IL1 International League

International League names players of the week

Published on June 12, 2006 under International League (IL1) News Release


The International League announced today that Pawtucket outfielder David Murphy and Toledo pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from June 5-11. Murphy becomes the first member of the Pawtucket Red Sox to be honored with an IL weekly award in 2006, while Ledezma is the second Red Wing to be the IL's top pitcher, following Zach Miner (April 17-23).

Outfielder DAVID MURPHY, barely two weeks into his Triple-A career, is already causing severe headaches for International League pitchers. The 24-year-old has hit safely in 14 of the 16 games he's played in at this level, including his last nine in a row. Behind Murphy's efforts, the PawSox have won seven of their last eight games to climb into 3rd place in the IL North at 31-31. Murphy is proving to be a clutch performer, coming up big when it counted twice in the past weekend alone. Friday night, Murphy scored the winning run for Pawtucket in the bottom of the 10th. After being intentionally walked by Richmond pitcher Manny Acosta, Murphy scored from third on an infield single to win the game 2-1. Sunday afternoon, Murphy again found a way to beat the Braves, this time showing off some power. Down 2-1 in the 8th, Murphy crushed a three-run homer onto the patio beyond the right field wall to put the Red Sox ahead for good. It was the 10th hit of the week for Murphy, and his 7th extra-base knock. The highly-touted outfield prospect has done a little bit of everything since making the jump to Triple-A. In 16 games he's hitting .339 with 3 HR, 13 RBI, six doubles, two triples, two stolen bases, and 10 runs scored. On the season Murphy has hit 23 doubles, tied for second most in all of Minor League Baseball. He's also the defending Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year.

Houston native David Murphy was a first round draft selection by Boston in 2003 after three years at Baylor University, where he hit .346 and was a first team All-American. He spent the 2005 season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, hitting .275 with 14 HR and 75 RBI in 135 games. Portland's center fielder committed only four errors the entire season.

6'4" southpaw WILFREDO LEDEZMA has been named the IL Pitcher-of-the-Week following two victories for the Mud Hens. Ledezma entered the week with a mere 2-3 record to show for his 2.88 ERA, the victim of little run support this season. Toledo's offense gave Ledezma four runs to work with on June 5 at Buffalo - more than enough for the Venezuelan native to even his record at 3-3. Other than a two-run homer by Ryan Garko in the 6th, Ledezma completely baffled the Bisons. He allowed just those two runs in 8.0 innings of work, striking out five in what was his longest outing of the season. The Mud Hens prevailed 4-2. Sunday evening Ledezma made his next start, this time home at Fifth Third Field against Ottawa. Toledo exploded for six runs in the first four innings, more than enough support for their starting pitcher. Ledezma held the Lynx scoreless for 7.0 innings, scattering six hits and striking out six. The win gave Ledezma a winning record for the first time since April, a fact that doesn't do justice to the way he's pitched this season. He is 3rd in the IL with 66 strikeouts, and his 2.52 ERA is the 8th best mark in the League.

25-year-old Wilfredo Ledezma is in his second straight season with the Mud Hens, and has spent parts of each of the last three years with the Detroit Tigers. His combined Major League record is 9-14 with a 5.73 ERA in 59 games, 26 of which were starts. He went 5-3 for Toledo in 2005, posting a 3.79 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 51.0 innings. Ledezma was the winner in Game 5 of the first round of the Governors' Cup Playoffs, sending his club into the Finals with the win over Norfolk.

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International League Stories from June 12, 2006


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