Dragons blank Brothers to clinch Series

DOMINANT: Mercedes was named the Series’ Most Valuable Player after winning two games and allowing only one earned run over 14 innings, for a 0.64 ERA

Cristopher Mercedes yesterday pitched eight scoreless innings and Jiang Shao-hong hit a two-run homer as the Wei Chuan Dragons shut out the CTBC Brothers 6-0 in Game 6 of the Taiwan Series at the Taipei Dome to clinch their sixth CPBL title.

The Taipei-based Dragons won the best-of-seven series 4-2.

Dragons starter Mercedes struck out six and allowed just two walks and two hits, both by Brothers catcher Kao Yu-chieh.

The Wei Chuan Dragons celebrate beating the CTBC Brothers 6-0 in Game 6 to win the Taiwan Series 4-2 in the Taipei Dome yesterday.

Photo: CNA

After securing a 1-0 lead in the third inning, the Dragons erupted in the bottom of the eighth with five runs off five hits, including catcher Jiang’s two-run homer. The Brothers brought in two relievers in the inning to try to contain the damage.

Lin Tzu-yu and Lin Kai-wei took the mound in the top of the ninth inning to secure the shutout.

Mercedes was named Taiwan Series Most Valuable Player after winning two games and allowing one earned run over 14 innings, for a 0.64 ERA.

Speaking through an interpreter after the game, Mercedes thanked the fans, his teammates, and the coaching and support staff.

“The championship title is a team effort. Nice job, guys,” he said.

Dragons manager Yeh Chun-chang also thanked the fans and staff.

“It is because of you all that I could enjoy the privilege of sharing the honor. Go Wei Chuan Dragons,” he said.

After dropping the first three games of the series, the Taichung-based Brothers made history as the first CPBL team to win two consecutive games in a Taiwan Series after trailing 3-0.

No team in the Taiwan Series’ 37-year history has overcome a 3-0 deficit to win the championship.

In yesterday’s Game 6, the Dragons scored their first run in the bottom of the third inning, when Kuo Tien-hsin and Chang Cheng-yu hit consecutive singles to bring home Li Kai-wei, who had reached base after being hit by a pitch from Brothers starter Mario Sanchez.

Sanchez gave up just one run over five innings, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out six.

The Brothers’ bullpen kept the deficit at 1-0 until the bottom of the eighth inning, when the Dragons broke through with five runs to put the game out of reach.

One of the early powerhouses in Taiwanese professional baseball, the Dragons won four championship titles in 1990, 1997, 1998 and 1999 before disbanding later that year.

The club was re-established in 2019 and played in the CPBL’s minor league before returning to the top level in 2021.

The Dragons defeated the Rakuten Monkeys, last year’s champions, 4-0 in the 2023 Series to claim their fifth championship.