2020 Taiwan Series G7: Uni-Lions 7 – Brothers 4
Two outs, bottom of the ninth, the Uni-Lions retired the final CTBC Brothers’ batter on a flyout to left field. The away fans erupted with cheers and showered the outfield of the Taichung Stadium with thousands of orange streamers.
Meet your 2020 Taiwan Series Champions: Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions! #CPBL ?? pic.twitter.com/ACNikVLTAa
— CPBL STATS (@GOCPBL) November 8, 2020
On the night of November 8, the Uni-Lions pulled off one of the best underdog stories in the CPBL history by winning the 2020 Taiwan Series Championship.
The Uni-Lions won game one, but lost game two, three and four and found themselves in an unfavourable 1-3 position in the best-of-seven series against the CTBC Brothers.
Just when people started to think that all hope is lost, this scrappy, resilience Uni-Lions team managed to claw their way back. With nothing to lose, they went all out and won game four, five and six to tied the series.
And in game seven, the Uni-Lions did the unthinkable, they defeated the CTBC Brothers 7-4 and captured their tenth Taiwan Series title in franchise history. After 2566 days (seven years), the Uni-Lions are once again taking the Taiwan Series trophy back to the city of Tainan.
- Sunday, November 8, 2020
- Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
- WP: Teddy Stankiewicz
- LP: Ariel Miranda
- MVP: Chen Chieh-Hsien (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 1 HR)
- Box Score & Game Highlights
- Attendance: 7,800 (78% seating capacity limits)
- Game time: 3:59
G7 Notes
The game started with the Uni-Lions jumping on board with an early 3-0 lead with some aggressive baserunning. However, the Brothers fought back in the bottom of the third with six singles and overtook the Uni-Lions 4-3.
TIE GAME!!!!!!
SS Chiang Kun-Yu (江坤宇) drives in the 3rd run for the @CTBC_Brothers!!!! We're TIED AT 3-3!!!!!!#CPBL #TaiwanSeries #TaiwanBaseball pic.twitter.com/1FXdOUcOZs
— CPBL 中華職棒 (@CPBL) November 8, 2020
Despite the early turbulence, both starting pitchers, Ariel Miranda and Teddy Stankiewicz managed to settle into a grove and cruised through third to sixth innings with ease.
Heading into the top of the seventh innings, the Uni-Lions were down 3-4. With a single, walk and a wild pitch, the Uni-Lions were able to get the tying run and go-ahead run in the scoring position.
With the Brothers’ starting pitcher Ariel Miranda’s pitch count getting closer to 120 pitches, the Uni-Lions took full advantage of that. They tied up the game with a passed ball and then scored the go-ahead run with a pinch-hit RBI single by Wu Chieh-Jui.
The Brothers went to the bullpen and called upon Huang En-Shih hoping to stop the bleeding. However, the Uni-Lions’ Chen Chieh-Hsien decided to rub salt into the wound by launching a 2-run home to extend the lead to 7-4.
[2020 Taiwan Series G7] Uni-Lions' 陳傑憲 (Chen Chieh-Hsien) extends the lead with a crucial 2-run shot to right. #CPBL pic.twitter.com/f46Ccw6QWd
— CPBL STATS (@GOCPBL) November 8, 2020
Uni-Lions’ starting pitcher Teddy Stankiewicz gave up four earned runs on ten hits across 6.2 innings. Reliever Huang Chun-Yen inherited two runners from Stankiewicz, but he completed his mission by stranding the Brothers’ runners on base.
For an eighth and ninth inning, Brock Dykxhoorn came in and snuffed out the Brothers’ chance of mounting a comeback.
2020 Taiwan Series Award Winners:
- Taiwan Series MVP: Pan Wu-Hsiung
- Uni-Lions Outstanding Player: Brock Dykxhoorn
- CTBC Brothers Outstanding Players: Chiang Kun-Yu
