Chinese Taipei makes most of chances
If there was a lesson for Los Mochis, Mexico, to learn from its 5-0 loss to Chinese Taipei in the Pony League World Series Saturday night at Lew Hays Pony Field, it was this: take advantage of the opportunities.
Los Mochis, champions of the Mexico Zone, could have taken an early lead against Chinese Taipei with a key hit in the first inning. Mexico had two on and no outs but Chinese Taipei pitcher Tzu-Wei Lin retired the next two batters to end the threat. Mexico put two on with no out in the fourth and couldn’t score.
Tzu-Wei Lin pitched four innings and struck out eight. He was pulled after striking out three in a row after allowing the first two runners on in that fourth inning.
Chinese Taipei erupted for two runs in the bottom of the first on a home run by Chen Hsun Lin and added two more in the second to pull away.
Yao Yu Tsai drove in a run in the second inning and another scored on a wild pitch. Chinese Taipei added a run in the third on an RBI single by Kuan Ting Lin.
Hun Chi Chang came in in relief and pitched three strong innings for Chinese Taipei. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. Chang allowed only one of Mexico’s five hits.
Chinese Taipei will play Chesterfield, Va., at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Mexico plays either Johnstown or Peters Township at 10 a.m. Monday.
The game started 2 1/2 hours later than scheduled because of early morning storms submerging the field. It was supposed to be televised by WPNT, The Point, in Pittsburgh. But the revamped schedule put the Paderborn, Germany-Washington County game in its place.