International League names players of the week
September 5, 2006 - International League (IL1) News Release
The International League announced today that Columbus third baseman Russ Johnson and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher Jeremy Cummings have been named the League's final Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for 2006 (for the period from August 28-September 4). Johnson, who also won the first 2006 Batter-of-the-Week Award (April 6-16), joins League MVP Kevin Witt of the Durham Bulls as the only two-time offensive winner. Cummings is the fifth member of the IL North Champion Red Barons to win an IL weekly award this season, joining Cole Hamels (April 24-30, May 1-7), Eude Brito (July 3-9), Brennan King (July 10-16), and Brian Mazone (August 7-13).
The man who started the season as the International League's hottest hitter has also ended the 2006 campaign as such. Columbus Clipper RUSS JOHNSON slammed three home runs during the past week with 6 RBI, giving him a total of 14 HR and 40 RBI on the season. Four of Johnson's six games were multi-hit affairs, including a 3-4 finale Monday. Johnson had a homer, a double, and two RBI as the Clippers dealt a severe blow to their division foes from Toledo. Because the Mud Hens lost, they are now forced into a one-game playoff with Indianapolis tonight to decide who advances in the Governors' Cup Playoffs. Johnson finished his season with ten hits in his last 25 at-bats, raising his average to .275, the highest it has been since the second week of May.
33-year-old Russ Johnson completed his second season in the Yankees' organization in 2006, his 12th overall as a professional. Johnson has seen Major League actions with Houston, Tampa Bay, and the Yankees (in 2005). In 2005 he played 73 games in Columbus, hitting .292 with 9 HR and 40 RBI, not far from the numbers he posted this year in 106 games with the Clippers.
At times the forgotten man in a rotation that has included prospects like Cole Hamels and Gavin Floyd, plus top IL hurlers like Brian Mazone and Eude Brito, this week it was JEREMY CUMMINGS that stepped to the forefront of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre rotation. His first start of the week came Tuesday, August 29 against Syracuse, and Cummings was far from his best. He allowed four runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. He left with the lead, but didn't earn the victory in a game the Red Barons ultimately won 9-8. Then on Sunday afternoon, Cummings tossed what may have been the gem of the 2006 IL season, no-hitting the Rochester Red Wings over 9.0 innings. In a major message to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's first round playoff opponent, Cummings struck out nine and walked four to post the only individual no-hitter in the IL this season, and the first nine-inning no-no in the 18-year history of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. Cummings has posted a 4-0 record with a 3.19 ERA since July 17 to establish himself as a viable starter for the Governors' Cup Playoffs. Cummings tied a season-high with 9 strikeouts during his no-hitter Sunday, leaving him one short of the team high for the season with 102 (Eude Brito - 103).
29-year-old Jeremy Cummings was signed by the Phillies as a free agent during the offseason after spending the first seven years of his professional career in the Cardinals organization. In 2005 Cummings was 7-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 14 appearances with the Pacific Coast League Memphis Red Birds, the third of three straight seasons Cummings split between Double-A and Triple-A.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board...
International League Stories from September 5, 2006
- Indianapolis sees its season come to an end - Indianapolis Indians
- Witt Wins Round-Tripper Award, Bauman Trophy - Durham Bulls
- International League names players of the week - IL1
- WHMB-TV 40 to air Tuesday's West Division tiebreaker - Indianapolis Indians
- Tie-breaker tonight - Toledo Mud Hens
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
