IL1 International League

Buffalo's Marte And Toledo's Vasquez Repeat As League Honorees

Published on August 27, 2007 under International League (IL1) News Release


The International League announced today that Buffalo third baseman Andy Marte and Toledo pitcher Virgil Vasquez have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from August 20-26. Both Marte (June 4-10) and Vasquez (April 16-22, May 28-June 3) have previously won an IL weekly award this season. Vasquez becomes the first IL player to win the honor three times in one season since 2003 when Fernando Seguignol of Columbus and Josh Hancock of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre both accomplished the feat.

The Buffalo Bisons stormed back into the IL playoff chase this week, thanks in large part to the hot hitting of third baseman ANDY MARTE. Marte began the week with a 0-4 performance on Monday, but since then has hit safely and scored in six straight games for the Bisons. Along the way, Marte clubbed three homers and drove in ten runs, both tied for tops in the IL during the past week. He also led the circuit with a .909 slugging percentage. Marte homered in each game over the weekend against 1st-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, tying him with Ryan Mulhern for the team lead with 16 long balls this year. The Bisons, who won both games with the Yankees to move within 4.0 games of the division leaders, now find themselves a mere 0.5 game behind Richmond in the Wild Card chase. Buffalo has just two home games remaining (tonight and tomorrow night against Syracuse) before a regular season-ending road trip through Ottawa and Rochester.

23-year-old Andy Marte is in his seventh professional season, and his second as a member of the Cleveland organization. Marte was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in a trade in January 2006, less than two months after being traded to Boston from Atlanta. He's played in 90 games at the Major League level, including 16 this year with the Indians (hitting .180 in 50 at-bats). Marte is a native of Villa Tapia, Dominican Republic.

While Marte helped his team climb back in the playoff picture, Toledo's VIRGIL VASQUEZ helped the Mud Hens lock up their third straight trip to the postseason with a pair of wins this week against 2nd-place Indianapolis. Vasquez was masterful in his two outings against the Indians, making up for a pair of shaky starts against the Tribe earlier this season. Tuesday in Toledo, Vasquez hurled a complete game two-hit shutout, joining Rochester's Nick Blackburn as the League's only pitchers with two shutouts this season. Vasquez struck out nine and walked only one in the 9-inning gem. He took the hill again yesterday afternoon in Indianapolis with a chance to clinch the IL West Championship for Toledo. He threw 7.0 strong innings, surrendering just one run on five hits while striking out four. The Mud Hens' bullpen finished off the 4-1 victory to seal Toledo's third straight division title. Vasquez has been one of the IL's top pitchers this year, finding himself among the leaders with 12 wins (T-1st), a 3.48 ERA (4th), and 127 strikeouts (T-2nd).

25-year-old Virgil Vasquez continues to impress in his first season pitching above the Double-A level. He made his Major League debut in a pair of spot starts earlier this year with Detroit, going 0-1. Last season at Double-A Erie, he was 7-12 with a 3.73 ERA. Vasquez is a native of Santa Barbara, CA.

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International League Stories from August 27, 2007


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