Here’s the press release from the Boston Red Sox announcing that Adrian Gonzalez along with Baltimore Orioles rookie Manny Machado have been the American League Co-Players of the Week for the week ending 8/12/12:
Boston Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado have been named the American League Co-Players of the Week for the period ending August 12th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Gonzalez batted .393 (11-for-28) with seven doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI and six runs scored in seven games to win his second weekly honor of the season (also for week ending July 22nd) and the seventh of his nine-year career. The left-handed-hitting slugger led the Majors in doubles and RBI. Among his A.L. counterparts, Gonzalez finished second in total bases (24), tied for third in hits and was fourth in slugging percentage (.857). On Monday, the 30-year-old went 3-for-5 with an RBI-double and two run-scoring singles as Boston defeated the A.L. West-leading Texas Rangers, 9-2, at Fenway Park. Gonzalez teamed with Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford and Dustin Pedroia to go 11-for-18 with eight doubles, eight RBI and six runs scored in the win. In Wednesday’s finale with Texas, the San Diego native notched a season-best three doubles with three RBI in a 10-9 loss. Wrapping up the week on Sunday, the top overall pick in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft (by Florida) went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, four RBI and two runs scored as Boston defeated the Cleveland Indians, 14-1, at Progressive Field. Gonzalez’s week comes as part of a second-half offensive surge as he leads the A.L. in batting average (.393), RBI (35) and slugging percentage (.673) since play resumed after the All-Star break on July 13th.
Machado batted .375 (6-for-16) with a double, a triple, three homers, seven RBI and five runs scored in four games to win his first career A.L. Player of the Week honor. The 20-year-old has made a splash since making his Major League debut on August 9th against the Kansas City Royals, hitting safely in each of his first four games. The Miami native tripled for his first career hit in his debut on Thursday, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. On Friday, the Orioles’ top prospect went 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBI to lead the O’s to a 7-1 win over the Royals at home. Machado became the youngest Oriole since Jim Palmer in 1965 to homer, and he also became the youngest in Club history to record a multi-homer game, breaking Boog Powell’s 1962 mark by 223 days. Rounding out his inaugural week, the third overall pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft played a key role in Sunday matchup against Kansas City, launching a two-run homer in the second inning as the O’s went on to win, 5-3.
Other outstanding performances last week included New York Yankees infielder Eric Chavez (.563, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1.063 SLG); right-hander Jered Weaver (1-1, 1.69 ERA, four-hit SHO with 0 BB and 9 SO at Oakland on August 6th) of the Angels; Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (1-0, 0.60 ERA, 15.0 IP, 0 HR, 1 BB, 22 SO); and Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale (2-0, 2.45 ERA, 14.2 IP, 0 BB, 18 SO).
The co-winners of the American League Player of the Week, Adrian Gonzalez and Manny Machado, will each be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.
Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.
photo credit: ap photo
