IL1 International League

Richmond's Prado Leads League With 13 Hits In Seven Games

July 2, 2007 - International League (IL1) News Release


The International League announced today that Richmond second baseman Martin Prado and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher Steven White have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from June 25-July 1. Both men become the second members of their respective clubs to win an IL weekly award this season. Prado joins Braves hurler Buddy Carlisle (April 30-May 6) while White joins Yankees slugger Shelley Duncan (April 5-15).

Richmond second baseman MARTIN PRADO paced the International League with 13 hits over the past week to raise his average to .309, the best mark amongst all Braves who qualify for the batting title. Six of Prado's 13 hits went for extra-bases, which was tied for the most in the League. He collected multiple hits in five out of seven games, including two three-hit performances. Prado capped off his huge week with a 3-5 effort yesterday afternoon in Indianapolis that included his first home run of the year. With two outs in the 9th and Richmond down to its final at-bat, Prado blasted a two-run homer off of Jonah Bayliss to tie the game 7-7. Though the Tribe ultimately won the game in the bottom of the 9th, Prado's clutch hit cemented his claim to the IL Batter-of-the-Week Award. Heading into this week, Prado had accumulated just 7 RBI since May 1 - a total which he equaled over the past seven days.

23-year-old Martin Prado is in his second season at the Triple-A level. Last year he played 60 games with Richmond, hitting .282 with 2 HR and 23 RBI after opening the season with Double-A Mississippi. Prado also made his Major League debut in 2006, hitting .262 with 1 HR and 9 RBI in 24 games with Atlanta. He also had five hits in an eight-game stint with the MLB Braves this year. Prado's professional career began in 2001 after being signed by the Braves as a nondrafted free agent. Prado is a native of Maracay, Venezuela.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre right-hander STEVEN WHITE is barely a month into his 2007 season after missing the first eight weeks with a spinal nerve injury. As his comeback continues, everything seemed to fall into place this week for White, who didn't allow an earned run in a League-best 15.1 innings of work. White won both starts for the Yankees, improving his record to 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA. On Monday, June 25 White defeated Syracuse at PNC Field, blanking the Chiefs for 7.1 innings in a game the Yankees won 4-0. White allowed only two hits and three walks while striking out two in what was his longest outing of the year, until Sunday. In an afternoon affair at Ottawa, the Lynx managed just one unearned run against White in 8.0 innings as the Yankees rolled to a 12-1 victory. White scattered six hits and walked no one, striking out three. White's two wins this week helped his team's record improve to 43-38, good enough for 2nd place in the IL North (3.0 GB of Buffalo).

26-year-old Steven White is in his fourth professional season, and his second at the Triple-A level. After being selected by the Yankees in the 4th round of the 2003 draft, White first reached Triple-A in 2006 with Columbus, going 4-9 with a 4.71 ERA in 17 starts. Combined with his time at Double-A Trenton, White struck out 133 hitters last season, ranking 3rd among all Yankees' farmhands. White is a native of League City, TX.

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