Drive Sending Three to 2012 All-Star Game
June 5, 2012 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Greenville, SC - When the 53rd Annual South Atlantic League All-Star Game is played on Tuesday, June 19th at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in Charleston, SC, the Greenville Drive will be well represented with three members on the Southern Division team, including one starter at their respective position.
Keury De la Cruz, gets the starting nod in left-field, while third baseman Garin Cecchini was named a utility infielder and Mickey Pena is amongst the 11-man pitching staff. This is the second straight all-star selection for Cecchini, having been selected to the New York-Penn League All-Star Game in 2011. For De la Cruz and Pena this is their first all-star selections during their respective professional careers.
"Each of these players have done a great job during the first half of the regular season and are all well-deserving of their spots on the South Atlantic League All-Star Team," noted Drive manager Carlos Febles. "It is always nice to be recognized for your play on the field and I'm sure that Keury, Garin and Mickey are excited about their selection. These guys are prime examples of the kind of players that the Red Sox hope to develop in their minor league system, and we couldn't be prouder."
The 20-year-old De la Cruz, in his fourth season in the Red Sox organization, currently ranks amongst the South Atlantic League's top hitters in batting average (T-12th, .313), home runs (T-3rd, 11), RBI (7th, 43), hits (T-6th, 68), triples (T-2nd, 5), extra-base hits (6th, 27), total bases (3rd, 122), slugging percentage (4th, .562), and OPS (10th, .923).
From April 27th to May 10th, De la Cruz posted a 12-game hit streak, that ranks tied as the 11th longest in the circuit this season. The Dominican Republic native batted .451 (23-for-51) over that span, with three homers, 8 RBI, and 10 runs scored.
De la Cruz is the fifth outfielder in franchise history to be selected to the league's mid-Summer classic - Reid Engel (2007), David Mailman (2009), Ronald Bermudez (2010), and Brandon Jacobs (2011) - and third to be named a starter, joining Engel and Jacobs.
In his 2nd season in the Red Sox organization, Cecchini ranks 2nd on the Drive with a .306 batting average (60-for-196), and leads the club with 40 runs scored and 15 doubles. A 4th round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, Cecchini is batting .333 (38-for-114) since May 1st, which ranks tied for 9th in the South Atlantic League over that span.
Pena rounds out the Drive's selection, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.06 ERA (12 ER/52.1 IP), 57 strikeouts and eight base on balls. The lefty ranks 2nd in the South Atlantic League in earned run average, 3rd in WHIP (1.01), 5th in K/9 IP ration amongst starting pitchers (10.46), and 3rd in BB/9 IP ratio amongst starting pitchers (1.52).
The native of Mission, Texas was selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week for May 7-13, after combining with teammates Hunter Cervenka and Tyler Lockwood on the first 9-inning no-hitter in Drive franchise history on May 8th. Pena tossed 6.0 perfect innings in that game, striking out seven.
"The Red Sox are among the best in the game at scouting, drafting, and developing Major League talent," noted Drive Co-Owner/President, Craig Brown. "By having three players selected to this year's South Atlantic League All-Star Game, further demonstrates the importance of the amateur draft and international scouting, and the overall quality of the Boston Red Sox minor league system as they continually build for the future."
The Drive are currently in the midst of a seven-game road trip, and return home to Fluor Field on Monday, June 11th for a three-game series versus the Asheville Tourists. For more information regarding single-game tickets, luxury accommodations, group outings, and ticket plan packages call (864) 240-4500 or visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 5, 2012
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- Drive Sending Three to 2012 All-Star Game - Greenville Drive
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