Arteaga, Gomber net weekly awards

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Pacific Coast League has selected Omaha Storm Chasers infielder Humberto Arteaga and Memphis Redbirds left-hander Austin Gomber it's Player and Pitcher of the Week for the period of May 21-27, 2018, the League office announced Monday.

Arteaga recorded a Minor League Baseball weekly-best 16 hits, batting .615 (16-for-26) in seven games. His 1.477 OPS was the highest in the PCL, while his 23 total bases and .885 slugging percentage matched the top marks in the League. Additionally, Arteaga collected a home run, five RBI and scored six runs.
The Venezuelan native had a hit in every contest, including six in which he collected two or more knocks. His week started with a three-hit effort against New Orleans. On May 24, in the series finale with the Baby Cakes, Arteaga had three hits, including a home run, drove in three and scored twice in the Storm Chasers narrow 11-10 win. The following day, in the series opener against Round Rock, the 24-year-old had another three-hit game and drove in two. He capped the week with a two-hit contest versus the Express.
Arteaga has spent the entire campaign with Omaha, his first at the highest level of the Minors. In 39 games, he has hit .311 (41-for-132) with a home run, 14 RBI and a .730 OPS. After hitting only .245 (13-for-53) in April, Arteaga has batted .354 (28-for-79) in May, the eighth-highest average in the PCL. The Royals are the only organization Arteaga has played for in his eight-year career. He has been a mid-season All-Star in each of the past two seasons, with Single-A Wilmington in 2016 and Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2017. This is Arteaga's first career Player of the Week award.
Gomber turned in a pair of quality starts, winning both, surrendering just one run in 14.0 innings while striking out 15. Against American Northern Division-leading Oklahoma City on May 21, Gomber worked into the ninth inning. He did not allow a run in the first eight frames, but a double and a single to start the ninth - plating the Dodgers only run - ended his outing. In total, Gomber gave up only six hits, two walks and punched out nine in Memphis' 2-1 victory. The eight-inning start was Gomber's second of the season; he is one of only three PCL pitchers this year to have worked at least eight innings in multiple starts. Gomber's second outing of the week was against Colorado Springs, the team narrowly trailing the Dodgers in the standings. The southpaw hurled six shutout innings, scattering five singles, while striking out six in the Redbirds 5-0 win.
The Florida native is the recipient of this award for the second time this season. He was previously honored for the period of April 23-29 after tying Memphis' single-game franchise record with 16 strikeouts in an eight-inning performance at Iowa. He entered the season as the Cardinals' top left-handed pitching prospect, according to Baseball America. The 24-year-old has made nine starts for the Redbirds this season, working to a 3.60 ERA (55.0 IP, 22 ER) with 63 strikeouts, a total that tops the League. Gomber has been with the Cardinals organization for his entire five-year career after getting selected by St. Louis in the fourth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Florida Atlantic University.