MLB “stars” sweep five-game series against Chinese Taipei

By Nov 6, 2011, 5:27 PM EST
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We did it! … Or something.

According to Doug Miller of MLB.com, a group of Major League Baseball players (some stars, others not) captured a 6-4 victory Sunday at Cheng-Ching Lake Stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, finishing up a five-game sweep of a Chinese Taipei team led by Nationals right-hander Chien-Ming Wang.

Yankees Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano were the main attraction, and were even invited to pose in the Chinese Taipei team picture taken right after the conclusion of the five-game set.

Three of the five contests were decided by fewer than three runs and MLB team manager Bruce Bochy noticed daily improvement from the opposition.

“It could have gone either way,” said Bochy. “Sure, we won five games, but you could see their confidence growing and they were playing right there with us. It’s good for baseball and for Taiwan. A lot of these are young players playing against the best players in the world, and they were fighting hard. It was a great experience for all of us. We’ve had a great time.”

MLB.com produced some excellent videos throughout the visit, including this one of a player-run clinic.

The roster for the Taiwan series, excluding Cano and Granderson, consisted of Pablo Sandoval (Giants), Logan Morrison (Marlins), Drew Butera (Twins), Jeff Mathis (Angels), Erick Aybar (Angels), Michael Morse (Nationals), Ryan Roberts (Diamondbacks), Danny Valencia (Twins), Emilio Bonifacio (Marlins), Bill Bray (Reds), Ross Detwiler (Nationals), Dillon Gee (Mets), Collin Balester (Nationals), Jeremy Guthrie (Orioles), Mark Melancon (Astros) and Jose Veras (Pirates).

Ohtani homers twice, including career longest at 459 feet, Angels beat White Sox 12-5

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 12:48 AM EDT
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CHICAGO (AP) Shohei Ohtani homered in consecutive innings, including a 459-foot drive that was the longest of his Major League Baseball career, and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Chicago White Sox 12-5 Wednesday.

Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 2-0 with a 476-foot home run in the first that was four rows shy of clearing the left field bleachers. Taylor Ward also went deep as the Angels hit four two-run homers plus a solo shot.

“Those are the guys you lean on,” manager Phil Nevin said. “They can certainly put the team on their backs and carry us and that’s what they did today.”

Ohtani drove a first-pitch fastball from Lance Lynn (4-6) just to left of straightaway center in the third, where the ball was dropped by a fan who tried to glove it. That 425-foot drive put the Angels ahead 4-1.

Lynn didn’t even bother to turn and look when Ohtani hit a full count fastball more than a dozen rows over the bullpen in right-center in the fourth. The two-way Japanese star is batting .269 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs to go along with a 5-1 record and 2.91 ERA.

“I’m feeling good right now,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I’m putting good swings on pitches I should be hitting hard.”

Ohtani increased his career total to 13 multihomer games with his first this season.

Trout pulled a hanging curve for his 13th home run. Ward hit a two-run homer against Jesse Scholtens in the seventh and Chad Wallach, pinch hitting for Ohtani, had a solo homer in the ninth off Garrett Crochet.

“Usually when that happens, we’re in a good spot to win,” Trout said.

Trout and Ohtani have homered in the same game for the fifth time this season. The Angels hit a pair of 450-foot or more home runs in the same game for the first time since Statcast started tracking in 2015.

Lynn allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks while hitting two batters in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.55. He has given up 15 home runs, one short of the major league high of Kansas City’s Jordan Lyles. Lynn had won his previous three starts.

“It seemed like he didn’t get away with any today,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Just one of those days, man.”

Jaime Barria (2-2) gave up one run and four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

Los Angeles won two of three from the White Sox after being swept by Miami last weekend.

Jake Burger homered for Chicago, which has lost four of five. Burger hit his 11th homer in the ninth and Hanser Alberto had a two run double off Tucker Davidson.

Chicago’s Romy Gonzalez, who’d homered in three straight games, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

THE NATURALS

Twenty-three people became naturalized U.S. citizens during a pregame swearing-in behind home plate.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Trout fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fourth but remained in the game.

White Sox: INF Elvis Andrus (strained left oblique) and RHP Mike Clevinger (right wrist inflammation) are close to returning but Grifol wouldn’t elaborate on either player’s status.

UP NEXT

Angels: Reid Detmers (0-4, 4.93) starts Thursday’s series opener at Houston against fellow LHP Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38).

White Sox: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s series opener against visiting Detroit, which starts RHP Reese Olson in his major league debut. Olson is 2-3 with a 6.38 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Toledo.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports