DURHAM, NC- The official statistician of the American Association, Pointstreak, has announced that St. Paul Saints RHP Mark Hamburger (pictured) has been named this week’s Pointstreak Pitcher of the Week for the week ending July 31.
Hamburger made two strong starts this week for the Saints, including a complete game shutout victory on Monday against the Sioux City Explorers. He scattered three hits, walking none and striking out four in a 16-0 Saints win. He returned to the mound and took a tough-luck loss at the Lincoln Saltdogs on Saturday. In eight innings, Hamburger allowed just two earned runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four. Lincoln won the game 3-2.
The loss was Hamburger’s first of the season, dropping his record to 11-1 with a 2.49 ERA. In 14 starts, he has struck out 64 and walked only 12 in 112 innings. Hamburger is a former Major Leaguer, making five appearances in 2011 with the Texas Rangers. The St. Paul native, undrafted in 2007, signed with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Rangers in 2008. He ascended through the system, reaching the Major Leagues in three years. He spent the entirety of 2012 in Class AAA, splitting the year between the Rangers, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres affiliates. Hamburger’s first foray into independent baseball came in 2013, when he was 6-8 with a 3.26 ERA for the Saints. That earned Hamburger a second stint in the Twins’ system for 2014 and 2015, where he pitched as high as Class AAA Rochester.
The Saints and Hamburger will play host to the 2016 American Association All-Star Game on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Central time. Hamburger will represent the North All-Stars in the contest.
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