IL1 International League

Hansack Flirts With Perfection, Named Pitcher Of The Week

June 25, 2007 - International League (IL1) News Release


The International League announced today that Indianapolis outfielder Michael Ryan and Pawtucket pitcher Devern Hansack have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from June 18-24. Ryan is the fourth Indianapolis player to win an IL weekly award in 2007, following Ryan Doumit (April 16-22), John Van Benschoten (May 7-13), and Shane Youman (June 11-17). Hansack is the first member of the Red Sox to be so honored this season.

Indians outfielder MICHAEL RYAN paced the International League with seven extra-base hits and a slugging percentage of .926 to earn the circuit's Batter-of-the-Week honors. Ryan's extra-base parade included his third and fourth home runs of the season, as well as his third triple. He also banged out four doubles in the first three games of the Tribe's series in Toledo as the Indians and Mud Hens battle for 1st place in the IL West. Ryan's two doubles on Sunday gave him his fifth straight game with multiple hits. For the week, Ryan hit at a .481 clip (13-27), raising his season batting average more than 40 points to .259. Only once prior to this week did Ryan collect an RBI in consecutive games (June 6-7), but starting June 20 he drove in at least one run in four straight, including a two-RBI game on Saturday night.

29-year-old Michael Ryan is in his first season in the Pittsburgh organization after signing as a free agent last October. He is in his eighth straight year at the Triple-A level, having previously played for Salt Lake (2000), Edmonton (2001-02), Rochester (2003-05), and Richmond (2006). He has played in 127 games at the Major League level, all coming with Minnesota from 2002-05. Ryan is a native of Indiana, PA.

After flirting with history Saturday night, PawSox right-hander DEVERN HANSACK was named the IL Pitcher-of-the-Week. Hansack took a perfect game into the 8th inning at Louisville Slugger Field before Aaron Herr delivered a leadoff double. The hit spoiled Hansack's bid for what would have been just the fifth 9.0-inning perfect game in International League history. Ironically, the last two such gems were tossed by members of the Pawtucket Red Sox (Tomo Ohka on June 1, 2000 and Bronson Arroyo on August 10, 2003). Though Herr came around to score, Hansack and the Red Sox still won the game 4-1. Hansack went 8.0 innings, his longest outing of the year, striking out seven. Earlier in the week, Hansack started at Indianapolis on Monday night, allowing two earned runs in 6.0 innings of work. He received no decision. Hansack's 14.0 innings pitched this week led the IL, and his 13 strikeouts were 2nd only to Charlotte's Charlie Haeger. Despite having a record of 3-6, Hansack is 7th in the League in ERA (3.19) on the season.

29-year-old Devern Hansack was the 2006 Pitcher of the Year for Double-A Portland, going 8-7 with a 3.26 ERA. That effort came after a 2-year absence from professional baseball. He made his Major League debut with the Red Sox in 2006, earning his first win in a rain-shortened 5.0-inning no-hit effort October 1 against Baltimore. Hansack is a native of Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua.

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