A Pair of Aces: O'Brien, Shipley Week's Best
May 2, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1) News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Pacific Coast League announced this afternoon that Reno Aces' outfielder Peter O'Brien and pitcher Braden Shipley have been named the Player and Pitcher of the Week for April 25-May 1. This marks the first time that a team has swept the weekly awards since August 25-September 1, 2014, also done by the Aces (Mike Jacobs, Charles Brewer).
In six games, O'Brien hit .500 (12-for-24), leading all of Triple-A baseball in home runs (4), extra-base hits (7), total bases (28), slugging (1.167) and OPS (1.667), while tying for the Triple-A lead in hits (12) and RBI (10). The 25-year-old capped his week by blasting a walk-off home run in the 12th inning May 1 vs. Albuquerque, breaking a scoreless tie. Additionally, he hit safely in all six games, recording five multi-hit games.
Through 21 games this year, O'Brien's 32 hits and 63 total bases tops the PCL, with his eight home runs tied for the league best. He was acquired by the Diamondbacks on July 31, 2014, from the New York Yankees for Martin Prado. The Florida native was a member of the 2015 All-PCL team after hitting .284 (139-for-490) with 26 home runs and 107 RBI. O'Brien, who was tabbed by Baseball America as Arizona's 10th-best prospect entering the season, collects his third Player of the Week award. He also won in 2013 with Single-A Charleston and in 2014 with Single-A Tampa.
Shipley threw 13.0 shutout innings over starts against Fresno and Albuquerque. He allowed a combined seven hits with three walks and 13 strikeouts, recording a 0.77 WHIP and .152 batting average against. Ranked as Arizona's third-best prospect entering the season, Shipley started off his week by striking out eight in 7.0 innings of three-hit ball April 26 vs. the Grizzlies. His final appearance came May 1 vs. the Isotopes, and he went 6.0 innings, striking out five in a 1-0 Reno win.
The 24-year-old also played in Reno collegiately -- at University of Nevada -- before being drafted by the Diamondbacks with the 15th overall pick in 2013. Shipley, in his first season in Triple-A, has gone 2-1 with a 3.26 ERA (30.1 IP, 11 ER), six walks and 20 strikeouts. In 67 career games (66 starts), he has pitched to a 3.78 ERA (352.2 IP, 148 ER) with 305 strikeouts. This is the Oregon native's first Pitcher of the Week honor.
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