MOORHEAD, MN – The American Association of Professional Baseball has selected INF Jared Walker of the Sioux City Explorers and LHP Kevin McGovern of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks as the first Pointstreak Player and Pitcher of the Week for 2021. The award cover games played in the week ending on May 23.
Walker appeared in six games for the Explorers last week and batted .368 (7-for-19) with a double, four home runs, 12 RBIs and seven runs scored. He notched a stolen base and posted a .520 on-base percentage and an amazing 1.573 OPS in the six games. Walker currently leads the American Association in RBIs and is tied for the league lead in home runs and runs scored.
Walker is in his first season with the Explorers after spending the 2014-2019 seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. A former fifth round draft pick in 2014, he reached the Double-A level with the Tulsa Drillers in 2019.
McGovern turned in the most dominant performance by a starting pitcher the first week of the season for Fargo-Moorhead. Facing the Cleburne Railroaders on Thursday night, McGovern twirled a four-hit shutout with no walks and eight strikeouts. He allowed just one extra-base hit.
A native of Philadelphia, McGovern joined the RedHawks in 2020 after American Association stops with the Lincoln Saltdogs and Winnipeg Goldeyes. McGovern ranks third on the American Association career wins list (48), second on the strikeouts list (677), second on the innings pitched list (762.0). He is one of only two pitchers in American Association history with four seasons of 100-plus strikeouts (2015-18). McGovern has combined for 100.0 or more innings and 100 or more strikeouts in each of the past six full seasons.
Pointstreak is the official statistician of the American Association.
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