IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Marte, Owens and Mercer Named to IL All-Star Team

Published on June 27, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Indians outfielder Starling Marte, infielder Jordy Mercer and starting pitcher Rudy Owens have been named to the 2012 International League All-Star team.

The trio will join the rest of the IL squad as they take on the Pacific Coast League All Stars at the 25th annual Triple-A All-Star Game, which will take place at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, N.Y., home of the Buffalo Bisons, on Wednesday, July 11, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The matchup will be broadcast live on MLB Network, the American Forces Network, and the Triple-A All-Star Game Radio Network.

Marte, who entered the season ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Pittsburgh organization according to Baseball America, leads the Indians in hits (75), runs (43), triples (9), RBI (41) and total bases (128) as of June 26. The speedy outfielder also paces the International League in triples, while ranking tied for fourth in stolen bases (16), sixth in runs, seventh in total bases and 10th in RBI.

Marte has also excelled in the outfield this season as he leads all IL outfielders in putouts (173) and total chances (180) and has collected six outfield assists.

Owens, who will represent an Indians pitching staff that has led the league in team ERA for much of the season, has put together a spectacular start to the 2012 season, posting a 6-3 record and 2.51 ERA with 68 strikeouts and just 16 walks over a team-best 96.2 innings pitched.

The southpaw starter ranks fourth in the league in ERA, third in innings pitched and tied for fifth with a 1.06 WHIP as of June 26. He was also named the Indians April Player of the Month after posting an exceptional 2.08 ERA and 19-to-one strikeout to walk ratio over four starts in the season's first month.

Mercer, who recently returned to the Indians after spending nearly a month in Pittsburgh after receiving his first big league promotion on May 29, leads the Indians with a .302 batting average and .379 on-base percentage as of June 26. The shortstop turned in a spectacular month of May with the Tribe, batting .358 with 34 hits, 14 runs, six doubles and nine RBI in 24 games during the month.

As of June 26, Mercer owns a 10-game hitting streak that dates back to May 20, during which he has posted a .400 batting average (16-for-40) with 10 runs, three doubles, four RBI and two steals. The Oklahoma native also owns the Tribe's longest hitting streak of the 2012 season thus far as he hit safely in 14 straight games from April 30 to May 13, during which he batted .375 (21-for-56) with six runs and five RBI.

This marks the first time that the Indians have had three players named to the mid-season All-Star team since 2007, when RHP Bryan Bullington and infielders Brian Bixler and Yurendell de Caster were all selected to the All-Star squad.

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International League Stories from June 27, 2012


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