Wild Things Sweep Frontier League Weekly Awards as James Harris, Chase Cunningham Receive Honors
For the first time in more than three years, the Washington Wild Things have swept the weekly Frontier League awards. Each week, Pointstreak, the official statistical provider of the Frontier League and the Independent Professional Baseball Federation, selects the honorees, and this week, following a 6-0 week for the team, both awards were given to Washington players.
Wild Things' right-handed pitcher Chase Cunningham is the Frontier League's Pitcher of the Week for the week of action running from Tuesday, June 5 through Sunday, June 10.
Cunningham appeared in Friday's game against the Joliet Slammers and received a no decision after tossing seven innings of one-run ball. He allowed just two hits and walked three, to go along with nine strikeouts, which matched his previous career high set in 2016.
The third-year Wild Thing and 2017 Frontier League All Star has now allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last three starts and is slated to start Wednesday's game at Gateway. Cunningham is 1-2 with a 3.17 ERA this season.
It's Cunningham's second pitcher of the week honor in his Frontier League career. He previously won the honor for the week ending on July 2, 2017.
Washington center fielder James Harris was one of several Wild Things who had big weeks at the plate, as the week considered involved six wins and 56 runs by the Wild Things collectively.
Harris was one of the leaders of the charge, as he went 11-24 on the week and delivered five extra-
base hits, including a double, two triples and two home runs, one of which was a grand slam in the team's 23-1 win over Traverse City Thursday.
In total, the former first-round pick drove in 12 runs and scored eight times. He also stole four bases, giving him 11 on the season.
Like Cunningham, the weekly laurel is also the second for Harris, as he was named the Frontier League's Player of the Week for the final week of the regular season in 2017.
Harris now leads the Frontier League in triples (6) by three over the next-closest player's total, and RBI (32) by 10. His seven home runs rank him third in the league, entering play this week.
Having won a decade-best seven straight games, the Wild Things begin a three-game series at the Gateway Grizzlies Tuesday, June 12, at 8:05 p.m. Eastern. The series opener is the first of a six-game road trip.
