Enderson Franco Named Southern League Pitcher of the Week

CHATTANOOGA, TN -- Mississippi Braves right-handed pitcher Enderson Franco  has been named Southern League Pitcher of the Week for games played during the week of July 30-August 5. Franco is the second M-Braves pitcher to win a Southern League weekly award in 2018. Bryse Wilson  earned the honor for his work during the week of July 2-8. Franco collected one win and posted a pair of 7.0 inning quality starts for Mississippi. 

Franco made two starts this past week going 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA, surrendering just two earned runs over 14.0 innings. The Anaco, VZ native struck out 13 and walked just one over the two starts, earning a 0.50 WHIP and .130 opponents batting average. 

Franco took a no-hitter into the seventh inning during his start at Trustmark Park on July 30 vs. Birmingham. Barons' shortstop Danny Mendick laid down a bunt single to break up the no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning for the first hit. Franco settled for a no-decision and 7.0 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball with no walks and eight strikeouts. The M-Braves went on to win the game 3-0. 

In the 25-year-old's second start last week, Franco earned the win with another 7.0-inning performance on August 4 at Chattanooga in the M-Braves 6-2 victory. Franco yielded two runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. 

In 23 games, including 15 starts this season, Franco is 5-7 with a 3.49 ERA (39 ER/100.2 IP), one save, 34 walks and 104 strikeouts. Franco's 3.49 ERA currently ranks seventh in the Southern League. 

Franco broke onto the scene with a great month of June. He finished the month, 1-1 with a 1.99 ERA (5 ER/22.2 IP) over five games, including three starts with 25 strikeouts and just four walks and .222 opponents average. Franco picked up his first career save on July 24, pitching the final 5.0 innings of an 11-5 win over Mobile at Trustmark Park. Franco pitched behind Michael Mader and Rex Brothers, allowing two runs on five hits, no walks, and three strikeouts. 

Franco was promoted to Triple-A for the first time in his career on May 26 and made the start that night, earning the win in his Triple-A debut at Columbus during Gwinnett's 7-3 victory over the Clippers. He allowed four hits and one run over 5.2 innings, three walks, and one strikeout. He returned to Mississippi the next day. 

The Atlanta Braves selected Franco from the Miami Marlins in the minor league portion of the 2015 Rule 5 Draft on December 10, 2015.