2023 Taiwan Series G1: Dragons 3 – Monkeys 2
On November 4, the Wei Chuan Dragons defeated the Rakuten Monkeys 3-2 in front of a sold-out crowd at Tianmu Stadium, taking Game One of the 2023 Taiwan Series. The Dragons now lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
The Dragons came out swinging, putting two runs on the scoreboard in the first inning with a walk by Namoh Iyang, followed by Liu Ji-Hong’s two-run homer to deep left.
The Monkeys eventually scored their first run by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning and tied the score at 2-2 in the seventh inning with an RBI single by Chu Yu-Hsien.
Both teams were deadlocked at 2-2 until the bottom of the 14th inning when Dragons’ Liu Ji-Hong crushed a solo walk-off home run, securing a 3-2 victory over the Monkeys.
2023 #CPBL Taiwan Series G1
Wei Chuan Dragons’ 劉基鴻 (Liu Ji-Hong) gives the Dragons an early lead with a 2-run shot to deep left. 💪 pic.twitter.com/PnR5KTOWzq
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) November 4, 2023
2023 #CPBL Taiwan Series G1
WALK-OFF HOME RUN! WE CAN ALL GO HOME NOW!
After 5 hours and 17 minutes, Wei Chuan Dragons’ 劉基鴻 (Liu Ji-Hong) ended the game at the bottom of 14th inning with a solo shot.
Fun fact: This is the 1st Taiwan Series walk-off home run in CPBL history. pic.twitter.com/K2Fc3Jzkf2
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) November 4, 2023
Just how important is winning Game One of the Taiwan Series? According to historical data since 1990, the team that wins Game One of the Taiwan Series has an 86.67% probability of winning the Taiwan Series championship.
“Liu Ji-Hong has always been the key man of our team. Whenever the team needed him, he would step up and get the job done,” said the Dragons manager Yeh Chun-Chang after the game.
“This walk-off home run means a lot to me, as it was my first Taiwan Series appearance. I was deeply moved as I was rounding the bases and hearing the fans cheering for me,” said the hero of the night, Liu Ji-Hong.
It is worth mentioning that this walk-off home run by Liu Ji-Hong is the first ever Taiwan Series walk-off home run in CPBL history.
2023 #CPBL Taiwan Series G1
How’s the game atmosphere at the Taiwan Series? Well, here’s a taste of it via the umpire cam!
Seriously, all the cool kids tune into CPBL games with the umpire cam, you know, because mainstream broadcasts are just too conformist… pic.twitter.com/pVXJvDMArz
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) November 4, 2023
2023 #CPBL Taiwan Series G1
Wei Chuan Dragons’ brass band in action! 🎺 pic.twitter.com/uSUBpkXXcs
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) November 4, 2023
2023 #CPBL Taiwan Series G1
Beautiful drone shot of Tianmu stadium tonight. pic.twitter.com/UJabeK5liz
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) November 4, 2023
