Taipei Dome Roars: 40,000 Fans Witness CPBL Season Opener Triumph!

Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions Dominate CTBC Brothers in Historic CPBL Clash.

Taipei, Taiwan - Baseball fever hit a new high in Taiwan as a staggering 40,000 fans packed the Taipei Dome for the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) 2025 season opener on Saturday. The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions delivered a stunning performance, shutting out the defending champion CTBC Brothers with a resounding 8-0 victory.

This record-breaking attendance surpasses the previous high of 28,618, set in 2024, when the Wei Chuan Dragons hosted the Rakuten Monkeys in the inaugural season opener at Taiwan's first indoor baseball stadium.

The enthusiastic turnout also matched the peak attendance figures for the retirement series of former Brothers star Chou Szu-chi (周思齊) last September, as well as Game 1 of the 2024 Taiwan Series.

"The CPBL has overcome many difficulties to come this far, step by step. I want to thank all the franchises, coaches, players, and most importantly, the fans. Thank you, everyone. You've all come back," CPBL commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) stated before the game, highlighting the league's journey and the pivotal role of the fans.

The Saturday game was a rematch of the thrilling 2024 Taiwan Series, with the Uni-Lions seizing a measure of revenge in a dominating display.

The game's Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors were awarded to Uni-Lions starter Brock Dykxhoorn, who delivered a stellar performance, striking out five batters and conceding only three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

The turning point arrived in the top of the sixth inning, with the Uni-Lions narrowly leading 1-0. After a strikeout by Chiu Chih-cheng (邱智呈), the Uni-Lions loaded the bases with three consecutive singles. Pan Chieh-kai (潘傑楷), batting fifth, then delivered a crucial two-run single, prompting the Brothers to pull starter José de Paula from the mound.

The Uni-Lions' offense continued to ignite. Another bloop RBI single to left field followed an error by Brothers shortstop Chiang Kun-yu (江坤宇), a five-time Golden Glove winner. Pinch hitter Hu Chin-lung (胡金龍) then drove in three more runs with a bases-clearing double, solidifying the Uni-Lions' lead.

De Paula took the loss, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out two.

The Uni-Lions capped off their scoring in the seventh inning, when designated hitter Lin An-ko (林安可) blasted a solo homer to deep right field, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Looking ahead, the Brothers will host the Fubon Guardians at Taipei Dome on Sunday. Simultaneously, the Uni-Lions will welcome the TSG Hawks in Tainan, while the Rakuten Monkeys will clash with the Dragons in Taoyuan.

The 2025 regular season is set to feature a total of 360 exciting games, promising a full season of action-packed CPBL baseball for Taiwan fans.