Tim Cooney Named PCL Pitcher Of The Week

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis Redbirds starting pitcher Tim Cooney has been named the Pacific Coast League's Pitcher of the Week for the May 26 - June 1 period.

The 23-year-old authored a one-hit, complete-game shutout as Memphis blanked the Iowa Cubs, 4-0, during last Thursday's Minor League Baseball "Game of the Week" national telecast on CBS Sports Network at AutoZone Park.

Cooney was one out away from recording the first no-hitter in Redbirds franchise history before Iowa's Arismendy Alcantara singled to left in the top of the ninth inning.

The left-hander retired 27 of his 30 batters faced on the evening, striking out seven and walking two over a career-high nine innings. Seventy-three of his 101 pitches were thrown for strikes. 

Cooney's complete-game, one-hitter was the fourth occurrence in Redbirds history, joining Clint Sodowsky (April 29, 1999 vs. Salt Lake), Brett Reames (August 8, 2000 vs. Sacramento), and Anthony Reyes (May 19, 2005 vs. Portland).

Cooney sat down 13 consecutive batters to start the game before walking outfielder Ryan Kalish on four pitches with one out in the fifth. The 23-year-old followed by retiring the next 13 in a row before his other walk in the ninth inning. He preserved his one-hit shutout with a game-ending strikeout of Javy Baez, stranding two runners.

Overall for Memphis during his Triple-A debut season, Cooney has tossed six quality starts in 11 outings, going 5-4 with a 3.82 ERA (28er/66.0ip). He has struck out a team-leading 50 batters against 24 walks.

The 23-year-old was previously recognized as the Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month for April, opening the season by going 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA (8er/30.2ip) and 28 strikeouts in five starts.

The PCL award is the third weekly honor of Cooney's three-year career and the first earned by a Redbirds player in 2014. Cooney won back-to-back Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors in August 2013 for Double-A Springfield.

He entered the 2013 season rated by Baseball America as the Cardinals' No. 6 prospect while also possessing the "Best Control" in the organization. He was drafted by St. Louis in the 3rd round of the June, 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Wake Forest University.