BASEBALL/Taiwan's Teng gives season-best start in Astros' 3-0 win over Cubs

Taipei, May 24 (CNA) Taiwanese pitcher Teng Kai-wei (鄧愷威) on Saturday delivered his season-best performance as a starter, cruising through six scoreless innings for the Houston Astros in a 3-0 shutout victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Making his fourth start since being moved into the rotation, the 27-year-old right-hander struck out three batters and allowed two hits, earning his third victory of the season while lowering his ERA to 2.19 and improving his record to 3-3.

He has not given up a run for 11 innings straight.

Astros' first baseman Christian Walker, meanwhile, hit two home runs - one solo shot in the opening frame and one two-run homer in the fourth - both off Cub's starter Colin Rea, to drive in all three runs for Houston.

"Obviously, the sweeper is my best pitch right now," Teng told Major League Baseball's (MLB) official website.

Teng said that in previous years, he relied heavily on his sweepers whenever he lacked confidence in his sinker and four-seam fastball.

"This year, I really trusted in my stuff, and even though I didn't feel good throwing the sinker and four-seam, I stuck with the game plan -- just throw those fastballs, and then it has good tunneling with the sweeper. That's probably why the sweeper plays that well," he said in the MLB article.

Teng threw the sweeper 42 times among his total of 89 pitches on Saturday.

Houston acquired Teng in a January trade with the San Francisco Giants after he went 2-4 with a 6.37 ERA in 2025.

The Taiwanese hurler began the season in the bullpen for the Astros before making his first start on April 28 in Baltimore.

Astros manager Joe Espada told the same MLB report that Teng has continued to improve and become more comfortable in his new role as a starter.

"His pitches continue to keep their depth and their ability to miss bats. That's something I'm looking at once he gets to that 70-, 80-[pitch] mark -- how much more can he give us?" Espada said.

"He continues to hit corners, pitch down in the zone, the sweeper continues to be effective and not staying up in the zone."

"All those things. He's checking all those boxes and it shows that he's starting to get comfortable in that role," he added.