Gardner Earns Pitcher of the Week Honors

It has been an up and down season for Tulsa starter Joe Gardner, ever since he was notified right before spring training that he would be moved into a starting role instead of a being a relief pitcher. Injuries left the Rockies system needing the right-hander to be a part of the Drillers starting rotation, and it meant he needed to adjust his approach. He has answered the call as both a starter and a reliever this season and has grown stronger on the mound with each appearance.

Today, Gardner was recognized for his performances in his two most recent starts by being named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week.

On August 21, he earned a victory while throwing 6.1 innings of one-hit ball and striking out 8. He held Arkansas' lineup to a miniscule .053 batting average. Gardner followed up that outing with another great effort on August 26 when he picked up his second win of the week. Northwest Arkansas' hitters were held in check for 7 innings and were only able to put together 1 run on 3 hits. In the 2 starts, Gardner threw a total of 13.1 innings, allowing 4 hits, 3 earned runs and 3 walks while striking out 15.

The Rockies acquired Gardner in 2011 in the trade that sent Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians. The other two pitchers in the deal, Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, have both spent time in the big leagues this season. Gardner is quickly making a name for himself as well with MLB.com ranking him as the Rockies #19 ranked prospect. In his last 10 appearances (5 starts), Gardner is 4-2 with a 1.84 ERA.