Backed by triple play, Rays prospect Borden fires no-no

Buddy Borden had a day to remember on Wednesday. Borden, a right-handed pitcher in Tampa Bay's organization, fired a seven-inning no-hitter for Class A Charlotte in a 5-0 win over Clearwater. Borden walked just two batters, and his defense made a triple play behind him in the fourth inning.

Borden, 23 years old, was originally selected by the Pirates in the seventh round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, and he was traded to Tampa Bay in exchange for Sean Rodriguez over the winter. Borden has gone 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA in his first seven appearances for Charlotte this season.

Borden struck out three batters against Clearwater, and the game's toughest test came in the fourth inning. Borden walked a batter and another reached on an error in that inning, but then shotstop Willy Adames (the Rays' No. 3 prospect) turned a line drive into a 6-3-6 triple play to erase the threat.

Borden held a 3-0 lead at that point, and he was perfect for the rest of the game. Borden got two fly balls and a strikeout in the fifth, and then two grounders and a strikeout in the sixth. He closed out his no-hitter with a fly ball, a strikeout and a popup in foul territory in Clearwater's final at-bat.

It was the second no-hitter in Charlotte's history, the other being a rain-shortened no-no last year for Rays No. 9 prospect Blake Snell, who currently has a 43-inning scoreless streak going.