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05/30/2006 4:55 PM ET
Pitchers of the Week
For the week ending May 28
By Benjamin Hill
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 Jacksonville's Mark Alexander is fourth in the Southern League with 11 saves, thanks in part to having fanned 39 batters in 25 innings. (Jerry Hale/MiLB.com)
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International League
Kris Wilson, Columbus
1-0, 0.56 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 16.0 IP, 11 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 14 SO
It's no surprise that Wilson was nearly perfect in his two starts for the Clippers this week. The right-hander loves pitching at home. He's 3-0 with a microscopic 0.30 ERA at Cooper Stadium this season, compared to his road record of 0-2 with a 3.96 ERA. Wilson's week was highlighted by a complete-game shutout against Rochester on Tuesday. He gave up six hits and struck out five Red Wings without walking a batter. He was also strong against Buffalo on Sunday, giving up one run on seven hits while striking out nine in seven complete innings. Wilson didn't collect a win for that effort, though, because the Clippers bullpen gave up eight runs in the final two innings of a 9-4 loss to the Bisons.
Pacific Coast League
Jason Windsor, Sacramento
2-0, 0.82 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11.0 IP, 11 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO
Windsor has been nothing short of spectacular since receiving a call-up to the River Cats on May 11. The 23-year-old has won all four starts he's made at the Triple-A level, including two this week. The California native tossed six shutout innings against Iowa on May 22 and followed that up by allowing just one run over five innings against Portland on Sunday. Perhaps Windsor has forgotten how to lose; after coming up short on Opening Day, the right-hander has gone 8-0 over nine starts at two Minor League levels.
Eastern League
Michael Connolly, Altoona
2-0, 1.29 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 14.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
After failing to get past the sixth inning in his first nine starts on the season, Connolly turned in a pair of near identical seven-inning gems this week. The 23-year-old right-hander earned victories on Tuesday and Sunday by allowing one run on two hits over seven frames. Connolly is now 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA in May after compiling a 6.04 ERA in April.
Southern League
Mark Alexander, Jacksonville
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 G, 0 GS, 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
The Suns have won nine games in a row, and Alexander has earned a save in five of those. The 25-year-old right-hander converted all four save opportunities he met this week. On Thursday he entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning and induced a double-play ball before coming back to toss a scoreless ninth. Alexander's 11 saves rank fourth in the Southern League; he has struck out 39 batters in 25 innings.
Texas League
Juan Gutierrez, Corpus Christi
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO
Gutierrez made just one appearance on the week, and it was a doozy. On Wednesday, the 22-year-old right-hander allowed four hits over seven shutout innings while striking out nine as the Hooks completed a four-game sweep of Wichita. Gutierrez leads the Texas League with 63 strikeouts, while his 61 innings pitched ranks fifth.
California League
Gregory Smith, Lancaster
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO
Smith has reeled off six straight victories and has yet to lose a game in 10 starts this season. On Friday, the left-handed Louisiana native tossed 8 1/3 innings of no-hit ball against Lake Elsinore before Jose Lobaton connected for a double. The 22-year-old then retired the game's final two batters to earn his second complete-game shutout of the season.
Carolina League
Scott Lewis, Kinston
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO
Lewis averages approximately four innings a start, but he almost always dominates for the short amount of time he appears in the game. The 22-year-old left-hander has allowed just two earned runs over 41 innings this season, and has racked up 56 strikeouts against just four walks. Lewis tossed nine shutout innings this week, four against Salem on the 22nd, and five against Winston-Salem on the 27th.
Florida State League
Jason Jones, Tampa
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12.0 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO
Jones did not allow an earned run over 12 innings in two contests this week, and his 2.01 ERA ranks fourth in the Florida State League. The 23-year-old right-hander is 5-0 on the road this season, and two of those victories came this week. On Tuesday, Jones allowed an unearned run over six innings against St. Lucie. On Sunday, he fired six shutout frames against Lake County.
Midwest League
Ramon Garcia, West Michigan
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Garcia has pitched spectacularly all season, as his 6-1 record and 1.69 ERA amply demonstrate. On Tuesday, the 21-year-old left-hander turned in a near-perfect outing, allowing just one hit over nine dominating innings as West Michigan coasted to a 3-0 victory over South Bend. Garcia retired the final 23 batters he faced.
South Atlantic League
Brandon Durden, Asheville
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 10 SO
Durden recorded a pair of victories this week, the first time this season he has notched a win in back-to-back starts. On Tuesday, the 21-year-old left-hander yielded an unearned run on five hits over six innings. On Sunday, he surrendered an unearned run on three hits over seven frames. Durden's two outstanding performances lowered his ERA in May to a sparkling 2.29.
Benjamin Hill is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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