TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The CTBC Brothers (中信兄弟) defeated the Rakuten Monkeys (樂天桃猿) 2-0 Tuesday (Oct. 21) in Game 3 of the Taiwan Series, halting their losing streak. The victory narrowed the series deficit to 1-2, reviving championship hopes in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL, 中華職棒), Taiwan's premier professional baseball organization. The Brothers' triumph in the 36th CPBL season injected crucial momentum into their playoff campaign.
Foreign pitcher Jesus Vargas anchored the Brothers' victory with 6.2 scoreless innings, establishing defensive dominance throughout the contest. Chan Tzu-hsien (詹子賢) broke the scoreless deadlock in the second inning with a crucial home run. Wang Cheng-shun (王政順) extended the lead in the third inning, delivering a double to left field that drove Wang Wei-chen (王威晨) home for the Brothers' second run.
The Monkeys mounted several counterattacks but failed to penetrate the Brothers' defense, consistently leaving runners stranded on base. Chen Wei-chen (陳晨威) showcased defensive excellence in the fourth inning, executing a diving catch to intercept Chiang Kun-yu's (江坤宇) fly ball. Closer C. C. Lee (李振昌) secured the victory in the ninth inning, shutting down the Monkeys' final offensive push before over 37,000 spectators. ◼
