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Perfection Red Sox prospect Ohka throws 77-pitch masterpiece
Posted: Friday June 02, 2000 11:11 AM
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) -- Pawtucket Red Sox pitcher Tomo Ohka encountered one problem Thursday night: How to pop open a bottle of champagne. Ohka didn't run into any problems when he faced the Charlotte Knights. The 24-year-old righthander from Kyoto-Shi, Japan, threw just the third nine-inning perfect game in the 117-year history of the International League as he beat the Knights 2-0. "I tried to keep my emotions under control and to stay calm," said Ohka, through interpreter/assistant trainer Chang Lee. "I wasn't overwhelmed by the situation ... I treated it just like any other game." After Ohka was mobbed on the field by his teammates, Pawtucket management brought a case of champagne into the clubhouse. When Ohka was unable to open a bottle, manager Gary Jones did the honors -- which set off a wild celebration. "You couldn't tell if he had a perfect game going or if he was getting his butt kicked," said Pawtucket catcher Joe Siddall. "The way he carries himself on the mound probably worked to his advantage tonight." Ohka (5-5) was acquired from the Yokohama BayStars of the Japanese Central League on November 28, 1998 -- his only season as a professional. Ohka split most of the 1999 season between Trenton of the Double-A Eastern League and Triple-A Pawtucket, posting a combined record of 15-0. He made his major league debut with Boston on July 19 against Florida, and appeared in a total of eight games, encompassing two stints. His final record with Boston was 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA. Of the 77 pitches Ohka threw against Charlotte, 59 were strikes. In addition, he threw 20 first-pitch strikes; he didn't go to as many as three balls on a single batter; and he went to two balls just twice. He struck out eight, matching his season high. The only time Charlotte came close to getting a hit was the sixth inning, when Liu Rodriguez led with a grounder just to the right of second base. David Eckstein hustled to the ball and threw out Rodriguez by a foot. "I've never come close to anything like this," said Ohka. "But when I realized what was starting to happen, I concentrated more on trying to win the game for the team. "When the game ended, the first thing that went through my mind was 'I did it!'" Charlotte's McKay Christensen felt Ohka did exactly what he wanted to do. "He got a lot of outs early in the count and we swung at a lot of borderline pitches," said Christensen. "He threw a lot of well-placed fastballs and a tough slider. "What can you say? There's no singular achievement in sports that can match a perfect game." Pawtucket (29-20) scored the only run Ohka needed with one out in the fourth. Izzy Alcantara wrapped his 14th homer of the season around the left-field foul pole off losing pitcher Carlos Chantres (2-2). The Red Sox added an insurance run in the eighth off Joe Davenport. Aaron Holbert led with a double, moved up on Eckstein's sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch.
Pawtucket has won a season-high six in a row, the last three over Charlotte (24-26).
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