CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds’ second baseman Scooter Gennett has been named the National League Player of the Week presented by W.B. Mason for the period ending May 13.
Gennett batted .591 (13-for-22) with seven runs scored, two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI over five games played to claim his second career Player of the Week Award, previously winning for the period ending June 11, 2017.
Among his NL counterparts, Gennett finished the week first in hits, batting average and slugging percentage (1.227); tied for first in home runs and total bases (27); second in on-base percentage (.591); tied for third in runs scored and extra-base hits (6); and fourth in RBI.
This is Cincinnati’s second Player of the Week Award this season. Gennett joins his All-Star teammate Joey Votto (April 30).
Gennett, who enters play Monday in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak dating back to May 6, logged at least one hit in each game and multi-hit efforts in four contests during his award-winning week.
Beginning on May 7, the Cincinnati native homered with at least two-or-more RBI in four straight games.
Since RBI became an official statistic in 1920, Gennett became the sixth player in franchise history to homer and record at least two RBI in four consecutive games, joining Devin Mesoraco (June 20-24, 2014), Jay Bruce (September 2-5, 2012), Eric Davis (September 3-6, 1984), Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (July 22-24, 1961) and Ted Kluszewski (July 4-7, 1956).
On Friday night against the host-Los Angeles Dodgers, the 28-year-old recorded his second four-hit game on the season (other: March 30) to go along with two runs scored, a home run and three RBI to propel the Reds to a 6-2 victory.
Led by Gennett’s hot week at the plate, the Reds enter play today on a six-game winning streak and completed a four-game sweep of the Dodgers for the first time since their World Series-winning 1976 season.
In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Scooter Gennett will be awarded a watch courtesy of Rockwell.
Backstop Willson Contreras (.478, 6 R, 8 XBH, 12 RBI) of the Chicago Cubs also received strong consideration for NL weekly honors.
Over a three-game stretch from Wednesday-Saturday, Contreras, who turned 26 on Sunday, registered 26 total bases, batting 10-for-15 with three doubles, two triples, three home runs and 11 RBI.
On Friday night, the Venezuelan native became the first catcher since 1920 to log at least four extra-base hits and seven RBI in a game, joining Hall of Famer Mike Piazza (1995) and George Mitterwald (1974).
In addition, Willson became the fourth player since 1920 to club at least two doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs over a two-game span, joining Larry Walker (1996), Hall of Famer Hank Aaron (1960) and Dusty Rhodes (1954).
Other noteworthy performances last week included outfielder Odúbel Herrera (.526, 7 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI) and first baseman Carlos Santana (.320, 6 R, 4 HR, 14 RBI) of the Philadelphia Phillies; and All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman (.476, 5 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI) and starting pitcher Sean Newcomb (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 12.0 IP, 12 SO) of the Atlanta Braves.