3 Kernels throw a combined no-hitter (w/video)

CEDAR RAPIDS - Move over, Ramon Ortiz. You've got company.

Lots of it.

Fabio Martinez, Kyle Hurst and Mike Kenney combined for the Cedar Rapids Kernels' first no-hitter in 13 years last night in their team's 3-0 win over the Kane County Cougars at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

It was the 11th no-no in club history, the first since Ortiz had his gem Aug. 7, 1997 against Quad City. He has gone on to a lengthy major league career and now pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"It was hard not to know what was going on," said Kenney, who got the final six outs, including Franklin Hernandez with a strike-three looking that ended the game. "You don't want to be the guy to give up the hit. Fabio threw great, Hurst threw well, so you just don't want to be the one to give up a hit."

"It's special," said Kernels pitching coach Brandon Emanuel. "This is something those guys are going to remember the rest of their lives."

The Kernels were no-hit in the penultimate game at the old Veterans Memorial Stadium in 2001 by Wisconsin's Derrick Van Dusen. The only prior no-hitter at the newer Memorial Stadium was a combined 10-inning effort by Peoria's Sean Gallagher, Walt Nolen and Jon Hunton on April 20, 2006 (a game Peoria won, 3-2).

This didn't feel much like a no-hitter simply because Kane County had so many baserunners. Maybe that's why the postgame celebration was only slightly more enthuasiastic than usual after a victory.

Martinez walked four guys and hit two in five innings, and Hurst walked two in two innings. Two other Cougars reached on fielding errors by third baseman

Luis Jimenez.

But there was nary a hit and 14 Cougars strikeouts. The closest call came leading off the third when Hernandez hit a slicing drive toward the right-field corner that

Randal Grichuk ran down.

"That's the first one in my life," said Martinez, through translator Jimenez. "I feel so happy right now. I felt really, really comfortable tonight on the mound."

"To me, it's not the same as a one-pitcher no-hitter," said Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. "But it's still great. The neat thing for them is that three guys get to share in this."

Cedar Rapids (10-12) didn't score until the bottom of the seventh. Jimenez doubled the other way down the right-field line with one out against reliever

Jonathan Joseph and scored on

Casey Haerther's sharp two-out opposite-field single to right.

The Kernels got two insurance runs in the eighth on a two-out, two-run bloop double from Grichuk. Kenney struck out

Max Stassi swinging to begin the ninth, then retired

Rashun Dixon on a routine grounder to short.

This was the second no-hitter in as many nights for a

Los Angeles Angels minor-league affiliate. Former Kernel

Ryan Brasier threw one Thursday night for Double-A

Arkansas.

Here's video of the final batter: