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AA St. Paul Saints

Complete Game Shutout Earns Cole Nelson Pointstreak American Association Pitcher of the Week

June 17, 2013 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - A dominating performance over the division rival Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks was enough to earn Cole Nelson the Pointstreak American Association Pitcher of the Week.

Nelson threw a four-hit complete game shutout on June 12 against the RedHawks. The 23-year-old lefthander from Edina, Minnesota was in complete control all night long. He retired the first 11 batters of the game before giving up a two-out single to Nic Jackson in the fourth.

In the fifth Nelson gave up a leadoff infield single to Keith Brachold, but Nelson got a double play ground out to erase the runner.

In the sixth Nelson walked his lone hitter, Zach Penprase with two outs, but got Mitch Einertson to fly out to end the inning.

In the seventh, Nelson gave up the hardest hit ball of the night, a one out triple to Tim Alberts off the right-center field wall. With the shutout in jeopardy, Nelson struck out Brachold looking and got C.J. Retherford to ground out to end the inning.

Starting the ninth with more than 100 pitches, Nelson gave up a one out single to Einertson, but got Jackson to hit into a fielder's choice ground out and Alberts flew out to right to end the game. Nelson allowed just four hits, while walking one and striking out eight as he threw 118 pitches, 71 for strikes. His ERA dropped from 2.53 to 1.78. Nelson's longest career outing prior to the June 12 game was 7.0 innings in 2010 when he threw seven no-hit innings with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The last 9.0 inning complete game shutout by a Saints pitcher was May 24, 2011 when Donald Brandt accomplished the feat against the Fort Worth Cats at Midway Stadium.

Nelson has been spectacular in his last two starts and hasn't allowed a run in 16.2 innings pitched.

The official statisticians of the American Association, Pointstreak, votes on the weekly award. This is the first weekly award for the Saints in 2013.

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