Williams named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond Flying Squirrels pitcher Garrett Williams has been named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for June 24-30, the league announced on Monday.

Williams worked seven scoreless innings on Saturday night at The Diamond against the Hartford Yard Goats, combining with Chase Johnson for a 4-0 shutout win. The left-hander allowed one hit and two walks while setting a season high with nine strikeouts in the winning decision.
Tweet from @GoSquirrels: Have a night, Garrett Williams7.0 IP1 H0 R2 BB9 SOThat's his fourth scoreless start in his last five games pic.twitter.com/Q6Q3FFnbvv
In that start, the Yard Goats put two runners on in the first inning with a walk and a single, but Williams went on to retire 18 of the final 20 batters he faced. He needed 87 pitches to navigate through the seven frames.
The outing was the longest Williams has posted in Double-A and tied the longest overall start of his career. It was his fourth scoreless outing in his last five starts, and he has gone 1-1 with a 1.33 ERA (4 ER/27.0 IP) in that stretch. He has held opposing teams to one hit in three of his last four starts.
For the week, Williams led all Eastern League pitchers with a 0.43 WHIP and a .045 batting average against.
In six June starts, Williams went 1-2 with a 1.67 ERA (6 ER/32.1 IP) with 35 strikeouts. That six-start span lowered Williams' season ERA from 5.45 to 3.63. Saturday's win was his first since May 1.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Williams was drafted by the Giants in the seventh round in 2016 out of Oklahoma State. Currently ranked by MLB.com as the Giants' No. 19 prospect, Williams is in his second season at Double-A and has gone 5-16 with a 4.96 ERA across his Flying Squirrels career, spanning 30 starts and 18 relief outings.
Williams is the first Flying Squirrels pitcher to receive the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week award this season. Jacob Heyward, Zach Houchins and Gio Brusa have each been named Eastern League Player of the Week this season.
The honor is the second weekly award selection for Williams in his career. He was named the California League Pitcher of the Week on August 13, 2017.
The Flying Squirrels host the Eastern League All-Star Week presented by Genworth, which begins on Sunday, July 7 with Mayor Levar Stoney's All-Star Week Kickoff, a free event on Brown's Island with live music and selections from Richmond's renowned food and beverage scene. The events continue with the All-Star Country Music Jam on Monday, July 8, featuring headliners Big & Rich at Virginia Credit Union Live at Richmond Raceway. The All-Star Celebrity Home Run Derby takes place on Tuesday, July 9 at The Diamond, featuring stars from across the sports and entertainment world. The week concludes with the Eastern League All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 10. For tickets and information, visit SquirrelsBaseball.com/AllStar.