Rakuten Monkeys' reliever Chu Cheng-yang injured after collision on final out, diagnosed with ankle sprain

Taipei, Jul. 8 (CNA) The Rakuten Monkeys secured a 1-0 victory over the Fubon Guardians today, but the final out of the game was marred by an incident. Reliever Chu Cheng-yang collided with a batter while covering first base and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher. The Monkeys' initial assessment is a sprained ankle, with further observation needed to determine the full extent of the injury.

Chu was brought in to protect the Monkeys' one-run lead in the ninth inning. With two outs and runners on first and third, he faced Lin Tse-pin, who hit a ground ball towards first base. As the first baseman moved to field the ball, Chu rushed to cover the base and collided with Lin.

Although Chu successfully made the out, he landed awkwardly, twisting both his ankles. He then fell to the ground in apparent pain and was taken off the field on a stretcher. Manager Tseng Hao-chu told reporters after the game that Chu "didn't plant his foot properly, causing a slight sprain." He added that the athletic trainer would assess the injury, and more details would be available after further observation.

Starting pitcher Chen Ke-yi appeared visibly concerned when Chu fell. In a post-game media interview, Chen stated that the entire team was tense. "Little Chu is a vital part of our team. If he's injured, it would be a significant loss for us. We hope he's okay." (Editor: Li Shu-hua) 1150708

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