Uni Lions Beat CTBC Brothers 4-2 to Force Decisive Playoff Game

Two Wins Pull the Lions Back From Elimination

The Uni Lions defeated the CTBC Brothers 4-2 at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on October 11, turning a 0-2 deficit in the Chinese Professional Baseball League playoff challenge series into a 2-2 tie. Jackson Stephens delivered 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and a three hit rally with two outs in the fourth inning gave the Lions a lead they never surrendered.

The teams will return to the same stadium on October 12 for a decisive fourth game. The winner advances to the Taiwan Series, the league championship series. Neither club announced its starting pitcher after the October 11 game, leaving the central pitching decisions unresolved ahead of the final contest.

The series standings need one distinction: the Brothers began with an automatic victory because they won the second half championship. They then won the opening game 4-1 on October 9, putting the Lions one loss from elimination. The Lions responded with a 1-0 victory on October 10 and this 4-2 win, meaning they have won two of the three games actually played.

The comeback has unfolded before record crowds. The first three games drew a combined 63,500 spectators, exceeding the previous challenge series record of 50,484 across four games last year. A series that initially appeared close to ending now has both a decisive contest and a new attendance benchmark.

A Fourth Inning Rally Changes the Game

The Lions opened the scoring in the first inning through a sequence that combined a hit, a sacrifice and an extra base hit. Lin Chia Wei singled, Chen Chieh Hsien advanced him with a sacrifice bunt, and Lin Pei Wei doubled to bring home the opening run.

The Brothers answered in the bottom of the inning. Tseng Sung En doubled and scored on a single by Sung Sheng Jui, tying the game 1-1. Tseng doubled again in the third and came home on Wang Wei Chen's single, giving the Brothers a 2-1 advantage.

That lead lasted only until the next half inning. With two outs and a runner on first in the fourth, Lin Hung Hsien, Chiu Chih Cheng and Lin Chia Wei produced consecutive singles. The sequence brought home two runs and put the Lions ahead 3-2. Because the rally began with two outs, each successful hit kept the inning alive as well as advancing the attack.

The Lions added a run in the eighth when Pan Chieh Kai tripled and scored on Chen Sheng Ping's sacrifice fly. A sacrifice fly allows a runner to score after a caught fly ball, provided the runner waits until the catch before leaving the base. Here, it extended a narrow one run lead to the eventual 4-2 margin.

Stephens Stops the Threat and Earns the Win

Lions starter Lin Chao En was making his first start in a playoff challenge series. He struck out six batters in 2 2/3 innings, but also allowed four hits and three walks while surrendering two runs. His outing ended during a third inning threat, when two walks helped leave the bases loaded.

Stephens entered with two outs and retired the next batter on a fly ball, preventing the Brothers from extending their lead. That out mattered beyond ending the inning: it kept the deficit at one run immediately before the Lions mounted their decisive rally.

The American pitcher then continued through 3 1/3 innings without allowing a run and received credit for the victory. Lin Chao En had no decision. Stephens had already thrown two scoreless innings in the 1-0 win the previous day, giving him 5 1/3 scoreless innings across the two victories that rescued the Lions from elimination.

Stephens credited catcher Chen Chung Yu for guiding his pitch selection. He explained that his approach was the same in both appearances: attack the strike zone against aggressive hitters and seek contact that was not struck solidly. His account describes a deliberate willingness to let the Brothers swing, rather than trying to avoid their bats entirely.

Another Appearance Is Possible, Not Confirmed

Stephens said consecutive appearances were not a major problem for him and that the coaching staff had told him from the opening game to be ready whenever needed. Asked about returning for the October 12 decider, the Lions reliever gave a brief answer, translated from the reported remarks:

I am ready.

That willingness gives the Lions an option, but it is not an announcement that he will pitch. The club had not named its starter or disclosed how it would divide the innings in the final game.

The distinction matters after two demanding appearances. Stephens has supplied more than five innings in two days, while his third inning escape on October 11 required him to enter with no room for an additional mistake. His readiness and the coaching staff's eventual decision are separate parts of the Lions' planning.

Brothers manager Keiichi Hirano said he expected the Lions to use their strongest available pitchers in the decider. He praised their pitching in the 4-2 game and said he would discuss responses with his players. The Brothers scored twice in the first three innings but did not add another run.

The Lions Find Openings Against Rodriguez

Brothers starter Nivaldo Rodriguez entered with a substantial record against the Lions this season. In five regular season starts against them, he went 3-2 with a 3.54 earned run average. He was also the league's regular season leader in pitching victories.

On October 11, Rodriguez threw 91 pitches over six innings, allowing 11 hits and three earned runs. He struck out five and walked one, taking the loss. The damage came early: the Lions scored all three runs charged to him within the first four innings.

Lions manager Lin Yueh Ping identified those early runs as a key to the victory. He described Rodriguez as a pitcher who uses high pitches, a sharply breaking curveball and a forkball to draw swings. The forkball is a pitch designed to drop as it approaches the plate, making clean contact difficult.

Lin said Rodriguez frequently fell behind with balls early in an at bat. The Lions then attacked when he needed to throw a strike, connecting hits rather than relying on a home run. Their fourth inning rally illustrated that approach, with three straight singles producing the winning change in the score.

For Hirano, the painful sequence was the immediate loss of the Brothers' advantage. His team moved ahead in the bottom of the third, then conceded two runs in the top of the fourth. Rodriguez completed six innings, but the Brothers never regained the lead.

Chen Sheng Ping Contributes on Both Sides

Chen Sheng Ping's eighth inning sacrifice fly supplied insurance, but his defensive work at shortstop was another prominent part of the Lions' victory. In the first inning, he slid to intercept a ground ball from Chiang Kun Yu and made a quick throw to first for the out.

He produced a similar play against Kao Yu Chieh in the fourth. Those outs followed a strong defensive performance the previous day, when even opposing manager Hirano had praised his work.

Lin Yueh Ping said Chen was showing the kind of complete shortstop play the Lions had wanted from him in recent years. His assessment focused on Chen's determination to reach batted balls and turn difficult chances into outs, rather than simply stopping them.

That contribution complements Stephens' account of attacking the strike zone. A pitching approach that invites swings still depends on fielders converting playable balls into outs. Chen's two highlighted stops and his late run production show why the Lions' recovery cannot be reduced to the relief pitcher's performance alone.

A Collision Leaves a Lineup Decision Open

The Brothers also have an injury assessment to make before the final game. In the top of the second inning, left fielder Tseng Sung En and third baseman Chang Shih Lun collided while pursuing a foul fly ball hit by Chen Sheng Ping toward left field.

Chang fell to the ground and had visible facial swelling and marks. Tseng repeatedly touched his left shoulder. After treatment, Chang remained in the game despite concerns from the club's medical staff.

Hirano said Chang was determined to continue and that he respected the player's wishes. Whether Chang would start on October 12 would depend on further observation of his condition. No firm starting lineup decision was announced.

Tseng's two doubles accounted for the beginnings of both Brothers scoring sequences. His first inning double led to the tying run, and his third inning double led to the temporary advantage. Before the game, his career regular season batting average against Lin Chao En stood at .500, and he had hit the only home run the pitcher allowed this season. The matchup again produced difficult moments for the Lions starter, although the later relief work contained the damage.

Record Crowds Follow a Four Day Contest

The October 10 game at Tainan's Asia Pacific main baseball stadium drew a sellout crowd of 23,500. It was the venue's first playoff challenge series game and established a new single game attendance record for the series.

The October 11 return to Taichung had sold out by the previous evening. It made three consecutive full houses, lifting attendance to 63,500. Compared with last year's 50,484 spectators across four games, that is 13,016 more spectators, an increase of about 25.8 percent, achieved in one fewer game.

Individual records were also part of the buildup. Chen Chieh Hsien entered the third game with a league record 21 career challenge series hits after hitting safely in each of the opening two contests. Lin Chia Wei entered with hits in nine consecutive challenge series games across seasons, another league record, and three successful steals, tying the series record. He then contributed to both the first inning score and the fourth inning rally.

The sequence leading to the decider is short but decisive:

• October 9: The Brothers won 4-1 in Taichung and moved to a 2-0 series advantage, including their automatic victory.
• October 10: The Lions won 1-0 in Tainan, keeping the series alive before 23,500 spectators.
• October 11: The Lions won 4-2 in Taichung, tying the series standings at 2-2.
• October 12: The fourth game is scheduled in Taichung, with the winner advancing to the Taiwan Series.

The Lions have erased the Brothers' initial advantage, but neither team has secured the championship berth. The final contest will settle that outcome, with starting pitchers still unannounced and Chang's availability still subject to an injury assessment.

Key Points

• The Lions' 4-2 victory tied the challenge series at 2-2.
• The Brothers' total includes an automatic win for their second half championship.
• Jackson Stephens threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings after two scoreless innings the previous day.
• Three consecutive singles with two outs in the fourth inning put the Lions ahead for good.
• The first three games attracted a record 63,500 spectators.
• The October 12 decider will be played in Taichung, with neither starting pitcher announced.
• Chang Shih Lun's starting status remains undecided after a defensive collision.