Tyler Lyons Named PCL Pitcher Of The Week

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis Redbirds starting pitcher Tyler Lyons has been named the Pacific Coast League's Pitcher of the Week for the July 26 - August 3 period.

The 26-year-old went 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA (1er/16.0ip) and 11 strikeouts over a pair of complete games at Omaha and Round Rock during the week. Lyons didn't walk a batter and limited hitters to a .148 average against (8-for-54) over 16.0 innings.

His two complete games moved him into first place on the Redbirds career ranks, passing P.J. Walters with five since the 2012 season. He is also the first pitcher in the PCL this season to record two complete games in one week and the first since Las Vegas' Carlos Torres in June 2013.

Last Tuesday at Omaha, Lyons pitched the Redbirds to their sixth straight win, allowing one run on four hits over a career-high nine innings. The left-hander retired 27 of his 30 batters in the complete game, striking out five and inducing two double plays. Sixty-four of his 96 pitches were thrown for strikes. 

Lyons tossed a seven-inning, complete-game shutout in the Redbirds' 4-0 win over Round Rock in yesterday's doubleheader opener. He yielded four hits, struck out six, and failed to walk a batter for the second straight outing.

Overall for Memphis this season, Lyons has tossed five quality starts in 11 outings, going 6-1 with a 3.55 ERA (25er/63.1ip). He has struck out a 57 batters against only 14 walks.

A member of the Cardinals' 40-man roster, Lyons is one of five Redbirds pitchers to be promoted to St. Louis this season, joining Eric Fornataro, Jorge Rondon, Sam Freeman, and Nick Greenwood. The southpaw went 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA (17er/28.0ip) and 24 strikeouts in seven games (four starts) for the Cardinals.

Since being optioned by St. Louis on July 11, Lyons is 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA (4er/28.0ip), 22 strikeouts, and just one walk in four starts.

The PCL award is the second weekly honor of Lyons' four-year career and the second earned by a Redbirds player in 2014. Tim Cooney was awarded the league's Pitcher of the Week honor for the May 26 - June 1 period after flirting with a no-hitter on May 29 vs. Iowa.

Lyons was drafted by St. Louis in the 9th round of the June, 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State University.