Brothers Win But Coach Hirano Criticizes Defense for Dragging Down Pitchers
Despite winning and ending a losing streak, CTBC Brothers manager Keiichi Hirano pointed out major issues: defensive lapses hindering pitchers and insufficient offense. He specifically criticized infield errors that nearly led to runs, emphasizing the need for improved focus and professionalism.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 21:26
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 21:32 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 21:50 (18 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Su Chih-she, Taipei, May 1) The Chinese Professional Baseball League's CTBC Brothers today broke their 12-inning hitless streak and defeated the TSG Hawks 2-0, ending a three-game losing streak. However, head coach Keiichi Hirano also pointed out two major problems: defense dragging down pitchers and insufficient offense.
Yesterday, the Brothers' offense went cold after Kao Yu-chieh's hit in the second inning. Today, they also failed to get a hit in the first five innings, tying the team's longest hitless streak across games at 12 innings, just three innings shy of the league record. However, the streak was broken in the sixth inning by catcher Chen Tung-en's hit, which also sparked the team's offense, scoring a crucial two runs in that inning.
After the game today, during a joint media interview, Keiichi Hirano stated that many outs in the past two days followed the opposing battery's script. "Players need to think more, many times, offense isn't just about swinging the bat, there are many other parts to it." This is where the team needs to find answers moving forward.
Brothers' starting pitcher Mario Sanchez pitched seven innings, giving up nine hits and two walks, but did not surrender any runs. He combined with relievers Chien Ko-lun and Li Che-chang to shut out the opponent.
Sanchez said that giving up hits or walks is part of the game, and he cannot control how batters attack; he can only control his own pitching. "When there are runners in scoring position, the goal is to defend the score and not let the opponent score."
Many outs today were recorded by infield ground balls, including escaping bases-loaded situations in the second and seventh innings. Sanchez stated: "I completely trust my teammates. This is my mental construction, letting the ball be hit into play and believing that my teammates behind me will field it."
Keiichi Hirano described Sanchez's performance as nothing short of "outstanding" but also pointed out that the defense did not help. "So, we replaced the player to create an environment where he could pitch with peace of mind." The double hit by Steven Moya in the bottom of the sixth inning, off Sanchez, was actually due to a judgment error by third baseman Huang Wei-sheng, who was also replaced in the bottom of the seventh.
Hirano said that Huang Wei-sheng's focus was not enough today, which might be related to his frequent appearances in recent games. "He might be fatigued, but as a professional baseball player, there are no excuses. There were many fans watching the game for the first time, and they wouldn't know how many games you've played before." He hopes Huang Wei-sheng will work hard with the mindset of becoming a key player for the team. (Edited by: Li Shu-hua) 1150501
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(Central News Agency reporter Su Chih-she, Taipei, May 1) The Chinese Professional Baseball League's CTBC Brothers today broke their 12-inning hitless streak and defeated the TSG Hawks 2-0, ending a three-game losing streak. However, head coach Keiichi Hirano also pointed out two major problems: defense dragging down pitchers and insufficient offense.
Yesterday, the Brothers' offense went cold after Kao Yu-chieh's hit in the second inning. Today, they also failed to get a hit in the first five innings, tying the team's longest hitless streak across games at 12 innings, just three innings shy of the league record. However, the streak was broken in the sixth inning by catcher Chen Tung-en's hit, which also sparked the team's offense, scoring a crucial two runs in that inning.
After the game today, during a joint media interview, Keiichi Hirano stated that many outs in the past two days followed the opposing battery's script. "Players need to think more, many times, offense isn't just about swinging the bat, there are many other parts to it." This is where the team needs to find answers moving forward.
Brothers' starting pitcher Mario Sanchez pitched seven innings, giving up nine hits and two walks, but did not surrender any runs. He combined with relievers Chien Ko-lun and Li Che-chang to shut out the opponent.
Sanchez said that giving up hits or walks is part of the game, and he cannot control how batters attack; he can only control his own pitching. "When there are runners in scoring position, the goal is to defend the score and not let the opponent score."
Many outs today were recorded by infield ground balls, including escaping bases-loaded situations in the second and seventh innings. Sanchez stated: "I completely trust my teammates. This is my mental construction, letting the ball be hit into play and believing that my teammates behind me will field it."
Keiichi Hirano described Sanchez's performance as nothing short of "outstanding" but also pointed out that the defense did not help. "So, we replaced the player to create an environment where he could pitch with peace of mind." The double hit by Steven Moya in the bottom of the sixth inning, off Sanchez, was actually due to a judgment error by third baseman Huang Wei-sheng, who was also replaced in the bottom of the seventh.
Hirano said that Huang Wei-sheng's focus was not enough today, which might be related to his frequent appearances in recent games. "He might be fatigued, but as a professional baseball player, there are no excuses. There were many fans watching the game for the first time, and they wouldn't know how many games you've played before." He hopes Huang Wei-sheng will work hard with the mindset of becoming a key player for the team. (Edited by: Li Shu-hua) 1150501
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship of yours is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news in real time.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.