Sykora Earns Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Honor

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - FredNat starting pitcher Travis Sykora has been named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Week for the week of 7/28-8/4, Major League Baseball announced today. He becomes the first FredNat pitcher to earn a weekly honor this season.

Sykora, Washington's third round draft pick last summer out of Round Rock, TX, dominated the Lynchburg Hillcats to the tune of five no-hit innings, walking just one and striking out eight, earning his second professional win in the process. He faced the minimum 15 batters in his outing.

Sykora has been one of the best starting pitchers in the Carolina League since being promoted to Fredericksburg on May 1. In his last five starts, he's allowed just four earned runs across 22 innings (1.64 ERA), and the opponents are hitting just .110 (8-for-73) against him. He's got 39 strikeouts and only nine walks in that time frame, and has not allowed a home run.

Sykora is tied for 8th in all of Minor League Baseball in strikeouts per nine innings (13.50), he's tied for 11th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.18), and he's also tied for 11th in opponent average (.165).

Sykora and the FredNats return home this week for the first of 12 home games in a row, starting with six games against the Carolina Mudcats. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. tomorrow, and tickets are available at FredNats.com.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are the Carolina League affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They play their home games at the state-of-the-art Virginia Credit Union Stadium, located at 42 Jackie Robinson Way next to the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Stay up to date with the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @FXBGNats.