The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions currently sit half a game behind the Lamigo Monkeys for first place in the CPBL. The Tainan-based team is 13-8 and its early success is easily attributed to its ability to win games late.
Statistically, the Lions don't lead the league in any major offensive, defensive or pitching category. In fact, they are dead last in team batting average at .258. Despite this, four of their six home wins have been of the dramatic walk-off variety and heading into tonight the team has a chance to take sole possession of first place with a win over the Monkeys in Doulio.
Let's take a look at the rollercoaster that has been the Lions' 2017 season.
April 6
Uni Lions 6 Fubon Guardians 4
With two out and his team trailing by one, game hero Yang Chia-Wei launched a game-winning three-run shot to stun the Fubon Guardians. Yang, who came in as a pinch-hitter, was making just his ninth CPBL at-bat before hitting the walk-off home run.
April 8
Uni Lions 5 Lamigo Monkeys 4 (12)
The Lions entered the ninth inning trailing 4-1, but with two out DH Pan Wu-Hsiung smacked a game-tying two-run homer to send the match into extra innings. In the bottom of the twelfth and final inning, Chu Yuan-Chin ripped a two-out walk-off double to secure the victory and snap the Monkeys' eight-game winning streak in the process.
April 13
Uni Lions 4 Chinatrust Brothers 3 (10)
The Lions continued to win games with two-out walk-off hits, this one a 10-inning affair. After Brothers SS Wang Sheng-Wei's error put a runner in scoring position, Lions team leader Chen Yung-Chi ripped a two-out liner off the wall in center to send his teammates onto the field to celebrate the dramatic win.
April 21
Uni Lions 9 Fubon Guardians 8
The latest of the Lions' thrilling wins came against the Fubon Guardians last Friday. The Lions stormed back from a 7-2 deficit in the seventh inning to tie the game with a Tang Chao-Ting RBI single.
The Lions surrendered the lead in the following inning but the theatrics were not over. Game MVP Tang Chao-Ting would rip a groundball off Fubon's first baseman with runners at the corner to score one and then Fubon's right fielder would airmail a throw to third that hopped out of play and allowed the game-winning run to score.
For a team with an affinity for the dramatics, do the Lions have another thrilling show in store tonight versus the Monkeys? Game time is at 6:35.
Statistically, the Lions don't lead the league in any major offensive, defensive or pitching category. In fact, they are dead last in team batting average at .258. Despite this, four of their six home wins have been of the dramatic walk-off variety and heading into tonight the team has a chance to take sole possession of first place with a win over the Monkeys in Doulio.
Let's take a look at the rollercoaster that has been the Lions' 2017 season.
April 6
Uni Lions 6 Fubon Guardians 4
With two out and his team trailing by one, game hero Yang Chia-Wei launched a game-winning three-run shot to stun the Fubon Guardians. Yang, who came in as a pinch-hitter, was making just his ninth CPBL at-bat before hitting the walk-off home run.
April 8
Uni Lions 5 Lamigo Monkeys 4 (12)
The Lions entered the ninth inning trailing 4-1, but with two out DH Pan Wu-Hsiung smacked a game-tying two-run homer to send the match into extra innings. In the bottom of the twelfth and final inning, Chu Yuan-Chin ripped a two-out walk-off double to secure the victory and snap the Monkeys' eight-game winning streak in the process.
April 13
Uni Lions 4 Chinatrust Brothers 3 (10)
The Lions continued to win games with two-out walk-off hits, this one a 10-inning affair. After Brothers SS Wang Sheng-Wei's error put a runner in scoring position, Lions team leader Chen Yung-Chi ripped a two-out liner off the wall in center to send his teammates onto the field to celebrate the dramatic win.
April 21
Uni Lions 9 Fubon Guardians 8
The latest of the Lions' thrilling wins came against the Fubon Guardians last Friday. The Lions stormed back from a 7-2 deficit in the seventh inning to tie the game with a Tang Chao-Ting RBI single.
The Lions surrendered the lead in the following inning but the theatrics were not over. Game MVP Tang Chao-Ting would rip a groundball off Fubon's first baseman with runners at the corner to score one and then Fubon's right fielder would airmail a throw to third that hopped out of play and allowed the game-winning run to score.
For a team with an affinity for the dramatics, do the Lions have another thrilling show in store tonight versus the Monkeys? Game time is at 6:35.
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