Chinese Taipei got three scoreless innings out of starting pitcher Chih-Weh Chu, but Panama chased him from the mound in the fourth before he could retire a batter, putting up five runs in the frame on Chu and his replacement, Kuan-Wei Chen, on the way to a 12–5 victory in the second game of Pool A at Taichung International Baseball Stadium.
Panama added six more runs in the sixth, and Chinese Taipei never threatened.
Jonathan Arauz, who was a non-roster invitee to spring training with Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, drove in two runs, including the game-winner, with a bases-loaded single in the sixth, and knocked an RBI double in the seventh to extend Panama’s lead.
Six Panamanian pitchers spread 13 hits over nine innings, with starter Humberto Mejia going two innings, allowing two hits, walking two and striking out none.
Panama will face the Netherlands Wednesday night at 11 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 2. Chinese Taipei will get to rest until Friday, when they play Italy at 6 a.m. ET. That game will be streamed on Tubi.
