CTBC Brothers head coach Tseng Hao-wei named Cheng Hao-chun as his Game 3 starter Tuesday at Taipei Dome, with the club facing elimination down 0-2 to the Wei Chuan Dragons in the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s Taiwan Series. Cheng earned playoff MVP honors in the deciding game against the Uni-Lions and will try to halt a franchise that has not won a series opener in decades when trailing.
Series context
The Dragons took Games 1 and 2 at the dome behind John Gant’s eight-inning shutout and a three-run homer from 20-year-old Sheng-An Tseng. Historical CPBL data cited by league officials shows teams that win the first two games capture the title roughly nine times in ten, though the Dragons themselves once rallied from an 0-2 deficit in 1997.
Cheng’s assignment
Cheng allowed one earned run over 5⅔ innings in the playoff clincher, relying on off-speed pitches to induce weak contact. Against Wei Chuan’s balanced lineup, he will need to limit free passes; the Dragons scored their Game 2 runs after loading the bases on a walk and an error. Bullpen depth favors Taipei’s home team if Cheng exits early, but Brothers relievers have been stretched by the full playoff schedule.
Dome environment
All seven games are scheduled at Taipei Dome, the first time the championship stays in one indoor venue. Crowd noise from Dragons supporters painted the first two nights red; Brothers fans must travel from Taichung and Changhua to fill neutral sections. Roof conditions eliminate rain delays but amplify sound, a factor for rookie hitters like Tseng.
Roster moves to watch
Wei Chuan may stick with Cristopher Mercedes or pivot to a bullpen game if Cheng proves effective a second time through the order. Brothers hitters must solve Gant’s cutter if they reach Game 4 on Wednesday. Umpires will monitor pitch-clock enforcement under dome lighting that can glare along the outfield line.
What a win means
A Brothers victory Tuesday forces Game 4 on Wednesday and revives hopes of an eleventh franchise title. Another loss puts the Dragons one win from their sixth championship and would cement Tseng’s breakout October. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m., with municipal transit adding postgame trains for the expected sellout crowd.
Ticket resale platforms capped markups after Game 2, following consumer complaints about prices above NT$8,000 for outfield seats. League officials said they would monitor bots that snatch listings within seconds of release, a recurring frustration during the dome’s first championship series.
Pitching matchup details
Cheng throws a mid-90s fastball with a slider that broke down against left-handed Lions hitters in the playoff round. Wei Chuan’s lineup features contact hitters who foul off pitches to extend counts, so Game 3 could become a bullpen battle if Cheng labors after the fourth inning. Dragons manager Tsai Heng-yueh said he will pinch-hit for matchups late even with a lead, citing the Brothers’ comeback history in prior championships.