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Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
[This article for IBAF is similar to but more complete than the story on East Windup Chronicle and includes a play-by-play.]
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Korea’s pitching stymied Chinese Taipei, leaving them without an extra-base hit, while the Korean offense hammered away with a balanced combination of power and speed, hitting two home runs and stealing three bases.
Chinese Taipei jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a first inning RBI single from designated hitter Chin-Feng Chen, but fell behind for good when Korean outfielder Jeong-Wook Lee crushed a three-run home run in the top of the fifth. The blast to right — a “no-doubter” that Lee admired from home plate — gave the Koreans all the offense they needed. Shortstop Jin Man Park added a solo shot in the seventh inning.
The stocky, left-handed Ryu pitched five effective innings to earn the win for the Koreans, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out five. Ryu used his curveball as an effective out pitch, especially against right-handed batters who chased it low and away throughout the game. Former MLB star Chan Ho Park and Wong-Suk Jeong held the lead for Ryu, with sidearmer D.H. Chung striking out both batters he faced in the ninth to pick up the save. Park struck out four in three scoreless innings, looking more like the Park of yesteryear than the player who pitched himself out of the Houston Astros minor league system.
Chinese Taipei starter En Yu Lin struck out ten in five innings, keeping Korea’s hitters off-balance through the first four frames. His belt-high fastball up in the zone to Lee in the fifth — his only real mistake of the game — spoiled an otherwise highly effective game for the Seibu Lions starter. Chinese Taipei struggled defensively throughout the afternoon, with second baseman Chi Sheng Lin and shortstop Chin Lung Hu turning in sloppy efforts at midfield. Catcher Chih-Kang Kao allowed all three stolen bases, one to Jin Young Lee, who reached base three times.
Korea will face Japan Sunday in what is being billed as the battle of the tournament’s two strongest teams. Japan easily dispatched with the Filipino national team 10-0 in the tournament’s evening game.
Jackson Broder lives in Taiwan and is co-editor of East Windup Chronicle , where he writes about Asian baseball and other topics.
GAME PLAY BY PLAY
TOP 1st
JW Lee is hit by pitch
DH Lee strikes out on a fastball on the outer half of the plate
JW Lee steals second
KW Jeong strikes out on a change-up
DJ Kim grounds out to third
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 0
Notes: Jin Young Lee is the second leading basestealer in Korea
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BOTTOM 1st
Jin Luong Hu singles to left field
Zhian Ming Zhang sacrifice bunts, Hu to second
Chen Ming Peng strikes out on a 144 KPH fastball
Chin Feng Chen singles to center over pitcher Ryu’s head on off-speed pitch, drives in Hu from second
Kai Shan Zhang strikes out
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
TOP 2nd
Seung Yeop Lee grounds out to third
Byung Kyu Lee strikes out on 150 KPH fastball
Jin Man Park strikes out
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
BOTTOM 2nd
KC Kao grounds out to second
CH Hsieh flies out to deep left
Zhi Shan Lin grounds out to short
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
TOP 3rd
KO Park strikes out
YM Ko strikes out on nice breaking pitch, 130 KPH slider
JW Lee stikes out on 151 KPH fastball on outside part of the plate
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
BOTTOM 3rd
Zhi Gang Gao strikes out
JL Hu grounds out to third (nice throw DJ kim)
ZM Zhang grounds out to short
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
TOP 4th
DH Lee singles to center, takes second on throwing error by centerfielder Hsieh
KW Jeong sac bunt, DH Lee to third
DJ Kim walks
SY Lee grounds into double play, 1-4-3
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
BOTTOM 4th
CM Peng grounds out to short
CF Chen walks
KS Jiang pops out to catcher
KC Kao bounces out to third
Korea 0 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
TOP 5th
BK Lee strikes out
JM Park singles
KO Park strikes out
YM Ko singles to left, JM Park to second
JW Lee homers to right field on fastball down center of the plate; JM Park scores, YM Ko scores
DH Lee struck out
Korea 3 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
BOTTOM 5th
CH Hsieh singles (infield single)
ZS Lin strikes out on slow curveball
ZG Gao grounds to second, Hsieh moves to second
JL Hu strikes out swinging
Korea 3 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
TOP 6th
KW Jeong grounds out to short
DJ Kim pops out to second
SY Lee strikes out
Korea 3 Chinese Taipei 1
_________________
BOTTOM 6th
Zhian Ming Zhang singles
CM Peng strikes out looking
CF Chen strikes out swinging
Kai Shan Zhang doubles, ZM Zhang scores
KC Kao bounces out to third
Korea 3 Chinese Taipei 2
_________________
TOP 7th
BK Lee grounds to first
JM Park homers to deep center
Replacement catcher In Sung Cho strikes out
YM Ko grounds out to pitcher
Korea 4 Chinese Taipei 2
_________________
BOTTOM 7th
CH Hsieh flies out to left
ZS Lin safe at first on throwing error by Ko
ZS Lin picked off at first on baserunning mistake
Pinch hitter WH Pan walks
JL Hu strikes out looking
Korea 4 Chinese Taipei 2
_________________
TOP 8th
JW Lee walks
DH Lee strkes out
JW Lee caught stealing on nice throw by Chen
KW Jeong walks
KW Jeong steals second, takes third on missed throw by second baseman Lin
DJ Kim walks
DJ Kim steals second
BK Lee safe at first on error, KW Jeong scores, DJ Kim to second
BK Lee safe at second on bad throw, DJ Kim to third
JM Park grounds out to second
Korea 5 Chinese Taipei 2
_________________
BOTTOM 8th
ZM Zhang grounds out to second
CM Peng strikes out
CF Chen singles to left
KS Zhang singles to right inside the line, CF Chen to third
KC Kao flies out to right
Korea 5 Chinese Taipei 2
_________________
TOP 9th
JM Park grounds out to third
IS Cho safe at first on shortstop Hu’s throwing error
YM Ko grounds into inning-ending double play
Korea 5 Chinese Taipei 2
_________________
BOTTOM 9th
CH Hsieh grounds out to third
Pinch hitter Yang Seng strikes out
Pinch hitter Fu Hao Liu strikes out to end the game
Korea 5 Chinese Taipei 2 FINAL
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