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 Tennessee Smokies

Young & Blackburn Earn SL Player & Pitcher of the Week Awards

April 25, 2016 - Southern League (SL1)
Tennessee Smokies News Release


SEVIERVILLE - The Southern League announced Monday that Tennessee Smokies IF Chesny Young and RHP Paul Blackburn have been named the circuit's Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the time period between April 18-24. This is the second consecutive week that a Tennessee player has taken home Player of the Week honors and the first time the Smokies have won both awards since May of 2011. OF Bijan Rademacher received the honors last Monday for the opening week of the season. Blackburn becomes the first Smokie to win Pitcher of the Week since RHP Ryan Williams last season.

In seven games this week, Young posted a Southern League-best .480 average (12-25) with four runs scored, a double, two runs batted in, seven walks and seven stolen bases. The 23-year old infielder also compiled a stellar .606 on-base percentage, .520 slugging percentage and a 1.126 OPS.

During the second week of the season, Young also led the circuit in base-hits (12), stolen bases (seven) and on-base percentage. In that span, the former Mercer Bear posted the second-most stolen bases and fifth-highest OBP in all of Minor League Baseball.

The former 14th round pick also ranked among the most successful Double-A players throughout the week. Young led all players at the level in stolen bases and OBP. He also ranked second in batting average, hits, walks (seven).

The third-year pro led the Carolina League with a .321 batting average (129-402) while with High-A Myrtle Beach last season. Young was drafted by the Cubs in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Mercer University.

In two starts this week, Blackburn dominated the Southern League. The right-hander won both his starts and did not allow an earned run in 15 innings of work. The 22-year old surrendered just nine hits and two runs and held opponents to a .184 average, while sporting a microscopic 0.80 WHIP (9 H + 3 BB in 15.0 IP).

Through four outings in 2016, Blackburn is tied for the MiLB lead in innings pitched (26.0) and has compiled the fifth-lowest ERA (0.35).

In his first start this week, the Oakley, Calif. native tied a career-high with seven innings of two-hit shutout ball in 4-0 triumph over Montgomery on April 18. Blackburn would top that with a new career-best eight innings of work on Friday night. The former first round pick surrendered seven hits and two unearned runs in a 5-2 Tennessee victory.

Blackburn spent all of last year with High-A Myrtle Beach. In 18 starts, the fifth-year pro accrued a 7-5 record and a 3.11 ERA (31 ER in 89.2 IP). He was selected by the Cubs in the first round (56th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Heritage High School (Calif.).

This is the first week Tennessee has captured both Southern League honors since 2011. During the span from May 16-22 of that season, RHP Robert Whitenack and IF Ryan Flaherty took home the league's weekly awards.

The Smokies continue their five-game series against the Mobile BayBears, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, tonight. RHP Tyler Skulina (1-1, 3.68 ERA) is slated to toe the rubber for the Smokies, while RHP Johnny Omahen (0-2, 9.28 ERA) is projected to get the ball for Mobile. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET.

Following a ten-game, 11-day roap trip, the Smokies will return home to battle the Mississippi Braves, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, on Wednesday, May 4. The contest will be the first Smoky Mountain Popcorn All-You-Can-Eat Wednedsay of the season. Fans can enjoy all-you-can-eat hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, baked beans, potato chips, ice cream sandwiches and Pepsi products for less than $25 apiece. Wednesday's matchup will also be the Smokies' annual Peanut Free Night contest presented by the Allergy, Asthma and Sinus Center. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. ET.

Single-game tickets, as well as multi-voucher and season ticket packages are still available, and can be purchased online at smokiesbaseball.com, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at 865-286-2300.


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