Tornadoes Sweep League Awards for Second Straight Week

June 30, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release


DURHAM, NC - PA-Sportsticker, the Can-Am League's official statistician, has named Worcester Tornadoes OF BJ Weed and LHP Tom Cochran as the Teamline Direct Batter and Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 23-29.

In seven games this past week, Weed batted .472 with two home runs, eight RBI, 17 hits and eight runs scored. He also collected five doubles, slugged .778 and had an on-base percentage of .486. In the 15-6 win over the Quebec Capitales Sunday, Weed went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. The Peabody, MA resident leads the Can-Am in hits (55), doubles (17) and extra base hits (21), third in stolen bases (12) and fourth in runs scored (30) and batting average (.357). He is currently riding a 16-game hitting streak, tied for the longest hitting streak in the league this year and tied for the second-longest hitting streak in Tornadoes history.

Weed was signed as a nondrafted free agent by the Los Angels of Anaheim in November of 2002. He has also played with the North Shore Spirit.

Cochran hurled a complete game shutout in the 10-0 win over the Quebec Capitales this past Friday, saving a tired bullpen after the 20-inning marathon the night before. The southpaw gave up only two walks and five hits while striking out seven Quebec hitters to notch just the third 9-inning complete game shutout in Tornadoes history, and first of 2008. Currently, Cochran has a perfect 6-0 record with a 1.72 ERA in 47 innings pitched. He is tied for the league lead in wins and shutouts, third in ERA and fifth in innings pitched. Cochran has not allowed more than 2 earned runs in any start this season, and has pitched 8 or more innings in three straight starts.

The 25-year-old was an 18th round selection of the Boston Red Sox in 2003. He pitched two seasons in the Red Sox farm system before playing in the Frontier League from 2005-2007 with Ohio Valley and Washington.

The Tornadoes have swept the weekly awards for the second straight week (Scott Grimes and Eddie Pena were the Batter of the Week and the Pitcher of the week, respectively, a week ago), and now have totaled five weekly awards on the season, three more than any other team.

The Tornadoes return home on Thursday, July 3rd to host the Nashua Pride at 7:05pm. It will be Armed Forces Night at the ballpark and in honor of the July 4th holiday, the Tornadoes will feature their fourth postgame fireworks show of the season, courtesy of Becker College and Price Chopper. Tickets for the game are available in person by stopping by the Tornadoes box office at the ballpark or at the team office located at 303 Main St. in Worcester, by phone at 508-792-2288 or online by visiting www.worcestertornadoes.com.



Canadian American League Stories from June 30, 2008


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