China Keeps WBC Hopes Alive

After hanging tough against Japan, the Chinese All-Star team, who has only won one game in their history (dating back to 2006), faced a simple task: beat Chinese Taipei, or face elimination again.

Terry Collins, the former manager of the Orix Buffaloes who resigned last season, has his team playing inspired baseball, not only keeping the game against Japan close, but also managed to beat Taipei 4-1 to eliminate them and set up another elimination game. This next one will against the Koreans, who will be out for revenge after getting thumped by Japan later in the day, 14-2.

Playing the small-ball game that the Chinese have to do to stay close in the runs column, the Chinese took the lead early. After a single up the middle by Fenglian Hou and a hit-and-run single by Pittsburgh prospect Ray Chang, Fei Feng hit a sacrifice fly to center to score the game's first run. China expanded on their lead with a little 2-out lightning off the bats of Hou and Chang, Mr. Do-it-All. Two runs came across to make it 3-0, China.

Lu Jiangang only gave up one run over 5 and 1/3 innings, courtesy of a double by Cheng-min Peng, which scored speedy Red Sox prospect Che-Husan Lin. However, that was the only run that Chinese Taipei would score off Chinese pitching. Two more Chinese pitchers came out of the bullpen, and they held fast, as China recorded its second win in a row against Chinese Taipei (the first win was in the Beijing Olympics).

The winner of the Korea-China game goes on to the final game in the pool against Japan.