Wei Chuan Dragons Take 3-0 Series Lead in the Taiwan Series

The Wei Chuan Dragons and CTBC Brothers played Game 3 of the Taiwan Series on Tuesday.

The Dragons entered with a 2-0 series lead, and a win would put them on the cusp of a championship and a potential sweep. Andrew Gagnon took the mound for the Dragons, while Nivaldo Rodríguez started for the Brothers.

The series had featured historic pitching performances through the first two games. The 18 combined hits were the fewest in Taiwan Series history, and Game 3 brought more of the same.

Game 3 featured the premier pitching duel of the year in the CPBL. Through six innings, Rodríguez and Gagnon were nearly untouchable. Both allowed just one hit, while Rodríguez recorded eight strikeouts compared with Gagnon’s five. The game became a battle of bullpens to see which team would blink first.

With Rodríguez out of the game to start the seventh inning, the Dragons finally broke through. After recording two hits and drawing a walk with two outs, the Dragons got on the board with a bases-loaded walk and a hit-by-pitch.

Cheng-Yu Chang followed with an infield single. After initially being called out, Chang was ruled safe following a review, and two runs scored to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead.

With a four-run cushion, Gagnon retired the Brothers in order in the bottom of the seventh to complete his outing. He allowed one hit and just one baserunner in a dominant performance over 7 innings.

Holding a 4-0 lead entering the ninth, the Dragons put the game out of reach. Chang delivered another big hit, driving in two runs with a two-out single to extend the lead to 6-0.

The Dragons’ bullpen faced six batters and retired them all to secure a 6-0 victory and a 3-0 series lead. The Dragons’ pitching staff allowed just one hit and one baserunner in the game.

It was a dominant performance that put the Dragons on the cusp of a CPBL championship. Wei-Chieh Huang will take the mound for the Dragons in Game 4, while Hao-Chun Cheng will start for the Brothers on Wednesday. Huang posted a 3.48 ERA in 23 1/3 innings this season, while Cheng recorded a 5.61 ERA in 93 innings.

The Dragons have allowed just one run in the series, showcasing why they have the CPBL’s best pitching staff. A win Wednesday would secure their second championship since the team was re-established in 2019.

To win the series, the Brothers must accomplish something no CPBL team has done in the Taiwan Series and overcome a 3-0 deficit.

News Around the CPBL

Taichung Announces Plans for Indoor Baseball Stadium- The mayor of Taichung announced plans for the “Taiwan Super Dome” during a contract-signing ceremony last week. The stadium is scheduled for completion in 2031. With a planned capacity of 45,000, it would be Taiwan’s largest indoor baseball venue.

Seibu Lions to Play Exhibition Games in Taiwan- The Saitama Seibu Lions announced last week that they will play exhibition games at the Taipei Dome on Feb. 27-28.

The Lions will open against the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions on Feb. 27 before facing the CTBC Brothers on Feb. 28. The schedule will also feature a friendly matchup between Seibu Lions legends and Taiwanese baseball legends.

The games will allow a chance for Seibu outfielder An-Ko Lin to play against his former club for the first time. A native of Tainan, Lin played seven seasons for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, posting an .882 OPS with 112 home runs and 399 RBIs in 583 career games before moving to Nippon Professional Baseball in 2026.