Lions Win Game One of CPBL Series on Pinch Hit Homerun
Saturday, October 31st, 2020The first game of the Taiwan Series had lots of drama. The Lions won the opener over the China Trust Brothers 4-2 led by a pinch hit 3-run homerun by 39 year old veteran Pan Wu-Hsiung in the top of the tenth inning. It was the first pinch hit homerun in extra innings in a championship game in the CPBL. Pan is a lifer for the Lions, drafted by thems in 2005 and earning the Rookie of the Year award in 2007. The Lions later put runners on first and third with one out but a double play ground out prevented further damage from being done.
The Brothers rallied back in the bottom of the 10th off Lions closer Chen Yun-wen. Two singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out. Chen was able to strike out the next batter for the second out but Su Wei-ta bounced a single into right field to score a run and put the tying run at second. Chen came back and struck out designated hitter Chang Chih-hao for the final out of the game.
The two foreign pitchers, Esmil Rogers for the China Trust Brothers and Brock Dykxhoorn for the Lions were stingy with giving up runs. Brock went six innings giving up just one run. Esmil lasted for eight innings and only gave up the one run. In the top of the sixth Su Chih-chieh slapped an RBI single into right field to score the one run off Rogers, but the runner from second was thrown out at home trying to score.
There was the maximum 15,600 at the game, with 78 percent seating capacity allowed.