DURHAM, NC- With a red-hot month at the plate that included being named the American Association Pointstreak Player of the Week for the week ending June 21, St. Paul Saints C Vinny DiFazio has been named the Rawlings Player of the Month for June.
DiFazio recorded an incredible 11 multi-hit games on the month, all coming consecutively from June 12-23. In his red-hot week from June 15-21, DiFazio was 18-for-29 with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.
DiFazio began his week with a 3-for-5 game on June 15 against the Winnipeg Goldeyes, a game St. Paul won 8-1. He hit the first of his two home runs in the game and drove in two. A day later, DiFazio went 4-for-5 in a game the Saints lost 4-3. He added another RBI in the losing effort. The Hampton, N.J. resident continued to tear up Winnipeg with a 4-for-5 game on June 17, picking up a double, an RBI and two runs scored in a 5-4 St. Paul win.
The Saints returned home to CHS Field on June 19 to face the Gary SouthShore RailCats. DiFazio kept on hitting, checking in with a 2-for-3 game with three RBI and two runs scored as the Saints rolled 15-2. The former University of Alabama player tuned in a 2-for-6 game on June 20, hitting his second home run of the week, driving in two and scoring two runs. Unfortunately for the Saints, they lost 8-5 in 11 innings. On Sunday, DiFazio finished his searing week with a 3-for-5 game against the RailCats. He hit his second double of the week and scored a run as St. Paul won 9-3.
On the year, DiFazio is now hitting a whopping .405 (45-for-111). He has five doubles, a triple and eight home runs with 34 RBI.
DiFazio was a member of the Grand Prairie AirHogs last season, and was named an American Association South Division All-Star.
The Saints conclude a road series with the Lincoln Saltdogs tonight at 6:35 p.m. Central time at Haymarket Park. The game will be available live and for free on www.americanassociationbaseball.tv.
Rawlings is the official baseball of the American Association. They are located in St. Louis, MO and are the official helmet of Major League Baseball and the exclusive supplier of baseballs to Major League Baseball since 1977. For more information about Rawlings go to: http://www.rawlings.com.