P-Nats Get No-Hit by Kinston

(WOODBRIDGE, VA) A day after they clinched a playoff berth, the Potomac Nationals were no hit by a triumvirate of Kinston Indians pitchers over ten innings on a 1-0 Tribe victory.

Marty Popham, who was perfect for six innings, combined with Chris Jones and Cory Burns for the ten-inning no hitter. Popham went seven innings total and only walked two with eight strikeouts. Jones struck out a pair and got the win, while Burns fanned two as part of his league-leading 30th save.

It was the 16th combined no-hitter in Carolina League history, and just the third time in league history that a team has been no-hit in a game that went extra innings (Durham last achieved the feat for the Durham Bulls in 1990).

Potomac had not been no-hit since April 29, 2008, when Matt Zaleski of Winston Salem hung a zero in the hit column during a game the P-Nats actually won 3-0.

Kinston got the deciding run in the top of the tenth inning. Abner Abreu led off the frame with a single and moved to second on Juan Diaz's perfect sacrifice bunt. Doug Pickens drove him home with a single to center for a 1-0 lead that would hold.

The teams play the final game of the 2010 regular season on Monday at 1:05. Marcos Frias takes the mound for the Nats in the Pfitzner Stadium finale.