Taiwan team keeps it closer in 2nd loss to MLB stars

Nov 3, 2011, 16:32 GMT

Taipei - The Chinese Taipei baseball team avoided a second blowout in the exhibition series with Major League Baseball all-stars Thursday, finishing with a 5-3 loss in game two in Taichung.

This was in contrast to being kept scoreless at 7-0 by the Major League team in the first game two days ago.

Most of the runs by both teams were scored on in-field batting and base running. No home runs were hit during the game.

The home team kept it surprisingly close, delighting the stands with a one-run lead in the top of the 5th.

But the visiting Major League stars blew the contest open in the bottom of the 7th, with Boston Red Sox outfielder Josh Reddick and New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson scoring.

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano had two RBIs in the game, including batting Granderson in for the final run in the 7th inning.

This is the first time the MLB has sent players from multiple teams to play in the island territory, where baseball is the most popular sport.

Taiwanese players have been taking the losses in stride.

Taiwan's starting pitcher Wang Yao-lin said after the game: 'I was a bit nervous to face off against all these MLB stars. But tonight's game was great for building my experience.'