Clinton quartet combines to toss no-hitter

For the second time in 15 months, the Clinton LumberKings hurled a no-hitter.
The LumberKings, the Class A affiliate of the Mariners, used four pitchers to throw a combined no-no, in a 2-0 win over Beloit on Tuesday night.
"It's always fun when a starting pitcher goes nine [in a] no-hitter. Obviously, that's the goal," Clinton pitching coach Peter Woodworth told MiLB.com. "But to have four guys get to experience it together, they'll never, never forget that."
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Clinton has thrown 25 no-hitters in its history, but the use of four pitchers set a club record.
• Box score
Pedro Vasquez, Joey Strain, Lukas Schiraldi and Matt Walker combined on the team's first no-hitter since May, 1 2015, and its first no-no at home since July 17, 2013.
Vasquez got the start for Clinton and struck out four through three innings before Strain came on and put a trio of zeros of his own.
"There was no no-hitter, perfect game superstition going on in the dugout. It was just the same as it was yesterday," Woodworth said. "I honestly was trying to keep it as light as possible. I was having conversations with [pitcher] Pablo Lopez, who was doing the chart with me, to try to stay in the present. I heard a couple of our infielders got a little more into the game in the seventh, eighth, ninth."
Clinton then turned to Schiraldi, who walked one and struck out four in two frames.
Walker, who has now converted seven of his past eight save opportunities, finished the no-hit bid, but had to work a little harder than he would have liked. After retiring the first two batters, Walker struck out Jesus Lopez, but a wild pitch allowed Lopez to reach first. However, Walker needed just two pitches to induce Trent Gilbert to fly out to left and seal the deal.
"It was pretty crazy. That was the most pressure I've felt in a long time …" Walker told MiLB.com. "I tried not to look at the scoreboard, but it was pretty tough. Everybody just came in and did their job, and I felt a little bit of pressure trying to finish the job for those guys."