0; likely to head to Olympics
文／
2008-3-13 11:40
By Joseph Yeh
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
Page 1
2008-03-13 01:07 AM
It is almost certain that Taiwan will be heading to the Forbidden City this summer as the hometown heroes beat Australia yesterday 5-0 in one of the most important games in Taiwan's baseball history. Taiwan won their qualifier game for the Beijing Olympics yesterday, which was held at the Douliou Baseball Stadium yesterday.
Even if the Taiwan team loses its next two games against South Africa and South Korea, Taiwan will still head to Beijing, unless Germany defeats Canada in their game tomorrow, a scenarios that most observers consider unlikely.
Taiwan will for sure go to Beijing if they triumph over the African team today.
"I am very glad that we will go to the Beijing Olympics after this big win," said Taiwan manager Hung Yi-chung after the game.
Hung credited every player on the team for having undergone intensive training during the past month and for playing hard over the past week, which he said made the win possible.
Local baseballers paved the way for their victory early on in the game with five hits, including two doubles, and by taking advantage of an error made by the Aussies' infielder, which gave the team a 4-0 lead at the bottom of the second.
The home batters' were frozen for five innings, but the team added another run at the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a strange pitch by the Aussie's pitcher.
The five runs were enough for Taiwan to stay in the lead, as local ace starter Yang Chien-fu (陽建福), who, with his killer sliders and curveballs, outright denied all offensive efforts by the Australians for the entire game.
With an amazing 111 pitches, Yang left the Aussie's batters motionless looking like sticks, for the whole of the nine innings. Yang garnered 6 strikeouts and allowed only four hits.
"I was in a good condition today," said Yang, adding that all his pitches were executed well.
Another important presence in the game was Chen Chin-feng (陳金鋒), Taiwan's best slugger and spiritual leader, who was forced to withdraw from the national squad due to injury.
He nevertheless showed up at the stadium yesterday to cheer on his teammates.
Chen's presence gave more confidence to the local baseballers and fans, even though he did not step onto the field as a player.
Taiwan will play South Africa today and is to face its toughest opponent South Korea tomorrow.
[ 本帖最後由 a30 於 2008-3-13 13:07 編輯 ]
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