(WEEK 3 - Award Winners)
The Urbana Locomotives are off & running, getting contributions from everywhere. Last week's winner Garrett Jones, early on looked as if he wanted to repeat the feat, but cooled off at the end of the week. Adrian Beltre had a great week, batting .368 in 19 AB's, while delivering 3 HR's, 6 RBI, with 7 runs; Beltre's teammate Aaron Hill put together a really nice week with 7 hits as well (.304), with a Grand Slam that counted for 4 of his 7 RBI, plus 3 runs scored.
All was great as Urbana rolled to a 5-1 series victory over the Sacramento 66'ers, and a league-best (blank) record! It was too difficult to ignore their leader & early Cy Young favorite David Price who is now 4-0, 1.38 ERA & 41 strikeouts (leading in all 3 of the pitching Triple Crown categories), opponents are only batting .143 against him! Which makes Price, the first player in the league to win one of the weekly awards twice -- Price, is once again, our N.L. Pitcher of the Week, just edging King Road's Chris Sale.
Both had stellar week's...
- David Price (URB): 2 W's (1 SHO), 16.2 IP, 19 K's with 2 ER, 3 BB's & 5 hits allowed. He also posted a 1.08 ERA & 0.480 WHIP for the week.
- Chris Sale (KING): 2 W's (1 SHO), 16.2 IP, 14 K's with 2 ER, 1 BB & 7 hits allowed. He duplicated with a 1.08 ERA & 0.480 WHIP for the week.
Price's 5 extra K's & the fact he's leading the league in most pitching categories gives him the edge.
While the Portland Microbrewers' pitching held the Traverse City Panthers' offense to no runs for a consecutive 37 innings during the week, including a one-hitter. It was one of their sluggers that gets the
N.L. Player of the Week Award, in Todd Frazier. Frazier batted .467 (7-for-15), 2 HR's, 8 RBI & 4 runs, he is currently leading the league with a .692 slugging pct, while placing 3rd with a 1.027 OPS.
Some attention needs to be pointed out to the King Road Kings' Darwin Barney, currently leading the N.L. with a .404 batting average, each week he has been in the hunt for Player of the Week & has been consistent the first three weeks. He actually cooled off this week, batting .333 (6-for-18), oh darn! Someone needs to cut that guy!
N.L. Honorable Mentions:
N.L. Player of the Week Award, in Todd Frazier. Frazier batted .467 (7-for-15), 2 HR's, 8 RBI & 4 runs, he is currently leading the league with a .692 slugging pct, while placing 3rd with a 1.027 OPS.
Some attention needs to be pointed out to the King Road Kings' Darwin Barney, currently leading the N.L. with a .404 batting average, each week he has been in the hunt for Player of the Week & has been consistent the first three weeks. He actually cooled off this week, batting .333 (6-for-18), oh darn! Someone needs to cut that guy!
N.L. Honorable Mentions:
- 3B-Adrian Beltre (URB) - .368 (7-for-19), 3 HR's, 6 RBI & 7 runs.
- OF- Andrew McCutchen (SAC) - .346 (9-for-26), HR, 2 RBI & 3 runs.
- 2B-Aaron Hill (URB) - .304 (7-for-23), Grand Slam, 7 RBI & 3 runs.
- OF-Nick Markakis (URB) - .304 (7-for-23), HR, 2 RBI & 3 runs.
- SP-Jonathan Niese (POR) - W, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 7 K & BB (Improving record to 2-1, 0.87 ERA!).
- SP-Miguel Gonzalez (KING) - Recorded 2nd shutout (tied with Price), two-hitter w/7 K's & 3 BB's.
- SP-Jason Vargas (SEA) - 1-1 for the week, 4 ER's, 4 BB's & 11 hits allowed in 16 IP (2.25 ERA), with 10 K & 4 BB's.
- OF-Curtis Granderson (KING) - Only had 3 hits, but they all were HR's that contributed to 8 RBI.