In the last couple of weeks I have been busy working in the mornings, which took a lot of my free time up. There were other issues as well, so let’s have a look at the last two of the last three weeks of CPBL action. Week 21 will follow in the coming days, the initial plan had been to do this on Monday 19th but sadly, I didn’t get round to it.

Week 19

Uni Lions v Lamigo Monkeys – 30th/31st July in Taoyuan

Once again, Lamigo Monkeys beat Uni Lions but it was a bit tighter than usual. Tuesday’s game ended 3-2 to Lamigo, Josh Roenicke having a quality start giving up 6H, 3R over 7 but Lamigo’s pitchers limited the Lions to 6H, 2R on the night. A close game that could have gone either way.

The Lions bullpen again had its issues on Wednesday 31st, Alec Asher conceded just 2H and 0R over his opening 4 as the Lions lead 3-0 after 4. 5 runs conceded in the 5th and Lamigo would go onto win 7-3. Lin Li, Chu Yu-hsien and Lan Yin-lun together got all 7 RBIs.

Chinatrust Brothers v Fubon Guardians – 31st July/1st Aug at Xinzhuang

Wednesday’s game pitted Elih Villanueva against Mike Loree and it was the seasoned CPBL veteran who came out on top. Villanueva took his first loss of the season, conceding 7 hits, 6 runs (3 earned) as Loree and the Guardians bullpen restricted Brothers to just hit 2 runs and 4 hits, final score: Brothers 2 Guardians 7.

Thursday’s game was similar as Brothers made just 3 hits off You Ting-wei, the young Guardians pitcher making up for a horror show outing last time he started. Fubon hitters did what they needed to do as the home side came away comfortable 5-0 winners.

Lamigo Monkeys v Fubon Guardians – 2nd/3rd/4th Aug at Xinzhuang

A series match-up between the two sides likely to be competing in the Championship Series come October.

Lamigo ran away winners in the Friday game. Tied at 4-4 after 5, Lamigo broke the deadlock and went onto score 10 more runs. Every Lamigo starting hitter except Chen Chen-wei managed a hit.

The weekend games were closer and split. Saturday’s game saw Bryan Woodall take his 10th loss of the campaign, it’s been a tough, tough year for the experienced pitcher. Lamigo Monkeys won 5-2

Sunday saw Lamigo yet again score in the middle innings to go 3-2 ahead after 7. Wang Chung-tung stopped the sweep with a pinch-hit, 2 RBI shot in the bottom of the 8th. The lead would hold and Fubon won 4-3.

Chinatrust Brothers v Uni Lions – 2nd/3rd/4th Aug in Tainan

You have to feel for Uni Lions fans, especially those of who came in the weekend having watched them lose 9 straight games. Friday’s game was cancelled was shifted to Sunday lunchtime. That run of 9 defeats in a row for yours truly became 10.

Casey Harman pitched well and restricted the Lions to just 7 hits and a solitary run over 6.2. There were 5 early runs ( 2 earned) for Brothers who led 5-0 after 3 and a comeback didn’t ever look likely. Brothers eased to a 6-1 win.

So to Sunday, a rare Tainan double-header. Game 1: 16 hits but just 4 runs with 15 runners left on bases was the story of the afternoon for the Lions. Things started well, 3-2 Lions after 4 but 3 runs in the 5th put Brothers 5-3 ahead. Ryan Verdugo came out to pitch the final 4 innings and he once again struggled, giving up 8H, 4R including 2 big homers. Brothers 9 Lions 4, was the final score.

Game 2 saw Josh Roenicke make his 2nd start of the week and he conceded a quick 2 run homer to Lin Chih-sheng in the top of the 1st… That was as bad as it got for the Lions who dominated Brothers youngster Liao Yi-zhong with 11 hits and 7 runs in the opening 5. A good all-round hitting display by the Lions as the game ended Brothers 4-10 Uni Lions and a losing week was avoided.

The standings after week 19:

Fubon 12-8

Lamigo 11-8

Brothers 10-10

Lions 6-13

 

Week 20

Fubon Guardians v Uni Lions – 7th/8th Aug in Hualien

The CPBL went to Hualien for the first time this season and the first series of three involving Uni Lions was split. Uni Lions took an early 5-1 lead in the match-up between Alec Asher and Mike Loree. Fubon tied the game, in the top of the 5th and went 6-5 ahead with both runs off Jiang Cheng-feng. They would not relinquish the lead, and won 10-5.

Thursday’s game was a nailbiter with the score 5-5 after 7. Fubon went back ahead in the top of the 8th, only for Su Chih-chieh to get a 2 RBI single to put the Lions 7-6 up. The game was then suspended for 40 minutes due to heavy rain, Chen Yun-wen got the save and the Lions got the 7-6 win.

Lamigo Monkeys v Chinatrust Brothers – 6th/7th August at Taichung IC.

Lamigo Monkeys leading 6-2 after 6 innings usually means the game is safe, and there won’t be a fightback. No-one told the Monkeys bullpen this, as all six pitchers conceded and Brothers ended up winning 12-6 with 10 runs in the 7th and 8th innings.

On Wednesday 7th, Lamigo went 3-0 ahead in the top of the 1st and this was all they needed to do. Brothers were restricted to 6 hits, and a run in each the 3rd and 4th, Monkeys 3-2 Brothers was how it finished.

Fubon Guardians v Chinatrust Brothers – 10th/11th August at Tianmu.

This was a series where one side dominated either way in all three games. Friday’s game was cancelled due to rain and rearranged for Sunday lunchtime.

Saturday’s match saw Corey Bollinger against Casey Harman on the mound, with Harman coming out on top. He pitched a superb 7 innings with only 3 hits against him, Bollinger conceded 4 and Brothers would add 4 more after his departure. Kao Kuo-hui’s 9th inning run was a mere consolation.

In the Sunday lunchtime game, Brothers once again restricted Fubon Guardians with the bat. Liao Yi-zhong starred, just the 3 hits given up over 8 innings. Brothers hit four solo home runs as they came away 5-0 winners.

The Sunday evening match saw Mitch Lively have a shocking start, conceding 2 in each of first 3 innings. Fubon has no issues defending their lead, Chih Shih-peng with a dominant shut-out over the opening 7 innings. It ended Fubon Guardians 8 Chinatrust Brothers 1.

Lamigo Monkeys v Uni Lions – 9th/10th/11th August in Hualien.

Like the above series, one side had their way in two games and then the other had their own bit of fun in the 3rd game of the weekend.

Things started well for Uni Lions on Friday, 4-1 up after 4 then things fell off a cliff. Josh Roenicke and Liao Wen-yang the guilty parties, 9 runs in the 5th and 6th with a run apiece after that. Monkeys 10-5 Uni Lions.

Michael Nix produced his second shutout of the season as Lamigo Monkeys once again reinforced their stranglehold over the Uni Lions in 2019. The Lions had no answer to a Monkeys side who hit 4 home runs in a 15 hit, 10-0 mauling.

Revenge came swiftly as on Sunday we got one of the most unexpected results of the 2019 CPBL season. Uni Lions came out and took apart Matt Grimes, 5-0 Lions after 1 inning, Monkeys scored to make 5-1 in the top of the 2nd, Grimes came back out, conceded 2 more runs and was finished after 1.0 and 40 pitches. The fun didn’t stop there, as the Uni Lions completely and utterly savaged the Monkeys bullpen to lead 17-1 after 6 innings.

Of course, that wouldn’t be the end of the scoring as Uni Lions bullpen has been weak at best in 2019. Lamigo Monkeys hit 4 home runs in the last two innings to add to the Lions 5 homers, and we ended with 27 runs, it finished Lamigo Monkeys 8 Uni Lions 19 (NINETEEN)

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As it stood, this was the table looked on Sunday 11th August.

Lamigo 14-10

Fubon 14-11

Brothers 13-12

Uni Lions 8-16

 

Thanks for the patience,

Tom!