Chih-Sheng LIN hit a walk-off RBI-single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to lead Chinese Taipei to a 1-0 victory over Italy. They are now tied with the USA at the top of the standings in group A. Italy has now a 3-2 record, the same like Japan and Panama. Both teams have two matches left at the World Cup of Baseball.
The make up game of the suspended opener featured an exiting pitchers duel. Taiwan’s starter En-Yu LIN (W 1-0) threw a complete game shutout. He allowed just four hits and a hit by pitch, striking out 13. Anthony FIORE matched him for seven innings. He gave up four hits and two base on balls (1 intentional). The 36-year-old veteran punched out seven. He ran up his pitch count to 121 (70 strikes) to end his day. Chris DI ROMA, who gave up the winning run and took the loss, replaced him at the beginning of the eighth.
After missing several opportunities to come through, Chinese Taipei finally scored in the bottom of the ninth. Chin-Chang YEH and Yin-Chien LIAO reached base with two outs through a walk and a single. Chih -Sheng LIN stepped to the plate, worked the count to 3-2 and slapped the ball over the head of the second baseman into right field, scoring YEH. LIN seemed to went around on a check swing with a 2-2 count, but the first base umpire said he didn’t. With his next swing he decided the game.
The third base umpire had denied an Italian rally in the top of the ninth. David DALLOSPEDALE reached with a one-out single and wanted to advance to third on a single by Max DIBIASE (2-4 with a double). The right fielder threw a strike to third, but the tag was late and high, as DALLOSPEDALE slid into third. Replays showed that he was save. However he was called out.
Besides these actions, Italy had not many chances offensively. DI BIASE hustled for a leadoff double in the sixth. But En-Yu LIN escaped the trouble by striking out the next three batters in order.
Chinese Taipei left the bases loaded in the sixth and had two runners on in the fifth.
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