PCL Names Players of the Week
Published on May 21, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1) News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Mike Hessman of the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Wade LeBlanc of the New Orleans Zephyrs put up some of the top marks in the Pacific Coast League last week, and today they were named the PCL Player and Pitcher of the Week from May 14th to 20th as a result of their performances.
Hessman paced the PCL in batting last week as he hit .529, had an on-base percentage of .667, and slugged 1.588 in five games for Oklahoma City, all tops in the league. The first baseman had back-to-back two-home-run games on May 15th and 17th in which he tallied 9 RBIs, contributing to his 11 RBIs and unmatched 5 home runs on the week.
Hessman, from Fountain Valley, California, was drafted in the 15th round of the 1996 Major League draft by the Atlanta Braves. He made his Major League debut in August 2003, and his first hit was a pinch-hit home run off of Mike Stanton of the New York Mets. In 2007 he was the MVP of the International League as he led in home runs (31) and RBI (110), and in 2008 he joined the United States national baseball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics. In 2012 Hessman is hitting .278 for the RedHawks with 10 home runs and 21 RBI.
LeBlanc put together two strong eight-inning starts last week, holding Las Vegas to just two runs on May 14th then bettering himself by going to hitter-friendly Colorado Springs on the 20th and allowing the Sky Sox to score just one run on three hits, earning the win. Even more impressive was LeBlanc's league-leading 19 strikeouts and 16 innings, allowing only two walks and seven hits for a 0.56 WHIP and just a .127 batting-average-against to go with his 1.69 ERA.
A Lake Charles, Louisiana native, LeBlanc was a second round draft pick by the San Diego Padres in the 2006 Major League draft. The left-hander made his Major League debut in September of 2008 and got his first win on the 15th against the Colorado Rockies. In November of 2011, LeBlanc was traded to the Miami Marlins for John Baker. He held a 4.54 ERA over 293.1 Major League innings in four seasons with San Diego, and in 2012 is 2-3 with a 4.11 ERA and 58 strikeouts with the Zephyrs.
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 21, 2012
- Zephyrs Get Roughed up in Reno - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Aces Top New Orleans in Series Opener, 10-4 - Reno Aces
- Ely Cruz-es to 3-2 Walk-Off Win - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Hawks Top Sox 5-3 with Late Rally - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Round Rock Express Halt Skid, Edge Sacramento 6-5 - Round Rock Express
- Hessman Delivers Clutch Hit in 5-3 Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- River Cats Drop Series Opener in Round Rock, 6-5 - Sacramento River Cats
- Rainiers Cruise Past Cubs, 8-2 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Rainiers' Bats Erupt in Series Opener - Iowa Cubs
- Chasers Offense Sputters, Lose 4-2 on Monday - Omaha Storm Chasers
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Rangers Place RHP Neftali Feliz on DL; Recall RHP Yoshinori Tateyama - Round Rock Express
- Round Rock Express - Game Notes vs. Sacramento River Cats - Round Rock Express
- LeBlanc Named PCL Pitcher of the Week - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- PCL Names Players of the Week - PCL1
- Manny Ramirez & River Cats Prowl in for a Four-Game Series Starting Tonight - Round Rock Express
- Nashville Pitching Stifles Padres - Tucson Padres
- Sounds Ride McClung to 2-1 Victory in Tucson - Nashville Sounds
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