Nicolino Named Southern League Pitcher of the Week
JACKSONVILLE, FL - Jacksonville Suns left-handed starting pitcher Justin Nicolino has been named the Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 16 - June 22, announced by Minor League Baseball on Monday.
The Southern League All-Star was nothing short of brilliant in his June 21st start against the Birmingham Barons at Bragan Field, throwing a nine-inning complete game shutout en route to a 6-0 Suns win. In his outing, he'd scatter five hits, strike out four Barons and not issue a single walk. In his start, he'd toss a season-high 102 pitchers, 71 of them for strikes.
The left-hander is enjoying a sparkling 2014 campaign, holding a 7-2 record with a 3.04 ERA through his first 15 starts, totaling a team-best 91.2 innings altogether. He has only walked 10 batters on the season and leads Southern League starters in fewest walks per nine innings (0.88) and is second among starters in fewest baserunners allowed per nine innings (9.62).
Saturday's performance marked the first time in his professional career that the left-hander had thrown a nine-inning complete game shutout, as he has now won five of his last six starts for Jacksonville.
This marks the second time in the 22-year-old's career that he's taken home Southern League weekly honors. In 2013, he was named as the Southern League's Pitcher of the Week for the week of August 12 - August 18.
Nicolino becomes the fourth Sun to earn Southern League weekly honors on the 2014 season, joining Brady Shoemaker (April 3 - 13), Andrew Heaney (April 14 - 20) and J.T. Realmuto (April 14 - 20).
The Suns will now travel to Mobile to begin a 10-day road trip, beginning with a five-game series against the BayBears with first pitch of Tuesday's series-opening ballgame set for 7:05 p.m. CT (8:05 p.m. ET). The Suns will send out left-hander Chipper Smith (2-2, 3.62) while the BayBears will likely counter with right-hander Justin Fitzgerald (6-1, 4.17).
Suns fans can listen to Tuesday's game on the Suns Baseball Network, 94.1 WSOS-FM or through www.jaxsuns.com, MiLB.com or the Suns iPhone or Android app, beginning at 7:50 p.m. ET with the Memorial Hospital Suns Pregame Show.
The 2014 season of Suns baseball is presented by EverBank, the official banking partner of the Jacksonville Suns. Sponsorships, group outings, and season / individual game tickets are currently available by calling the Suns front office at (904) 358-2846.