CPBL: Rakuten Monkeys win 8-4; manager jokes about 'pick-and-roll' incident with ball boy

The Rakuten Monkeys clinched an 8-4 victory against the Uni-President Lions in a Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) game, fueled by key hits from Dylan Dodd and Liang Chia-jung. However, the match was also marked by an unusual on-field interruption that drew attention and a lighthearted reaction from the Monkeys' manager.

In the fifth inning, with the Monkeys leading, a hit by Uni-President Lions batter Chen Sheng-ping landed near the outfield ball boy. As the ball boy attempted to evade the ball, he nearly collided with left fielder Dylan Dodd, who was momentarily hindered by the close encounter. This brief disruption occurred as Chen Sheng-ping advanced to second base.

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The ball boy was a bit too aggressive.

Monkeys manager Tseng Hao-chu approached the umpires to inquire about the play. Following the game, Tseng humorously described the ball boy as "a bit too aggressive" but also noted that the ball boy had tried to move out of the way. The league subsequently replaced the left field ball boy for the remainder of the game. The Lions managed to score two runs in that half-inning, despite the unusual circumstances.

Dodd did not play the entire game; Lin Cheng-hua substituted for him in center field in the eighth inning, with starting center fielder Chen Chen-wei shifting to left field. Tseng explained this substitution was made to strengthen the team's defense. The incident, while minor, added a unique moment to the game, prompting a chuckle from the manager post-game.

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But Tseng also said that the ball boy tried to get out of the way, and the two had some collision.