Sanders, Gonzalez Lauded by IL

Published on May 12, 2003 under International League (IL1) News Release

The International League announced today that Charlotte outfielder Anthony Sanders and Durham pitcher Jeremi Gonzalez have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period of May 5- 11. Gonzalez is the first Durham player selected this season while Sanders joins infielder/outfielder Willie Harris (currently with the White Sox) as Charlotte honorees. Harris was selected on April 21.

It was a disappointing week for the Charlotte Knights as a team as the club dropped 5 of 7 games, but outfielder ANTHONY SANDERS was impressive, hitting at a .409 clip to earn Batter-of-the-Week honors. The 29-year-old opened the week with a key hit last Monday against Syracuse, driving in the gamewinning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 6-5 win over the SkyChiefs. The RBI single was Sanders' second of the game. After rain postponed Tuesday's game, the clubs returned for a doubleheader on Wednesday. Anthony collected an RBI in each game - both Charlotte losses. The Tucson native pinch-hit in Thursday's defeat before returning to the starting line-up Friday in Toledo. Sanders' three-run homer helped the Knights to their second victory of the week, a 7-4 defeat of the Mud Hens. The righthanded Sanders provided nearly all of the Knights' offense in Saturday's 7-4 loss. He had a pair of solo home runs and tripled and scored a run as part of a 3-4 effort. Yesterday, Anthony posted his third multihit game of the week (and eighth of the season) as he singled, doubled, and scored twice in Charlotte's 9-8 loss. Sanders is tied for second on the Charlotte club in triples, home runs, and RBI, while his .312 average is fourth on the team (the Knights lead the IL with a .293 average).

Sanders is in his 11 th professional season and fifth year at the Triple-A level. He split last season with the Knights and IL rival Louisville, as he returned from a year in Japan to hit .239 with 12 HR and 48 RBI in 91 games. His best season came in 2000 with Triple-A Tacoma (PCL), when he set career-highs with a .306 average and 80 RBI, along with 20 HR. Sanders was originally drafted by Toronto in the 7th Round of the 1992 June Draft and spent seven years in the organization, playing for Syracuse (1998-99) and the parent Blue Jays (1999). In addition, Anthony was a member of the 2000 U.S. Team that won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Durham's JEREMI GONZALEZ pitched effectively this past week, allowing just one run in 13 innings over two starts but collected no victories to show for his efforts. He took the hill last Monday in Durham limiting the Rochester Red Wings to three hits and one run over six innings. The right-hander left the game with a 2-1 lead but did not factor in the decision as the Bulls held on for a 3-2 victory. He returned to action Saturday in Syracuse and was even better, tossing seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball. He fanned a season-high nine batters, walking just one. The game, which was scoreless when the 28-yearold left prior to the eighth inning, was eventually won by the SkyChiefs 1-0 in the 15th inning. Gonzalez, a native of Venezuela, leads Bulls' pitchers with 33 strikeouts, is second with a 2.53 ERA (8th in the IL) and is third with 32 innings pitched.

Gonzalez was one of the bright young stars of the Chicago Cubs' organization before injuries limited him to just 13 games between mid 1998-2001. He went 11-9 for the Cubs as a rookie in 1997 and had a 7- 7 record in 1998 before a July elbow injury ended his season. He made 13 rehab starts during the 1999 & 2000 seasons before a knee injury wiped out his 2001 campaign. The 12-year professional returned to action last season with Oklahoma (PCL), leading the club with 14 saves in his first full season as a reliever. He went 6-5 with the RedHawks, his first victories since June of 1998.

International League Stories from May 12, 2003

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