Guardians Beat Lions for 2nd Consecutive Win, Mitsutaka Goto Cancels Dance Bet Early on a Hunch
The CPBL's Fubon Guardians defeated the Uni-President Lions 7-1, securing their second consecutive win thanks to Shunsuke Suzuki's quality start. Head coach Goto jokingly revealed he canceled a dance bet with the players early because he had a hunch he would lose.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 21:59
- 🔍 Collected: April 19, 2026 at 22:31 (32 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 22:42 (10 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Hsieh Ching-wen, New Taipei, 19th) The CPBL's Fubon Guardians relied on Japanese pitcher Shunsuke Suzuki's quality start of 7 innings, 9 strikeouts, and 1 run allowed today to defeat the Uni-President 7-ELEVEn Lions 7-1, securing their second consecutive win. When asked about a rock-paper-scissors dance bet, Guardians Head Coach Mitsutaka Goto smiled and said he canceled it early because he "had a hunch."
In the final game of the three-game series between the Guardians and the Lions today at Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium, the Guardians launched an attack right at the start. In the bottom of the first inning, Yeh Tzu-Ting hit a single and stole second base. After one out, Kong Nien-En hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run.
In the bottom of the second, the Guardians' offense started with a single by Lin Yueh-Ku. Following walks and consecutive steals, Yeh Tzu-Ting hit a bases-clearing triple with the bases loaded, driving in 3 runs. Foreign batter Luis Liberato followed with a single, driving in the team's 5th run. In the bottom of the eighth, the Guardians added runs through an error, a walk, and a single by Lin Yueh-Ku. Wang Nien-Hao's sacrifice fly brought in the 7th run.
Guardians' Japanese pitcher Shunsuke Suzuki made his first major league start of the season, throwing 106 pitches over 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits. His only run allowed was in the top of the fourth. He recorded 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 1 earned run. With a quality start, he earned the win and was named the game's MVP. His 9 strikeouts in a single game marked a career-high in the CPBL.
Head Coach Mitsutaka Goto had previously revealed a "bet" with the players: for every run the team scores, they get one chance to play rock-paper-scissors with him. If they win 5 times in a single game against the head coach, Goto would go on the MVP stage and dance with them.
The Guardians scored 7 runs today, but during the post-game interview, Goto smiled and said he had a hunch before the game that he might lose at rock-paper-scissors today, so he canceled the bet in advance.
Guardians' foreign batter Luis Liberato had cold symptoms but was still placed in the starting lineup today. Goto explained that after communicating with Liberato post-practice before the game, the player felt he was fine, so Liberato was assigned to play as the designated hitter, which carries a lighter physical burden. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150419
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(CNA Reporter Hsieh Ching-wen, New Taipei, 19th) The CPBL's Fubon Guardians relied on Japanese pitcher Shunsuke Suzuki's quality start of 7 innings, 9 strikeouts, and 1 run allowed today to defeat the Uni-President 7-ELEVEn Lions 7-1, securing their second consecutive win. When asked about a rock-paper-scissors dance bet, Guardians Head Coach Mitsutaka Goto smiled and said he canceled it early because he "had a hunch."
In the final game of the three-game series between the Guardians and the Lions today at Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium, the Guardians launched an attack right at the start. In the bottom of the first inning, Yeh Tzu-Ting hit a single and stole second base. After one out, Kong Nien-En hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run.
In the bottom of the second, the Guardians' offense started with a single by Lin Yueh-Ku. Following walks and consecutive steals, Yeh Tzu-Ting hit a bases-clearing triple with the bases loaded, driving in 3 runs. Foreign batter Luis Liberato followed with a single, driving in the team's 5th run. In the bottom of the eighth, the Guardians added runs through an error, a walk, and a single by Lin Yueh-Ku. Wang Nien-Hao's sacrifice fly brought in the 7th run.
Guardians' Japanese pitcher Shunsuke Suzuki made his first major league start of the season, throwing 106 pitches over 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits. His only run allowed was in the top of the fourth. He recorded 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 1 earned run. With a quality start, he earned the win and was named the game's MVP. His 9 strikeouts in a single game marked a career-high in the CPBL.
Head Coach Mitsutaka Goto had previously revealed a "bet" with the players: for every run the team scores, they get one chance to play rock-paper-scissors with him. If they win 5 times in a single game against the head coach, Goto would go on the MVP stage and dance with them.
The Guardians scored 7 runs today, but during the post-game interview, Goto smiled and said he had a hunch before the game that he might lose at rock-paper-scissors today, so he canceled the bet in advance.
Guardians' foreign batter Luis Liberato had cold symptoms but was still placed in the starting lineup today. Goto explained that after communicating with Liberato post-practice before the game, the player felt he was fine, so Liberato was assigned to play as the designated hitter, which carries a lighter physical burden. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150419
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you make is the power to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio/video of this website cannot be reproduced, broadcasted, transmitted or used without authorization.