Jalen Miller, Jordan DiValerio Honored by Frontier League With Weekly Awards
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 5) – For the first time this season, the Wild Things have swept the Frontier League weekly awards, adding to what has already been an impressive year in the department of weekly laurels. Jordan DiValerio has been named Frontier League Pitcher of the Week after his nine-inning shutout against Sussex County Saturday and Jalen Miller has been named Frontier League Player of the Week after an 11-hit week.
DiValerio, who made his eighth quality start of the season Saturday night, spun Washington’s first nine-inning shutout since the final weekend of the 2023 season, which saw Dariel Fregio shut out the Windy City ThunderBolts. He was honored as Pitcher of the Week for that as well.
The former Red Sox farmhand moved to 7-2 on the season with a 4.09 ERA as a result of his shutout of the Sussex County Miners. DiValerio did not yield a free pass and allowed just two hits in the effort. The righty faced just one over the minimum in the outing, which was his 15th of the season. He struck out five.
Miller clubbed two homers Sunday after hitting one during the road series at Joliet. In total, the first-year Wild Thing drove in four and hit three homers. He also doubled twice, scored eight runs and stole two bases during an 11-for-24 (.458) week.
The second baseman is now hitting .300 in 16 games since his activation from the injured list, where he spent the first half of the season. Miller’s two homer day yesterday was Washington’s fifth multi-HR game of the year. Tommy Caufield, Tyreque Reed, Caleb McNeely and Brandon McIlwain have also homered twice in a game for Washington, which leads the league in home runs. The Wild Things have homered in all but two games since the All-Star break.
Andrew Czech, Dariel Fregio, Reed (twice) and Kobe Foster have also won weekly honors from the Frontier League this season.
Washington is in first place in the West Division with a six-game lead over second-place Gateway and a league-best record of 49-22 so far. The Wild Things open a three-game set with Florence at home Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. with a playoff magic number of 13 with 24 games to go.
The Wild Things are home this week before heading out on a six-game trip that spans Friday, August 9 through Thursday, August 15 at Windy City and Joliet. There are 12 home games remaining on the 2024 regular-season schedule. Tickets and promotional info are available at washingtonwildthings.com.
