Kinston's bats cool off P-Nats

With a glimmer of the playoffs hanging in the balance for the Kinston Indians, the Potomac Nationals' opponent on Sunday, they showed a strong pulse, scoring six runs on six consecutive two-out hits en route to a 9-3 victory before 2,402 fans at Pfitzner Stadium.

Kinston (33-36 in the second half, 60-77 overall) has to win its final two regular season games and hope the Salem Red Sox lose both of their final games to set up a play-in game for the Southern Division's final playoff berth at Salem on Tuesday. The Indians, held in check by Potomac starter Brad Peacock for 5 2/3 innings, saw their bats come to life in the sixth against a team that had had its playoff hopes extinguished Friday night.

Despite the fact Potomac (78-58 overall) has the second-best overall record in the Carolina League, the Nationals will not be able to defend their 2008 Mills Cup championship. The P-Nats took a seven-game overall advantage over first-half champion Lynchburg (72-65) into Sunday's action, yet will stay home after Monday's regular-season finale while the Hillcats play in the first round of the playoffs.

Potomac starter Brad Peacock yielded a leadoff single to Lucas Montero before retiring the next eight batters in succession before Montero grounded a triple just inside the right field line in the third. But Peacock induced a fly ball to center from Tim Fedroff to keep the scoreless streak intact.

Kinston had another chance to break through against Peacock in the top of the fifth when shortstop Ron Rivas laced a one-out triple down the right field line. Moments later, Peacock hit third baseman Mark Thompson with a breaking ball before walking right fielder Roman Pena to load the bases. But Peacock managed to keep the scoreless streak intact by inducing a 4-6-3 double play grounder from Montero.

However, Kinston starter Paolo Espino (9-6) did even better than Peacock through four innings, yielding only a solid leadoff single by second baseman Michael Martinez and then retiring 12 consecutive hitters. The string of hitters retired was aided by a terrific over-the-shoulder running catch in shallow right center by Kinston second baseman Cord Phelps to retire Jesus Valdez in the first.

But the tide turned slightly for Potomac in the fifth as the P-Nats strung together four hits, including three consecutively, to score twice. Designated hitter Devin Ivany laced a leadoff single to center before Potomac catcher Brian Peacock blasted a one-out double to left.

Ivany scored when third baseman Stephen King blooped a single. Center fielder Boomer Whiting, batting left-handed for the first time in his professional career in the game, stroked a solid single to center to bring in Peacock and give Potomac a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth, Kinston ruined the great outing by Brad Peacock, scoring for the first time in 22 innings by putting together a six-hit, five-run rally to take the lead. Fedroff led off with a soft single to center before the next two batters flied out. But catcher Doug Pickens started a string of six consecutive hits, including a run-scoring single by Adam Davis, a two-run double by Rivas, and run-scoring hits by Thompson and Pena to give Kinston a 6-2 lead. The rally increased Kinston's total of runs scored in the sixth inning this season to 116. The Indians pounded 14 hits overall.

Potomac reliever Justin Phillabaum loaded the bases on two walks and a double in the seventh, but struck out Davis and retired Rivas on a 6-4-3 double play.

Outside of the fifth inning rally by Potomac (41-28 in the second half), the Nationals played much like a team content to start its offseason amassing only four hits and fanning five times in innings other than the fifth. However, Valdez ripped a fastball from reliever Chen-Chang Lee over the left field fence with one out in the eighth to pull the Nationals within 6-3.

Patrick McCoy struck out two during a scoreless eighth for Potomac. But Ricardo Pecina struggled in the ninth, yielding three runs (two earned) on three hits and hitting a batter. Pecina was victimized by shortstop Danny Espinoza's 22nd error of the season, which allowed the first insurance run to score.

Potomac did have a couple offensive highlights with three extra-base hits including Valdez's ninth homer of the season. Brian Peacock and Ivany each had two hits for the P-Nats, who close out the season today at 1:05. Lefthander Will Atwood makes the start and grandstand tickets and hot dogs will be available for $1.