The Wei Chuan Dragons advanced to the CPBL Taiwan Series with a 3-1 victory over the Rakuten Monkeys on Sunday, as Chen Wei-Yin threw a complete-game four-hitter at Taoyuan Stadium to close a semifinal series that swung on pitching depth rather than home-run barrages.
How the game broke
Chen escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second with a sinker-heavy sequence, then allowed only a solo homer in the sixth. Dragons batters manufactured runs with a sacrifice fly and a two-out single through the shifted infield, enough against Monkeys starter Chen Wei-Chih, who exited after 92 pitches.
Series context
Wei Chuan won the semifinal 4-2 after dropping the opener, relying on bullpen arms acquired in a midseason trade deadline that prioritized playoff experience. Manager Tseng Hao-wei said the staff mapped Chen Wei-Yin for a potential Game 7; they needed only Game 6.
What is next
The Dragons face either the CTBC Brothers or Uni-President Lions in a best-of-seven Taiwan Series starting Friday. Ticket pre-sales open Tuesday for home games in Taipei, with travel packages marketed to fans who followed the franchise since its 2021 expansion return.
For a club still building its legacy, a Taiwan Series berth validates front-office moves that emphasized defense and starting rotation length over marquee sluggers—a blueprint that worked on a cool October night in Taoyuan.
Fan turnout and broadcast
Attendance reached 16,842, the highest semifinal crowd at Taoyuan this postseason, with many fans wearing the Dragons’ 2021 expansion colors. CPBL.tv streamed the game with Mandarin and English feeds; overseas viewers in Japan and Canada boosted concurrent viewership records for a non-Taiwan Series game.
Roster and injuries
Utility infielder Chiang Kai-wei left in the seventh after fouling a ball off his ankle, but MRI results were negative. The Dragons listed him day-to-day, a relief for a roster thin on playoff bench depth after an oblique strain sidelined their backup catcher in September.
Pitching metrics
Chen Wei-Yin induced eleven ground balls and struck out six without issuing a walk, a pitch-efficiency line that matched his 2012 major-league playoff form according to local statcast vendors. His fastball averaged 91 miles per hour but lived on the lower outside corner, exploiting a Monkeys lineup that led the league in pull-side fly balls during the regular season.
Front-office comments
General manager Liu Yu-chieh said the franchise will not rush to sell commemorative merchandise until the Taiwan Series opponent is set, but online preorders for Chen jerseys sold out in nineteen minutes. Sponsors from beverage and convenience chains already booked dugout signage for the finals, betting that a Wei Chuan appearance will lift national TV ratings even if the Dragons remain underdogs on paper.