Oliver Named IL Pitcher of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Indians left-handed pitcher Andy Oliver has been named the International League's Pitcher of the Week for the period of May 6-13. The southpaw won both of his starts during the week after allowing just five hits and one earned run through a combined 11.0 innings of work (0.82 ERA).

Oliver opened his stellar week with 6.0 scoreless frames at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on April 6 to help stop the Tribe's season-worst three-game losing streak. In the victory, the left-hander limited the opposing RailRiders to just two hits while also walking four and fanning five as he piloted the Indians to a combined shutout. The outing marked his team-high tying fourth quality start of the year, and was his second straight quality outing.

In his second start of the week, Oliver held the visiting Mud Hens to one earned run on three hits in 5.0 frames of action. The Indianapolis hurler walked a season-high six en route to picking up his third win of the season, but also fanned six to extend his league-leading strikeout total to 50.

Overall in 2013, the left-handed hurler has posted a 3-1 record with a solid 2.70 ERA (13 ER in 43.1 IP) in eight starts, four of which were scoreless outings. Along with his IL-best 50 strikeouts, Oliver has also limited opposing batters to a league-low .181 batting average (28-for-151) with just two home runs. Additionally, the southpaw is just one of five hurlers in the league to have made eight starts this season.
 
Oliver is the first Tribe arm to win the IL Pitcher of the Week award since 2012 Indians team MVP Rick VandenHurk took home the honors on Aug. 6, 2012.