BASEBALL/Dragons hit 3 home runs to snap Li Dong-ming's 10-game winning streak

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) The Wei Chuan Dragons belted three home runs Sunday to secure a 5-3 victory and hand Fubon Guardians pitcher Li Dong-ming (李東洺) his first loss after a 10-game winning streak.

Entering the game as one of the Chinese Professional Baseball League's (CPBL) top pitchers, Li had won his last 10 games over the past three months in the first half of the season.

The right-hander was the sixth Taiwanese pitcher in the league's history to achieve that record, but the Dragons wasted little time in ending his run on Sunday.

Dragons leadoff hitter Kuo Tian-hsin (郭天信) opened the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer, ending Li's scoreless streak against Dragons at 11 1/3 innings dating back to last season.

Chu Yu-hsien (朱育賢) hit another solo shot in the fourth inning, before Chen Tzu-hao (陳子豪) followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season, giving the Dragons a 4-0 lead.

Li was pulled after loading the bases with one out in the fifth inning. He gave up four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings as his ERA rose from 1.66 to 2.05.

Dragons manager Yeh Chun-chang (葉君璋) praised the Guardians starter after the game.

"This is the kind of healthy cycle you want to see," Yeh told reporters. "Someone has to knock him off the pedestal."

Yeh said Li's winning streak was not necessarily a good thing because it would suggest opposing teams had failed to find ways to beat him.

"Maybe he'll work even harder and become an even better pitcher," Yeh said. "Then we'll have to figure out another way to beat him."

The Dragons manager praised Li's improved command this season, saying his fastball had always been effective but he had become much more difficult to face because he could consistently throw his breaking pitches for strikes.

He also suggested Kuo's first-inning home run and the pressure of carrying a 10-game winning streak may have affected the 24-year-old.

"Maybe losing today will actually let him relax a little," Yeh said.

Dragons starter Marcelo Martinez earned the win after allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits over eight innings. Chen finished 2-for-4, with two RBIs and two runs scored, including his first home run of the season.