Taiwanese clobber Pinoys in Asian baseball

The Philippines stumbled to a 2-12 setback at the hands of fancied home side Chinese Taipei at the start of the XXVII BFA Asian Baseball Championship at Hsing Chuang Stadium Monday night.

The Filipinos actually managed to fight the Taiwanese on even terms after two completed two innings, 2-2. But the hosts asserted their might and made 10 runs in the next five frames to set the tone for the abbreviated victory.

Wu Chun Chih took the win after turning in a two-hitter while striking out eight batters in a norelief effort while Phl starter Jon jon Robles was tagged with the loss after surrendering four hits and three runs in two innings.

In all, the Taiwanese peppered Robles and those who succeeded him on the mound, Juan Paolo Macasaet, Ron Christian dela Cruz, Romeo Jasmin Jr. and Junmar Diarao, with 16 hits.

Left fielder Lin Tzu Chieh led the offensive as he batted in three runners on a two-for-four clip and reached home twice. Third baseman Chen Wei Chih (2-for-4) and shortstop Liao Chun Kai (1-for-4) had two RBIs apiece to help Lin out.

First baseman Diego Lozano blasted a two-run home run to avert a shutout loss for Phl, which seeks to rebound against next opponent Sri Lanka.

The Taiwanese extricated from a 2-2 standoff with a five-run explosion in the bottom third then added three more in the next inning and sealed the 10-run triumph by sending two more to the plate in the seventh.