River Bandits win pitching award in consecutive weeks for the first time since at least 2003
DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 14, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander David Paulino has been named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for his performance during the week of July 6-12, the Midwest League announced on Monday.
Paulino, 21, is the second consecutive River Bandit to win Midwest League Pitcher of the Week honors, following right-hander Angel Heredia, who won the award for June 29-July 5. Following infielder Mott Hyde (Player of the Week April 27-May 3) and Heredia, Paulino is the third River Bandit honored with a Midwest League weekly award this season. The Quad Cities franchise last won two consecutive weekly awards in 2007, when Michael Schellinger won Pitcher of the Week for July 16-22, and Steve Hill was awarded Player of the Week for July 23-29. Quad Cities had not won back-to-back Pitcher of the Week awards since at least 2003.
Paulino won the award for his start and win in Game 1 of a home doubleheader July 7 against Clinton. He matched a career high by going six innings, allowing no runs on five hits while striking out a season-high eight batters and walking none.
In three starts since joining the River Bandits from Short Season Class-A Tri-City June 29, Paulino is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA, 19 strikeouts, and four walks while allowing 14 hits in 15 innings. In the first five starts of his first season pitching in the Houston Astros organization, Paulino is 2-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 24 1/3 innings with six walks and 29 strikeouts, a .200 opponents' average and 0.99 WHIP.
A native of Nizao in the Dominican Republic, Paulino was acquired in a trade by the Houston Astros Sept. 13, 2013, as the player to be named later from a July 29, 2013, trade with the Detroit Tigers. That trade brought outfielder Danry Vasquez to the Astros organization - and the River Bandits' 2013 Midwest League Championship team - while sending pitcher Jose Veras to the Tigers major league team.
