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International League names players of the week

The International League announced today that Richmond outfielder Michael Ryan and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher Eude Brito have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from July 3-9. Ryan becomes the third member of the Richmond Braves to win an IL weekly award in 2006, following fellow hitters Scott Thorman (May 29-June 4) and Tony Pena, Jr. (June 19-25). Brito is now the second Red Baron to be named IL Pitcher-of-the-Week this season, following Cole Hamels, who won the award twice (April 24-30, May 1-7).

Richmond outfielder MICHAEL RYAN caught fire last week, hitting .500 (9-18) with a pair of long balls and 11 RBI in five games played. Ryan, who entered the week hitting just .233 with 3 home runs for the season, had a breakout game on July 5 against the Lynx. The leftfielder produced runs in three separate trips to the plate, collecting a one-run single, a two-run single, and a two-run double to finish 3-4 with a season-high 5 RBI. The following day was Ryan's 29th birthday, and he celebrated by going 2-3 with a two-run homer to drive home the only two runs his Braves scored in an 8-2 loss at Durham. Michael continued his hot hitting Friday night against the Bulls, tripling home a pair of runs in the 1st inning and adding a two-run home run in the 4th as Richmond cruised to a 9-4 triumph. In the three-game span, Ryan had gone 8-12 with 2 HR and 11 RBI, better than the rest of the League was able to produce for the entire week. He managed to raise his average more than 20 points to .255, and nearly matched his total home run and RBI output for the entire season (3 HR and 14 RBI entering the week).

Veteran outfielder Michael Ryan first reached Triple-A in 2000 with Salt Lake, then part of the Minnesota organization. Ryan also played in Edmonton (2001-02) and Rochester (2003-05) prior to joining the Atlanta organization as a free agent in December. Ryan also spent time in the Major Leagues with the Twins, beginning in 2002. The most MLB action he saw in any year came in 2005 with Minnesota, as the Indiana, IN native hit .231 with 2 HR and 13 RBI in 57 games.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter EUDE BRITO had what may have been his best two outings of the season over the past week to earn IL Pitcher-of-the-Week honors. First up was an Independence Day showdown with the Buffalo Bisons, who had beaten Brito just two starts ago on June 24. Brito retired the first 14 batters he faced, finally allowing a hit to IL All-Star Andy Marte in the 5th inning. The Bisons managed two more hits and a run in the 6th, but that's all they mustered in Brito's 7.0 innings of work. The Red Barons held on to win 4-1, Brito's 7th victory of the season. He got one more start before the All-Star break, coming Sunday afternoon at home against the IL North leading Rochester Red Wings, another team from which Brito wanted revenge. In his only previous outing against Rochester this year, Brito was lit up for six runs in 5.2 innings, including two home runs (no decision, May 16). This time Brito was dominant, scattering five hits without ever allowing two in the same inning, and never permitting a Red Wing baserunner past second base. Brito retired the first nine hitters he faced on his way to a 9.0 inning complete game shutout. He struck out seven, walking just one. His 8th victory tied him for 4th in the International League. He's one of only seven pitchers in the League with two or more complete games in 2006.

27-year-old Eude Brito is currently in his second season with the Red Barons. In 2005, he made his Triple-A debut with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 6-2 with a 4.85 ERA in 28 appearances (15 starts). Named the Red Barons Pitcher of the Year, Brito also got his first taste of the Major Leagues, going 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 6 appearances (5 starts) with the Phillies.