Chinese Taipei wins 2012 Bronco World Series title

The Chinese Taipei Bronco All-Star team celebrates winning the 2012 Bronco World Series championship on Thursday at Jacks Park in Monterey. (Glenn Cravens/Register-Pajaronian)

MONTEREY — The Chinese Taipei Bronco All-Star team became rock stars Thursday night along the Monterey Bay.

After a two-week stay in the region — this was the first time any of them had been to the United States — the Taiwanese baseball players are taking home the souvenir they sought to obtain when they arrived: the Bronco World Series championship banner.

They did it by outlasting El Dorado Hills in an 11-5 game that looked to be all offense early on.

But once Ho Chuin Yo got into a pitching groove, El Dorado Hills had little answer.

Yo was the winning pitcher, striking out six while allowing five runs.

He had his share of tight situations but got out of the majority of them.

He didn’t get out of the first one, though.

El Dorado Hills’ Johnny Welch and Patrick Smith both hit singles with one out in the top of the first inning. Trenton Denholm then hit a grounder that erased Smith, bringing Philip Apodaka to the plate with two outs.

Apodaka worked Yo for a couple of pitches before smashing a ball to centerfield for a three-run home run to give El Dorado Hills a 3-0 advantage.

Chinese Taipei answered in the bottom of the first inning.

With one out, Kuo Yun Seen hit a hard grounder that ate up the El Dorado Hills shortstop. Song Ki Shong followed up with a single to left field. Chun Ray Shung plated both runners with a double. Three batters later, Eyou Ya Chu hit a grounder that was booted by the El Dorado Hills shortstop again, and Shung scored to tie the game at 3-3.

El Dorado Hills took the lead back in the top of the third when Smith hit a single down the first-base line that brought home Welch to give the squad a 4-3 lead.

Just like the first inning, Chinese Taipei answered back. This time, they took the lead for good.

Shung hit a single and then came home on a Cow Tsu See double that hit the wall. Two batters later, Chu hit a single past the left side of the infield to bring home See and give the Taiwanese a 5-4 lead.



For the complete article see the 08-11-2012 issue.

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