BASEBALL/Brothers trounce Uni-Lions 10-0 to lead 2-1 in Taiwan Series

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) The final series of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) has been a back-and-forth battle, following the CTBC Brothers' landslide Game 3 victory over the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions Tuesday.

After losing Game 1 on Saturday 10-4, the Uni-Lions tied the series the next day with a 10-3 victory. However, the Brothers reclaimed the lead by delivering a decisive 10-0 drubbing in the first of the Uni-Lions' two home games in the series.

Both franchises are competing in their 16th Taiwan Series, having split their league-most six head-to-head matchups before the 2024 season.

At the post-game press conference, both managers pointed to the sixth inning as the turning point, when the Uni-Lions failed to capitalize on bases loaded with only one out.

"I think we still had a chance offensively. We just couldn't get a clutch hit in that key inning. It might have been a different story if we had," said Uni-Lions manager Lin Yueh-ping (林岳平).

The Uni-Lions fell behind 3-0 after the top of the third, partly due to starting pitcher Logan Ondrusek's control issues, which included a bases-loaded walk that put the Brothers on the board.

Meanwhile, the Uni-Lions struggled at the plate, managing only one hit in the first five innings off Kirk McCarty. Their best opportunity came in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases with one out and veteran Chen Yung-chi (陳鏞基) at bat.

The Brothers emerged unscathed, however, as Lu Yen-chiang (呂彥青) replaced McCarty and drew Chen into a double play. Lu was later named MVP of the game.

Asked about the substitution, Brothers manager Keiichi Hirano praised Lu as the most reliable arm in the bullpen.

"We put him on the mound knowing we couldn't have done better even if he gave up a hit, and he lived up to our expectations," said Hirano, lauding the 28-year-old lefty.

Thereafter, the game shifted decisively toward the Brothers, with Tseng Song-en (曾頌恩) hitting a three-run homer in the seventh inning, extending the lead to 7-0.

As of Tuesday, Tseng is batting .462 in the series with six hits, including two home runs.

According to CPBL records, teams that have taken a 2-1 lead in the Taiwan Series have won the championship eight out of 13 times.

However, history suggests it is still too early to predict the outcome. Apart from the Brothers' sweep in 2021, each series between the two teams has gone to at least six games.

"In the face of strong opponents like the Uni-Lions, we will always approach the series as challengers, no matter what," Hirano added.

The Uni-Lions host the Brothers again on Wednesday at Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium. Kuo Chun-lin (郭俊麟) and Cheng Kai-wen (鄭凱文) are set to start for their respective teams, marking the first game in the series with two Taiwanese starting pitchers.