Taiwan Makes History with First Gold Medal at WBSC Premier12 Championship
Tokyo, Nov. 24 (CNA) – Taiwan’s national baseball team made history on Sunday by securing its first gold medal at the world-class national team level, defeating Japan 4-0 in a commanding shutout at the WBSC Premier12 Championship in Tokyo Dome.
The victory was a remarkable feat, as Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, capitalized on a 4-0 lead with two home runs in the top of the fifth inning. Catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) hit a solo homer, followed by a three-run blast from team captain and center fielder Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲), both off Japanese starter Shosei Togo of the Yomiuri Giants.
Taiwan’s starter, 21-year-old Lin Yu-min (林昱珉), a prospect for the Arizona Diamondbacks, delivered a stellar performance, shutting out Japan for four innings while allowing just one hit, three walks, and striking out three batters. The bullpen maintained the lead, with three relievers finishing the game without allowing a run, sealing Taiwan’s historic victory.
Taiwan out-hit Japan 11 to 4 in the championship game, a stunning turnaround from the two previous losses in the tournament.
Chen, overcome with emotion, expressed his gratitude, saying, “We’ve pulled off a miracle.” Prior to the tournament, Taiwan was considered a heavy underdog, ranked near the bottom by Japanese media.
This marks Taiwan’s first appearance in a world-class baseball final since the 1992 Olympics, where the team claimed a silver medal. The team’s previous best result at the Premier12 was a fifth-place finish in 2019.
Taiwan and Japan had met three times during the 2024 Premier12, with Taiwan losing both previous matchups before Sunday’s historic win. Japan’s loss also ended their 27-game international winning streak.
Chen, who was named the 2024 Premier12 MVP, played a pivotal role in Taiwan’s triumph with a standout performance, hitting .625 with 14 hits in 24 at-bats, including two home runs.
Earlier on Sunday, the United States secured the bronze medal with a 6-1 victory over Venezuela.
The WBSC Premier12, now in its third edition, features the 12 highest-ranked national teams in the world and is organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). Taiwan had previously finished ninth in 2015 and fifth in 2019.
