3rd Team No-Hitter in KBO History
Pinch-hitter Yoon Dong-hee’s 8th inning RBI single
The Lotte Giants snapped a three-game losing streak with a team no-hitter.
Lotte won 1-0 at home against the SSG Landers of the Shinhan Bank Solar KBO League 2023 at Sajik Stadium on June 6.
It was Lotte’s third team no-hitter in franchise history. The first team no-hitter in KBO history was achieved by the LG Twins against the NC Dinos on October 6, 2014. The second was completed by SSG on April 2 last year in their opening game against the NC Dinos.
Lotte starter Aaron Wilkerson pitched seven scoreless innings with six strikeouts, while Koo Seung-min (one scoreless inning) and Kim Won-joong (one scoreless inning) tossed two scoreless innings. The pitching staff combined for a team no-hitter, giving up just two walks and no hits.
With the thrilling new win, Lotte (43-49) snapped a three-game losing streak. SSG (52-1-39), on the other hand, had their three-game winning streak snapped.
LOTTE’s Wilkerson pitched seven scoreless innings to pave the way for the team to end its losing streak, and Yoon Dong-hee came in as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning to deliver the game-winning hit.
SSG starter Kirk McCarty did his part with seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball, striking out nine, but the offense finally went silent.
The first inning was a masterpiece from both starting pitchers.
In the first inning, Wilkerson needed 13 pitches to complete a three-hit shutout, and McCarty followed with two strikeouts.
Lotte got on the board in the bottom of the second when Ahn Chi-hong singled down the left field line. However, Jeon Jun-woo struck out swinging and Han Dong-hee was retired on a wild pitch.
Wilkerson continued to cruise.
In the top of the third, he got Han Yoo-seom to fly out to center field and then induced back-to-back groundouts from Kim Sung-hyun and Cho Hyung-woo. In the top of the fourth, he walked Choo Shin-soo and Choi Ji-hoon and struck out Choi Joo-hwan on a wild pitch.
Lotte failed to capitalize in the bottom of the fourth inning as Jeong drew a walk, but Ahn Chi-hong struck out swinging.
Wilkerson, who was perfect through the fifth inning, retired Choi Jeong-jeong and Park Sung-sung in order in the top of the sixth before striking out Ha Jae-hoon on a wild pitch.
The perfect game was broken in the top of the seventh when Wilkerson gave up a walk to leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo. He then gave up a sacrifice bunt to Choi Ji-hoon, but got Choi Joo-hwan to fly out to center field and Choi Jung to strike out swinging.
Lotte finally broke the 0-0 tie.
In the bottom of the eighth, Lee Jung-hoon led off with a single to right and then Ko Seung-min laid down a sacrifice bunt. Pinch-hitter Yoon Dong-hee followed with an RBI double to right.
In the top of the ninth, LOTTE closer Kim Won-joong took the mound. After retiring Kim Sung-hyun and Cho Hyung-woo on a grounder to third base and a strikeout respectively, Kim gave up a single to Choo Shin-soo, but retired Choi Ji-hoon on a grounder to first base.
With the lead, 스포츠토토 Kim earned his 19th save of the season.