Mollicone named SAL Player of the Week

(Bowling Green, KY) - The Bowling Green Hot Rods, Class A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, in conjunction with the South Atlantic League, announced that catcher John Mollicone has been named the South Atlantic League Player of the Week for the week of June 29-July 5. The distinction is the first honor bestowed upon a Hot Rods position player after pitcher Matt Moore was name the league's top hurler during the first week of June.

Mollicone's selection as Player of the Week came after the Hot Rods nearly overcame a three-run deficit in game one of a doubleheader with Augusta on Sunday, July 5. During the game Mollicone produced two of the Hot Rods four hits, including a two-run single in the seventh inning to cut a 4-1 deficit to just one run.

Sunday's game sealed the award for the Rhode Island native, who led the Hot Rods to a four-game sweep of the Rome Braves last week. In three games against the Braves, Mollicone, 23, produced three home runs, two doubles, and eight RBI. Last Tuesday he became the first Hot Rod to record a multi-homer game while following that effort up with the team's second grand slam on Wednesday night.

For the week, Mollicone went 9-18 (.500), with a pair of doubles and three home runs. He scored five runs while driving in another ten. On the season he is now hitting a team-leading ..289 with a career-high four home runs and 15 RBI.