Kinston splits with Potomac

Published in Sports on May 14, 2007 1:47 PM

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KINSTON -- Carolina League rivals Kinston and Potomac settled for a split on Sunday afternoon at historic Grainger Stadium.

The K-Tribe belted three consecutive home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to hand the Nationals an 8-7 loss in a continuation of Saturday's suspended game.

Potomac took the second game 3-1.

Trailing 7-5 in the first contest, Kinston's Chris Gimenez ripped a lead-off homer against Nationals reliever Josh Perrault. Nathan Panther and Chris De La Cruz followed with home runs. It was the first time since Apr. 25, 2005 that three K-Tribe players hit consecutive homers.

John Drennen and Stephen Head provided RBI singles in the fourth to put Kinston ahead 5-3 once the game continued. Potomac retaliated with a four-run, seventh-inning outburst until its bullpen blew the save opportunity.

In game two, Head's sixth-inning home run provided a spark for the K-Tribe in the two-run loss. Teammate Chao Kuan Wu batted 2-for-2.

K-Tribe starter Sung-Wei Tseng (0-4) allowed just two hits in five-plus innings. Potomac benefited from an error and wild pitch, and finished the contest with three unearned runs.

Kinston begins a series today against Frederick in a battle of division leaders. The K-Tribe is on top in the South, while the Keys hold the spot in the North. Game time is 7 p.m.