Lin Yue-Ping on Brock's Frustration After Loss in 'Wen-Tian' Duel Against Gang-Long

(Taipei, June 14, CNA reporter Su Chih-Yu) A symbolic 'Wen-Tian' duel unfolded today at Tianmu Baseball Stadium, pitting U-Lions starter Brock Dykxhoorn against Wei-Chuan Dragons' Drew Gagnon. Both pitchers rank among the lowest in run support within the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), and U-Lions manager Lin Yue-Ping emphasized that Brock's frustration stems not from his own performance, but from the team's failure to secure a win.

Among CPBL pitchers who have met the innings requirement for ERA qualification this season, Brock Dykxhoorn's run support stands at 1.7—ranking second lowest—while Gagnon's is 1.92, third lowest. The lowest belongs to Nivaldo Rodriguez of the CTBC Brothers, with 1.23.

Due to insufficient offensive backing, despite Brock's 1.98 ERA and Gagnon's 1.92, both pitchers have identical 2-4 win-loss records this season. This 'pitch well but still can't win' plight has resonated with fans, who have coined the term 'Wen-Tian' (literally 'asking heaven') to describe their fate. Today marked the first time both faced each other as starting pitchers this season.

Regarding Brock's low run support, Manager Lin admitted having spoken with him, acknowledging that disappointment is natural but rooted in the team's inability to win. 'He understands this is baseball,' Lin said. 'It's inevitable to feel down, but it's not because of his own performance. He's been here long enough to experience both highs and lows, and we won't diminish his contributions because of this.' (Edited by Li Shu-Hua) 1150614

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