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Hello, Newman! Tribe Infielder Wins IL Player of the Week Award

Indy's leadoff man catches fire at plate to take home second career weekly honor
Kevin Newman posted International League highs in average (.519), hits (14) and on-base percentage (.552) in seven games this past week. (Photo by Adam Pintar)
May 14, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians, in conjunction with the International League, today announced middle infielder Kevin Newman as the IL Player of the Week for May 7-13. Newman's red-hot week at the plate raised his season average from .250 to .309.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians, in conjunction with the International League, today announced middle infielder Kevin Newman as the IL Player of the Week for May 7-13. Newman's red-hot week at the plate raised his season average from .250 to .309.

Newman, 24, hit .519 (14-for-27) with one home run, four doubles, two RBI, seven runs scored, a 1.330 OPS and two stolen bases. He ranked first among IL competitors in average, hits and on-base percentage (.552), finished second in OPS and was tied for second in runs scored. His .778 slugging percentage for the week was tied for sixth.
Through the first three games of the week, Newman had just two hits in nine at-bats. His bat began to warm on May 10 with his first of four consecutive multi-hit games. The following day he went 3-for-5 in Indy's 8-6 loss to Columbus.
Newman almost single-handedly carried the Tribe to a series win over the Clippers with big showings again on Saturday and Sunday. He logged the fourth four-hit game of his career on May 12, falling just a triple shy of the cycle. In that game, he blasted a leadoff home run off Adam Wilk, the third leadoff blast of his career and first dinger at the Triple-A level. Then on Sunday, he reached base four more times (three hits, one walk) and scored a team-high three runs as Indy leveled Columbus, 12-7.
For the season, Newman is tied for second in the IL in runs scored (22) and seventh in batting.
Newman is the second Tribe player already this season to have won an IL weekly award. Nick Kingham was named Pitcher of the Week on April 16.
Newman's first career weekly award came in the Florida State League with High-A Bradenton in June 2016.