TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Houston Astros pitcher Teng Kai-Wei (鄧愷威) and Detroit Tigers infielder Lee Hao-yu (李灝宇) became the first Taiwanese pitcher and hitter to face each other in a Major League Baseball game on Monday.
The long-anticipated showdown came during the Astros’ home game against the Tigers, with Teng and Lee meeting twice in the second and fourth innings, per CNA.
As Houston’s starting pitcher, Teng struggled with his control early, walking the first batter he faced before recovering with two strikeouts. His accuracy faltered again when he hit two batters, allowing Detroit to score a run, before striking out the next batter to end the inning.
Teng settled down in the second inning, striking out two consecutive batters before allowing a solo home run to Kevin McGonigle. During an at-bat against Detroit’s Gleyber Torres, Torres exited the game after swinging and missing, later grabbing his left side after suffering an apparent injury.
Lee was then called upon as a pinch hitter, setting up the first all-Taiwanese pitcher-hitter duel in MLB history. Teng won the encounter, striking out Lee on a sweeper.
The Tigers added to their lead in the third inning when Colt Keith hit a two-run home run and Spencer Torkelson followed with a solo shot. Teng recovered to record another strikeout and limit further damage.
The pair met again in the fourth inning. After Teng struck out the inning’s first batter, McGonigle singled to bring Lee to the plate once more.
This time, Lee came out on top, lining a single to right field for his first hit against his fellow Taiwanese player, per CNA.
The hit marked the end of Teng’s outing. He pitched 3 1/3 innings, throwing 81 pitches while allowing five earned runs on six hits, including three home runs. He struck out a career-high nine batters but was charged with the loss after leaving with Houston trailing 5-3.
Despite the result, the game marked a milestone for Taiwanese baseball, as Teng and Lee became the first Taiwanese players to face each other in a pitcher-versus-batter matchup in MLB history.
