Li Hsun-Chieh's Two Homers Power Monkeys to Season-High Score Against Brothers

(CNA, Taipei, May 20, by reporter Su Zih-she) The Rakuten Monkeys, who had scored a total of just seven runs in their previous five games, erupted for nine runs against the CTBC Brothers today, setting a new single-game scoring high for the team this season. Infielder Li Hsun-Chieh contributed with two home runs and five RBIs, leading the team to a 9-7 victory. The Rakuten Monkeys, last year's CPBL champions, had been struggling with a scoring drought at the start of this season, but their offense was in full force today. They collected 13 hits and scored nine runs, surpassing their previous season-high of seven. Li Hsun-Chieh was responsible for more than half of the team's RBIs. In the bottom of the 4th inning, trailing 0-1, Lin Tzu-Wei first hit a game-tying single, followed by Li Hsun-Chieh's three-run homer that put them ahead and extended the lead. Although they gave up three runs in the top of the 5th, allowing the Brothers to tie the game, the Monkeys capitalized on an error, a hit, and a walk to load the bases in the bottom half of the inning. Lin Tzu-Wei then drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run. After adding two more runs on four hits in the bottom of the 6th, Li Hsun-Chieh hit another two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th for insurance runs. This cushion ensured that a three-run homer by Brothers' outfielder Sung Cheng-Jui in the top of the 8th did not change the outcome. Li Hsun-Chieh went 2-for-4, with both hits being home runs, driving in five runs. This marked his second multi-homer game of the season, bringing his season total to five home runs, which ranks third in the league. Selected as the game's MVP, he said during the post-game celebration, "My form hasn't been great recently, and I was overthinking things. I talked with the hitting coach and asked for advice from senior players, which led to these two home runs." The Monkeys' starting pitcher, Kyle Marman, allowed four runs over four innings and did not factor into the decision. The Brothers' pitcher, Yu Chun-You, making his first career start due to foreign player Nick Nelson's discomfort, also pitched four innings, allowed four runs, and had a no-decision. (Editor: Lee Hsi-chang) 1150520