Why was the '7-inning perfect' pitcher substituted? → Korean debut stage dominated: "I will definitely show you the master of Jamsil in the next game" — see that spirit

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Carlos KARA SCO (39) of LG Twins delivered a historic KBO League debut performance. Although the bullpen allowed an equalizer, preventing a victory, it was the finest pitching that thrilled LG fans.

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

This draw marked LG's first win of the season. With 55 wins, 43 losses, and 1 draw, LG sits third in the league, maintaining a three-game gap over fourth-place Doosan.

On this day, KARA SCO made his Korean debut for LG. Instead of releasing right-handed fireballer Yacel Rioz last month, LG signed KARA SCO as their new foreign pitcher under a contract totaling $360,000 (annual salary: $360,000).

From the first to seventh inning, he allowed no baserunners, pitching a perfect game. In the first inning, he retired leadoff batter Park Chan-ho with a swinging strikeout, then handled Severino with a center field fly and Park Jun-soon with a pitcher's ground ball. In the second, KARA SCO recorded Yang Eui-ji with a double play fly, Kim Min-seok with a right field fly, and Ahn Jae-seok with a double play grounder. In the third, he retired the bottom of the order—Kim Daehyun, Jo Soo-haeng, and Yoon Jun-ho—with a right field fly, a double play grounder, and a left field fly, respectively.

After completing one full round of the batting order, KARA SCO handled all nine Doosan batters in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings with outs. In the seventh, still on the mound, he retired Park Chan-ho with a double play grounder, Severino with a swinging strikeout, and Park Jun-soon with a shortstop ground ball, concluding his perfect performance of the day.

KARA SCO's line for the day: 7 innings, 2 strikeouts, perfect game. Total pitches thrown: 74. Fastball velocity reached up to 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 stated he planned to throw around 70 pitches. As expected, immediately after KARA SCO was pulled, LG allowed two runs in the bottom of the eighth 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 catcher 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 before the game started, 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 through teammates, experiencing it firsthand on the mound was beyond imagination. Unfortunately, I could not gift you a win, but next time, I will definitely show you what it means to be the master of Jamsil alongside the fans," displaying his determination.

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

Meanwhile, KARA SCO is a pitcher once renowned for dominating Major League Baseball. At the time of signing, LG explained, "He is a veteran starting pitcher with 112 career wins in the majors. With his extensive experience, consistent command, 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 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, a 4.24 ERA 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 MLB games as a reliever, posting a 5.94 ERA. In Triple-A minor league play this year, he made eight appearances (six starts), going 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original