American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, the Minor League Sports Report and This Week in the Association name Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks left-hander Kevin McGovern as PURE Performance Pitcher of the Month for May.

Kevin McGovern Named PURE Performance Pitcher of the Month.

This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report in partnership with PURE name Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks LHP Kevin McGovern the PURE Performance Pitcher of the Month for May. McGovern had an impressive start to the season, going 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA in three starts during the month.

McGovern set the bar for the entire American Association when he tossed a complete game shutout in his first start of the season. That came against the Cleburne Railroaders in the third game of the season, leading the RedHawks to a 4-0 victory. The left-hander retired the side in order in the first, then allowed hits in the second and third before going on a run of eight straight batters retired. McGovern gave up singles in the sixth and ninth innings, finishing with four hits and no walks allowed. He struck out eight.

His second start was on May 25 against the Chicago Dogs, a 6-1 victory. McGovern went seven innings, allowing one run on three hits, while still not walking a batter. He struck out nine. The only run for Chicago came in the fourth when two of the three hits against McGovern were recorded. He had retired the first nine batters of the game before giving up a leadoff single to Brennan Metzger in the top of the fourth. The left-hander allowed a two-out single in the fifth, then retired six straight until an error ruined the run.

On May 30, McGovern allowed three runs on four hits in seven innings to the Houston Apollos. The Apollos scored two runs in the top of the first inning as a leadoff single was followed with a two-run homer and McGovern looked like he was on the ropes, but the lefty proved why he has been so good this season, allowing a hit and a walk that put two on with one down, then getting a ground out and a strikeout to close out the inning. That started a string of 18 straight batters retired which came to an end on a solo homer with one down in the seventh.

The left-hander struck out 10, including striking out the side in the sixth. He struck out five of the six batters he faced in the fifth and sixth innings.

Kevin McGovern finished the month 3-0 in three starts, pitching 23 innings, allowing just 11 hits, two walks, and four earned runs. McGovern is ninth in ERA (1.57), second in strikeouts (27), first in innings pitched (23.0), third in opponent batting average (.136), and eighth in WHIP (0.57).

For earning the PURE Performance Pitcher of the Month award, Kevin McGovern will receive a check for $250 from PURE. McGovern was also named as the PURE Performance Pitcher of the Week for Week 1.

About PURE

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by Robert Pannier