In preliminary-round action, Taiwan's batters scored four runs in the top of the 12th inning to break a 3-3 tie. However, host nation and newcomer China erupted for five runs in the bottom frame to upset Taiwan 8-7 and claim the country's first-ever Olympic win in baseball.
The game was the first to go into extra innings at the Beijing Olympic Games where a tiebreaker format is being used, under which runners are placed on first and second base with no outs after the 10th inning.
BEIJING (AP) Terry Tiffee doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh, and Brian Barden homered and hit a tying RBI double as the U.S. rallied from a four-run deficit for a 5-4 victory over Canada on Saturday.