G-Braves sweep weekly IL awards

LAWRENCEVILLE -- Gwinnett Braves right-hander Todd Redmond has been named the International League Pitcher of the Week, while G-Braves' first baseman Ernesto Mejia has taken home the IL Batter of the Week award in an announcement made by the league on Monday.

The awards were given out for performance during the week of May 14-20.

Redmond, who turned 27 on May 17, wins the pitching award for the first time this season and the fourth time in his career. He went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts on the week, yielding just one run over 13.0 innings. The St. Petersburg, Florida native blanked Buffalo over six innings in a 6-1 victory on May 15, then followed it up with a win at Rochester on May 20 in which he allowed a run over a season-high seven frames in a 2-1 win. Redmond last won the IL Pitcher of the Week award on May 23, 2011 and has also won on July 4, 2010 and August 29, 2010. For the season, he's 4-3 with a 2.63 ERA in nine games, all starts for Gwinnett.

Mejia, 26, becomes the second Gwinnett Braves hitter to win the IL Batter of the Week award this season, joining Stefan Gartrell, who won it for the week ending May 6. The slugging first baseman recorded a hit in every game on the week, batting a league-best .464 (13-for-28) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, seven runs scored and seven RBI. The Guanare, Venezuela, native slugged .786 and posted a 1.250 OPS in seven games played. For the season, he's hitting .306 with six home runs and 31 RBI in 39 games.

The IL Weekly Award sweep by Redmond and Mejia is the first in Gwinnett Braves history. The club has boasted nine previous IL Pitchers of the Week and seven previous IL Batters of the Week since 2009. According to the IL's official release, the last time the Braves' Triple-A affiliate swept the weekly awards was August 24, 2008 when Corky Miller and James Parr did so representing the Richmond Braves. Redmond, meanwhile, is one of just 11 pitchers to win the weekly award four times in International League history.

The IL South-leading Gwinnett Braves (26-18) continue a four-game series in Rochester, NY on Monday night against the Rochester Red Wings (18-25). Right-hander Jair Jurrjens (2-1, 5.06) is scheduled to start for the G-Braves, while the Red Wings will counter with right-hander Jeff Manship (3-1, 3.48). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Listen to the broadcast on WDUN 550 AM and 102.9 FM with Tony Schiavone calling the play-by-play.

The G-Braves return home to Coolray Field to begin a 10-game homestand on Thursday. Tickets to all home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Box Office. Call 678-277-0340 or visit gwinnettbraves.com for more information.