The Korea Herald

소아쌤

NC's Charlie Shirek throws KBO's first no-hitter in 14 years

By 신용배

Published : June 24, 2014 - 23:14

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Charlie Shirek of the NC Dinos (Yonhap) Charlie Shirek of the NC Dinos (Yonhap)
Charlie Shirek of the NC Dinos on Tuesday threw the first no-hitter in the top South Korean baseball league in 14 years.

The American right-hander held the LG Twins hitless while striking out seven and walking three batters, as the visiting Dinos won the road game 6-0 at Jamsil Stadium.

Shirek became the first Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) pitcher to throw a no-no since Song Jin-woo, then with the Hanwha Eagles, on May 18, 2000. Shirek's no-hitter is the 11th in the KBO's 32-year history, and the first by a foreign hurler.

Shirek retired the first 10 batters he faced before walking Oh Ji-hwan with one out in the fourth. Oh was later thrown out trying to steal second.

Oh drew another walk with one out in the seventh, but Shirek got Jeong Seong-hoon to fly out to right and retired Lee Jin-young on a grounder to second.

Shirek issued his final walk of the night to Lee Byung-kyu in the eighth. He then struck out Chae Eun-seong and Josh Bell hit into an inning-ending double play.

In the ninth, Shirek quickly got two outs on a grounder and a strikeout. He then retired Park Yong-taik on a pop out to left for the no-hitter.

Shirek threw 110 pitches and improved to 6-3 on the season with an ERA of 2.99. It was his first complete game of the season.

Shirek joined the KBO before the 2013 season, the Dinos' first in the league, after spending six seasons in the U.S. minor leagues. He was 11-7 in 2013 for the Dinos with the KBO-leading 2.48 ERA.

The Dinos staked Shirek to an early lead, scoring twice in the second and three more in the fourth. Eric Thames hit a solo shot in the fifth for good measure. (Yonhap)