Bulls' Cummings and Bats' Belisle earn IL weekly awards
Published on April 26, 2004 under International League (IL1) News Release
The International League announced today that Durham outfielder/designated hitter Midre Cummings and Louisville pitcher Matt Belisle have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period of April 19-25. Both are the first members of their respective teams to earn an IL weekly award in 2004.
Durham's MIDRE CUMMINGS started the week in dramatic fashion, hitting a walkoff grand slam home run last Monday afternoon to lift the defending Governors' Cup Champions to a 14-10 win over Columbus. The home run, Cummings' second of the season, came as part of a 3-4 effort that also saw him score a pair of runs and walk twice. After an off day on Tuesday, the Bulls' road show headed to Norfolk for a three-game series with the Tides. The native of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands doubled and tripled, scoring twice, as Durham shut out Norfolk 4-0 in the opener. Midre was hitless (but scored a run on a walk) in Thursday's 10-2 win, then had a solo home run as part of two-hit effort as the Bulls completed the sweep with a 6-1 victory on Friday night. The club traveled to Richmond on Saturday with their 32- year-old DH collecting four hits in five at-bats. Cummings singled twice, doubled, and homered but it was not enough as the R-Braves topped the Bulls, 6-3. The lefthander closed the week with a double in yesterday's 5-1 loss. Entering play today, the Tarpon Springs, FL resident sees his name prominently listed among IL statistical leaders. Cummings paces all IL batters in batting average, doubles, extra-base hits, and runs and ranks second in hits, triples (tied), on-base percentage, slugging percentage and RBI.
2004 marks the third straight season Cummings has gotten off to a quick start at the Triple-A level. Last year, playing for Iowa (PCL), he opened the season with a 17-game hit streak, while in 2002 he hit .308 with 3 HR in his first 11 games before a shoulder injury ended his season with Indianapolis. A fifteen year professional, Cummings was originally selected by Minnesota with the 29th overall selection in the 1990 June Draft. He has Major League experience with Pittsburgh (1993-97), Philadelphia ('97), Boston ('98, '00), Minnesota (â99-00), and Arizona ('01).
Louisville right-hander MATT BELISLE rebounded from two losses to open the season by tossing a complete game shutout in his only start of the past week. Belisle, who received just one run of support in his first two starts (Both losses to his ex-teammates in Richmond), made sure that wasn't an issue when he took to the hill against Norfolk last Monday. The Austin, TX native scattered six hits and walked just one to become the IL's first pitcher to record a nine-inning complete game this season (the other complete games were all seven innings or fewer). Belisle fanned six in the victory and saw his ERA drop to 2.14, tied for ninth among IL hurlers. He is scheduled to make his fourth start of the season tonight as the Bats take on Indianapolis at Louisville Slugger Field.
Belisle spent the first 4 ½ seasons of his career in the Atlanta organization after being selected by the club in the second round of the 1998 June Draft. He was traded to Cincinnati last August for pitcher Kent Mercker and made four starts for Louisville before receiving his first Major League promotion in September. His combined stats between four clubs last season (Double-A Greenville, Richmond, Louisville, and Cincinnati) included 125 strikeouts, nine victories, and a 3.50 ERA in 34 appearances. Belisle missed the entire 2001 season following back surgery.
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