BASEBALL/40,000 pack Taipei Dome for CPBL 2025 season opener

Taipei, March 29 (CNA) Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) drew a record crowd for its 2025 season opener, as 40,000 fans filled the Taipei Dome to watch the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions shut out the defending champion CTBC Brothers 8-0 on Saturday.

The attendance surpassed the previous record of 28,618, set in 2024 when the Wei Chuan Dragons hosted the Rakuten Monkeys in the league's first-ever season opener at Taiwan's first indoor baseball stadium.

The turnout also matched the peak crowd numbers for the retirement series of former Brothers star Chou Szu-chi (周思齊) on Sept. 21-22 last year, 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) said before the game.

● Chen Chieh-hsien signs record NT$200 million deal with Uni-Lions

The game was a rematch of the 2024 Taiwan Series, with the Uni-Lions gaining a small measure of revenge in a blowout.

The game's MVP honors went to Uni-Lions starter Brock Dykxhoorn, who struck out five and gave up just three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

The turning point came in the top of the sixth inning, with the Uni-Lions holding a narrow 1-0 lead.

After leadoff batter Chiu Chih-cheng (邱智呈) struck out, the Uni-Lions loaded the bases with three consecutive singles. Pan Chieh-kai (潘傑楷), batting fifth, then blooped a two-run single to right field, prompting the Brothers to pull starter José de Paula from the mound.

The Uni-Lions' offense kept rolling, however.

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 on a bases-clearing double.

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 the scoring in the seventh inning when designated hitter Lin An-ko (林安可) launched a solo homer to deep right field.

On Sunday, the Brothers will host the Fubon Guardians at Taipei Dome, while the Uni-Lions will welcome the TSG Hawks in Tainan, and the Rakuten Monkeys will face the Dragons in Taoyuan.

A total of 360 games are scheduled for the 2025 regular season.