Hochevar Named PCL Pitcher of the Week
Published on May 4, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
OMAHA, NE - Omaha Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar was named today by the Pacific Coast League as the PCL Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 27-May 3. Fresno first baseman Jesus Guzman earned the PCL Batter of the Week award.
Hochevar won both of his starts this past week and has won all five of his starts this season. The 25-year old, who spent most of last season with the Kansas City Royals, allowed just one unearned run on six hits in 13 innings last week, walking five batters and striking out 12.
He began the week last Monday with six solid innings in the opener of a doubleheader against Oklahoma City, giving up an unearned run on four hits, walking two and fanning a season-high seven as the Royals won 8-1. On Saturday at Nashville, Hochevar fired the first career shutout and complete game of his four-year, professional career to lead the Royals to an 8-0 victory. In the opener of Saturday's twinbill, he allowed just two hits and three walks, while striking out five in the seven-inning gem. He became the first Omaha pitcher to author a two-hitter in a seven-inning game since May 29, 2000 when Dan Murray turned the trick in a 1-0 win at Memphis.
The 13-inning scoreless streak has dropped Hochevar's ERA from 1.89 to a PCL-leading 1.13. Hochevar, the number one overall pick in the 2006 Major League draft by the Kansas City Royals out of the University of Tennessee, is the PCL's only five-game winner.
He becomes the first Omaha pitcher to be named PCL Pitcher of the Week since April 20, 2008 when Jorge de la Rosa won the award. Hochevar is just the second Royals pitcher to earn the honor since the 2003 season.
Hochevar's next scheduled start is this Thursday at 6:35 p.m., when the Royals host the Memphis Redbirds at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Guzman won the PCL Batter of the Week award after hitting .421 (8-for-19) with four home runs and 13 RBI in just five games for Fresno. He's hitting .299 with six homers and 20 RBI in 23 games for the Grizzlies this year.
For more information, contact Kevin McNabb, Director of Media Relations, at (402) 738-5103.
ABOUT THE ROYALS:
Readers of Omaha Magazine voted the Omaha Royals as Best Omaha Sports Team in the magazine's 17th annual Best of Omaha Awards, published in its January/February 2009 edition. In 2008, 349,376 fans attended Omaha Royals home games, making the Royals the largest-drawing sports team or event in the metro area last year. It also marked the team's largest season attendance total since 2001, while the average of 5,375 fans per game last season was the club's highest figure since 2000. Omaha's Triple-A franchise has drawn over 300,000 fans a year to Rosenblatt for 21 consecutive seasons, dating back to 1988.
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