AFC Champions League" Lin Ziwei was shocked and educated by the Japanese team! Being bombarded on the head of the top photographer in East Egg

Lin Ziwei. (AP)

[Special Correspondent Gong Naijie/Reporting from Tokyo, Japan] Lin Ziwei, the starting pitcher of the Taiwanese team in the AFC Champions League, faced Japan in the opening game today. He lost 3 runs in 4.2 innings and left the game. Japan Series MVP Tomoya Masaki became his biggest nightmare tonight. He was hit with a home run in the first inning. He also retired in the 5th inning because he could not deal with him.

Lin Ziwei's fifth 145-kilometer straight ball against Tomoya Masaki in the first game was caught and flew directly out of the Tokyo Dome auditorium. The Taiwan team has been bombarded three times against the Japanese team in the AFC Champions League, including Lin Zhengxian in 2017 when he was hit by Shutai Sozaki, and in 2023 Ruiyang Furashi was bombarded by Shota Morishita.

In the 3rd inning, Lin Ziwei mainly used change balls to deal with Masaki Tomoya, but he still couldn't stop his hot bat. A 131-kilometer fork ball was fished out of the left field wall. This time it hit the highest advertising sign in the left field, "Kyoritsu Pharmaceutical", and passed over the head of the top photographer in the broadcast unit in front of the sign. Another point was lost. In the 5th inning, facing Masaki with 2 outs, Lin Ziwei threw 4 bad balls in a row to put him on base. The Taiwan team decided to switch pitches.

Lin Ziwei pitched a total of 74 pitches and allowed 5 hits in 4.2 innings, including Masaki's 2 home runs, no strikeouts and 1 walk-off. He allowed 3 runs and 2 earned runs. Gao Weiqiang took over the pitching and resolved the crisis for him. After 5 innings, the Taiwan team fell behind 0:3.

Lin Ziwei did not strike out in the game, becoming the second starting pitcher in the history of the AFC Championship without a strikeout. The other one was Wang Yancheng in 2023. He started 1.1 innings against the South Korean team that year without a strikeout and allowed 5 runs.

Lin Ziwei's hit ball in the third inning went over the head of the photographer on the advertising board "Kyoritsu Pharmaceutical". (Photo by reporter Gong Naijie)