Why was a pitcher who threw a '7-inning perfect game' substituted? → A powerful debut on Korean soil: "I will definitely show you the master of Jamsil next time." Take a look at his determination.

*This content was translated by AI.

Carlos KARA SCO (39) of LG Twins delivered an all-time great KBO League debut performance. Although the bullpen allowed the tying run, preventing a victory, it was the finest pitching that thrilled LG fans.

On the 1st, LG played against Doosan Bears in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season away game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, ending in a 2-2 draw after 11 innings of extra play.

This draw marked LG's first winless tie of the season. With 55 wins, 43 losses, and 1 tie, LG maintained third place in the league, holding a three-game lead over fourth-place Doosan.

On this day, KARA SCO made his Korean debut for LG. Last month, LG released right-handed fireballer Yacel Rioz and instead signed KARA SCO as their new foreign pitcher under a total contract value of $360,000 (annual salary: $360,000).

From the first to the seventh inning, KARA SCO allowed no baserunners, delivering a perfect game. In the first inning, he struck out leadoff batter Park Chan-ho with a swing-and-miss, then retired Severino with an outfield fly to center field and Park Jun-soon with a ground ball in front of the pitcher. In the second inning, he recorded Yang Eui-ji with a double-play fly to second base, Kim Min-seok with an outfield fly to right field, and Ahn Jae-seok with a ground ball to second base. In the third inning, he retired Kim Daehyun, Jo Soo-haeng, and Yoon Jun-ho in order with an outfield fly to right field, a ground ball to second base, and an outfield fly to left field, respectively.

After completing one full round of the batting order, KARA SCO retired all nine batters from Doosan's lineup again in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. In the seventh inning, he continued his dominance by retiring Park Chan-ho with a ground ball to second base, striking out Severino with a swing-and-miss, and grounding out Park Jun-soon to the shortstop, concluding his perfect performance for the day.

KARA SCO's stats for the day: 7 innings pitched, 2 strikeouts, perfect game. Total pitches thrown: 74. Maximum fastball velocity reached 149 km/h. He recorded 48 strikes and 26 balls. He mixed his repertoire evenly: five fastballs, 17 sinkers, 18 sliders, 15 cutters, 12 changeups, and seven curveballs.

Although KARA SCO was pitching a perfect game with his team leading 2-0, he did not overexert himself. Before the game, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop had already stated, "We are planning for around 70 pitches." As expected, immediately after KARA SCO was removed, LG allowed two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and ultimately finished the game in a 2-2 draw after extra innings.

After the game, KARA SCO said, "This was my first introduction to the fans, and I wanted to meet their expectations. Unfortunately, the team did not secure a win, but there are many games left ahead. I hope to contribute to future victories for the team."

He continued, "Since it was my first game, I aimed to pitch as I have always done. I tried to follow the lead of Lee Ju-heon, who knows the batters better than I do," praising his battery mate for their coordination.

KARA SCO added, "This game came two weeks after my last appearance, and from the start, we were aware of a pitch count limit, so I am satisfied with finishing through the seventh inning. Although I had heard about LG fans' support from other teammates, experiencing it firsthand on the mound was beyond imagination. Unfortunately, I couldn't gift them a victory, but next time, I will definitely show you the master of Jamsil alongside the fans," displaying his determination.

KARA SCO had already planned to throw around 70 pitches in this Korean debut game. Manager Yeom and the LG coaching staff had set the pitch count limit at approximately 70 pitches several days prior.

Meanwhile, KARA SCO is a pitcher once known for dominating Major League Baseball. When signing him, LG explained, "He is a veteran starting pitcher with 112 career wins in the majors. With his rich experience, consistent control, and highly refined breaking balls, we expect him to adapt quickly to the KBO League."

KARA SCO stands at 193 cm tall and weighs 101 kg. After joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003, he played for the Cleveland Indians (now Cleveland Guardians), New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves.

Over 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, he appeared in 343 games (286 starts), recording 112 wins, 105 losses, an ERA of 4.24 across 1,704 innings. Notably, in the 2017 season with Cleveland, he won 18 games to lead the American League in victories. In the 2026 season, he appeared in eight games as a reliever in the majors, posting an ERA of 5.94. On the Triple-A minor league level this year, he appeared in eight games (six starts), achieving a record of 2 wins and 1 loss with an ERA of 2.55.

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*This content was translated by AI.