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06/02/2010 4:48 PM ET
Troy Glaus earns National League Player of the Month for May; Ubaldo Jimenez repeats as N.L.'s Top Hurler
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Atlanta Braves first baseman Troy Glaus and Colorado Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez have been voted National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for May.
Glaus' hot bat helped propel the Braves to a 20-8 record and first place in the National League East. In 28 May games, the first-year Brave led the N.L. with 28 RBI while hitting .330 (34-103), clubbing six home runs, scoring 17 runs and slugging .534. The California native's May performance raised his season batting average from .194 to .274 by the month's end. Sidelined for most of the 2009 season with a shoulder injury, the 33-year-old veteran played a key role in the Braves' May resurgence with nine multi-RBI performances this month. On May 1st, Glaus went 3-for-5 with a season-high four RBI en route to a 10-1 win over visiting Houston. After breaking an 0-for-15 stretch on May 26th, the 2002 World Series Most Valuable Player finished the month riding a six-game hitting streak. The UCLA product's three-run homer against Phillies reliever Chad Durbin on Monday, May 31st helped the Braves defeat visiting Philadelphia 9-3.
Jimenez has become Major League Baseball's first pitcher to win the monthly award in April and May since Boston's Pedro Martinez did so in 1999, and Ubaldo is the first N.L. pitcher to repeat as Pitcher of the Month in April and May since John Smoltz did it in 1996. The Colorado ace ranked first in the N.L. with a 0.78 ERA and was tied for first with five wins and 46.0 innings pitched for the month. On May 3rd, the righty struck out a career-high 13 in 7.0 innings of work as the Rockies defeated the N.L. West-leading Padres 5-2 at PETCO Park. On Monday, May 31st, Jimenez turned in another dominant performance, tossing his second complete game shutout of the season to earn his Major League-leading 10th win of the year - a 4-0 victory at San Francisco. The 26-year-old native of Nagua, Dominican Republic ended the month with 26.0 consecutive scoreless innings, spanning four starts (5/15-31). This scoreless stretch marks the second time this season that Jimenez has pitched 25.0+ consecutive innings of shutout ball (previously 4/17-5/3), a feat that hasn't been accomplished in the Majors since Detroit's Jack Morris did so in 1986. His 0.78 ERA and .172 opponents' batting average this season are both Major League bests.
Other players receiving votes were Glaus' Atlanta teammate Jason Heyward (.337, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 19 R); Cincinnati's Jonny Gomes (.364, 5 HR, 22 RBI); and Milwaukee's Corey Hart (10 HR, 22 RBI, .659 SLG). Pitchers who received support included Philadelphia's Roy Halladay (3-2, 2.15 ERA, MLB's 18th perfect game of the modern era on 5/29 vs. FLA); Johnny Cueto (4-0, 1.59 ERA, 37 SO) of the Reds; Tim Hudson (4-0, 1.59 ERA, 39.2 IP) of the Braves; and San Diego's Mat Latos (4-1, 1.54, 37 SO).
Troy Glaus and Ubaldo Jimenez will receive specially designed trophies, suitably engraved, to commemorate their Player of the Month and Pitcher of the Month performances.
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