Taiwanese pitchers impress in minor league outings

Taiwanese pitcher Deng Kai-wei continues to impress in the Houston Astros' Triple-A system, showcasing his ability to escape jams. Called upon in the sixth inning with a runner on third and one out, Deng immediately struck out two batters to end the threat. He returned in the seventh to retire the next three batters he faced, completing his assignment without allowing any hits or walks over 1.2 innings.

Deng threw 23 pitches, 17 for strikes, relying heavily on his sweepers. His fastball topped out at 93.5 mph (150.5 kph). Since being optioned to Triple-A, he has pitched 3.1 innings, allowing only one run, boasting a 2.70 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP.

Meanwhile, infielder Cheng Tsung-yu, awaiting his own call-up to the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A team, extended his hitting streak with a double. This marks his second consecutive game with an extra-base hit. The double measured 327 feet with an exit velocity of 98.3 mph (158.2 kph).

Other Taiwanese players also saw action. Stuart Fairchild, a Taiwanese-American outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, made his return to the majors as a pinch-runner, scoring the winning run. Jonathon Long, a power hitter for the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A team, hit a home run after an 11-game drought, raising his OPS to .819. In Single-A, pitcher Lee Chen-hsun pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two batters and allowing one hit and one walk. He has yet to allow a run in 8 innings pitched since his promotion to Single-A.