Taiwan beats China 5-1 to claim Asian Games baseball bronze

Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) Taiwan starter Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) pitched eight scoreless innings Sunday as the men's baseball team defeated China 5-1 to secure a bronze medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The victory was Taiwan's 10th consecutive win over China in Asian Games baseball.

It was Taiwan's fourth bronze medal in Asian Games baseball. Taiwan has also won two gold and four silver medals.

Lin, a right-hander in the Arizona Diamondbacks' farm system, struck out 10 Chinese batters, while allowing just one hit and one walk over eight dominant innings.

Offensively, Taiwan led 2-0 through six innings, with Yang Po-hsiang (陽柏翔) hitting a timely two-run triple in the second inning. The team failed to add to its lead from the third through sixth innings, stranding five runners.

Taiwan broke through again in the seventh inning, when Chen Min-shih (陳敏賜) hit a two-run double to extend Taiwan's lead to 4-0. Kao Yu-wei (高育瑋) followed with another RBI double to give Taiwan a comfortable 5-0 lead.

China's No. 4 batter Luan Chenchen (欒臣臣) hit an RBI single in the top of the ninth off Taiwan reliever Wang Cheng-hao (王政浩), denying Taiwan a shutout.

Taiwan finished with 13 hits, while China managed just three.

South Korea has won a record six Asian Games baseball gold medals, followed by Taiwan with two and Japan with one.