Tony Cogan Named Northern League Pitcher of the Week
July 21, 2009 - Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
GARY, Ind. - Veteran left-hander Tony Cogan has done it all in his baseball career - making his major league debut in Yankee Stadium, helping Stanford to a College World Series, winning a Northern League Championship - but never has he enjoyed a week quite like this one. The Gary SouthShore RailCats staff ace is in the midst of a 21.0 inning scoreless streak, including his first career complete game shutout, and has been named the Northern League's Pitcher of the Week.
Cogan, 32, allowed only eight hits in 17.0 innings over two starts during the week with two walks and 12 strikeouts, putting together back-to-back dominating outings against the Kansas City T-Bones and Schaumburg Flyers. Cogan lowered his ERA nearly a full point (to 3.83) over the two games to move into the top 10 in the Northern League in earned run average and earn his fourth and fifth victories of the year.
On Tuesday, July 14, Cogan hamstrung a high-powered Kansas City offense for nine innings, allowing only one baserunner through the first five. The southpaw did not walk a man until the ninth, struck out a season-high eight and had only two runners reach as far as second base. Cogan allowed just three singles - including both a bunt and infield hit - and notched just the second complete game of a career that dates back to 1999.
Four days later, Cogan was right back at it against the Flyers, lasting eight full innings as the RailCats rolled to a 9-0 win. In that start, Cogan again did not allow a runner past second base and became the first RailCat since Josh Habel in 2007 to have a scoreless streak of at least 20.0 innings.
During the scoreless streak Cogan has been not only good, he's been untouchable. The Highland Park, Ill. native has allowed just nine hits and three walks over 21.0 innings and had only four runners advance as far as second base. Cogan is just 3.1 innings shy of Habel's club-record scoreless streak that ran from August 16-29, 2007.
Cogan's pitching helped the RailCats win six games in a row last week and take over first place in the Northern League on July 19. The lefty is 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA in three starts since the All-Star Break and is unbeaten in five starts since absorbing 14 hits and 11 runs June 23 in Fargo.
The Pitcher of the Week award is the fourth of Cogan's RailCats career and first of 2009. An All-Star for the second time in 2009, Cogan entered the season with the lowest ERA in franchise history and holds single season club records for saves (25, 2007) and ERA (2.08, 2008).
Each week during the season, the Northern League awards a Player and Pitcher of the Week. Closer Andy Shipman, named the league's Pitcher of the Week on June 21, is the only other RailCats player to earn either award in 2009. Winnipeg slugger Juan Diaz was named the Player of the Week for July 19.
The RailCats (33-25) sit in a tie atop the league standings entering game two of their four-game series with the Schaumburg Flyers (27-29) Tuesday night at Alexian Field at 7:05 p.m. Garret Holleran (0-1, 1.80 ERA) will start for the RailCats Tuesday, with Cogan scheduled to throw during a scheduled doubleheader Wednesday.
More Info: The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a Professional Minor League Baseball Team serving Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs. The RailCats won the Northern League championship in 2005 and 2007 and for each of the last five years, they have been chosen "Best Local Spectator Sport" by Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly. Their 96 game schedule includes 48 home games at beautiful U. S. Steel Yard, an award-winning 6,000 seat state-of-the-art facility located next to the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) with easy access to I-65.
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