     Yomiuri Giants win Asia Series
Nederlands
 BUSAN (Korea) -
The Yomiuri Giants, the champion of the Japan Series, have won the Asia Series for the first time in its long history.
In the final, played in Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, the Giants defeated the Lamigo Monkeys, this years champion of the Taiwanese professional league, 6-3.
It marks the fifth time that a representative from Japan winst the Asia Series.
By winning the Series, the Giants were awarded 500 million Korean Won, which is 460,000 dollar.
The second placed Monkeys won 276,000 dollar.
The Asia series were first played in 2005 to determine the best professional club team in the region.
Participating in this years tournament were the champions of the professional leagues in Japan (Nippon Professional Baseball, Yomiuri Giants), Taiwan (Chinese Professionall Baseball League, Lamigo Monkeys), Korea (Korean Baseball Organization, Samsung Lions) and Australia (Australia Baseball League, Perth Heat).
Joining them were an All-Star Team from China (China Stars) and host Lotte Giants.
Giants-starter Ryosuke Miyaguni dominated in six innings to become the winning pitcher.
Yomiuri scored four runs in the second inning against American starter Paul Phillips to take an early lead.
In the inning, Yoshihito Ishii drove in two runs, then Kazunari Sanematsu followed with a 2-run homerun to make it 4-0.
The Monkeys scored its first run in the fourth inning when Chih-Sheng Lin homered, but the Giants added a run in the sixth and seventh at bat to lift the lead to 6-1.
The Taiwanese champion managed to add two more runs in their ninth at bat.
Hayato Sakamoto, short stop of the Giants, was named the Most Valuable Player of the Series.
The Giants shutout the Lotte Giants 4-0 on Saturday to advance to the final of the Asia Series.
Earlier, Yomiuri defeated Perth Heat, 7-1.
The Monkeys became a surprise finalist by beating Samsung Lions.
On Friday, the Monkeys won 3-0 against the Lions, who were the defending Asia Series-champions.
Mike Loree, Jr., who pitched in the Double-A for the Pittsburgh Pirates before going to Taiwan, went the distance, struckout eleven batters and gave up only three hits.
In its previous game, the Monkeys won 14-1 against China Stars.
The Lions earlier won 6-1 against Perth and also beat the China Stars, 9-0.
(November 12)
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