PEORIA, IL – The Midwest League announced that Peoria Chiefs pitcher Ryan Helsley was named MWL Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 18-24. This marks the first individual award for a Chiefs player in the 2016 season.
Helsley beat Wisconsin at home on Friday with six shutout innings in which he struck out 11 and allowed just one hit while walking two. The six innings pitched and the 11 strikeouts were both new career highs for Helsley. The 11 strikeouts in a 2016 Chiefs season high as two other Chiefs starters have struck out 10 in a game this season. Helsley is the first Chiefs pitcher to be named MWL Pitcher of the Week since Austin Gomber won the award May 4-11, 2015.
A 2015 fifth round pick out of Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, Helsley is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in three starts this season. He has 17 strikeouts to just five walks in 17 1/3 innings and is holding MWL opponents to a .159 batting average. Two of Helsley’s three starts this season have come against Wisconsin and he will next start in Lake County on Friday.
The Chiefs start a six-game road trip to Fort Wayne and Lake County on Tuesday. The team will have a six-game homestand from May 2-7 and tickets are available by calling 1-866-MYTICKET, online at peoriachiefs.com or at the Dozer Park Box Office from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The next homestand features at May 5 Cinco de Mayo Margarita Glass Giveaway, a May 7 Josh Donaldson bobblehead giveaway and Fireworks show and an 11:00 am Education Day on May 4.
