Thompson Snags E.L. Pitcher of the Week Award
PORTLAND, Maine - Altoona Curve Starting Pitcher Aaron Thompson has been named the E.L. Pitcher of the Week award winner for the week ending April 17th, the league office announced earlier this morning. Thompson is the first award winner for the 2011 season and it is the second Player of the Week award in his career.
The Beaumont, Texas native made two starts and led the club to its first victory of the season on April 9th and its first home win on April 14th. He was 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA over his two starts and permitted just three hits total in 12.0 innings pitched. In his first start in a Curve uniform on April 9th, Thompson allowed a hit to the first batter he faced in the game and then did not permit another the remainder of the game. He finished six innings and allowed just one run on one hit to earn the win.
In his second outing, which occurred in the Curve's home opener on April 14th, Thompson tossed six innings and allowed just two hits while keeping the Flying Squirrels off the scoreboard. He struck out five and walked just one batter.
A former first-round pick of the Florida Marlins (22nd overall) back in 2005, Thompson came to the Pirates organization after the Buccos picked him up off of waivers this past offseason after he was left unprotected by the Washington Nationals. The last time Thompson won a Player of the Week award was in 2006, when he was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 21st after going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA as a member of the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
Thompson will make his next scheduled start at Blair County Ballpark on Wednesday versus his old team, the Harrisburg Senators.
Reading's Cody Overbeck was named the E.L. Player of the Week after hitting .366 with five home runs to go along with 13 RBI and 10 runs scored.
Altoona opens up a three-game series with the Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, tonight at Blair County Ballpark beginning at 6:30 p.m. Gates will open up at 5:30 p.m. and it's the first Mirror Monday of the season in Curve, PA. Fans should check the front page of the sports section in today's Altoona Mirror for a coupon good for a $3 Grandstand ticket to tonight's game with the Senators.
For tickets and more information, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office at Blair County Ballpark.