June 27, 2012 at 5:36 PM
Lavarnway, Gomez, Ciriaco, Germano named to International League All-Star Team
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| (Credit: bisons.com) |
The Pawtucket Red Sox have announced that four players have been named to International League team at the Triple-A All-Star Game: catcher Ryan Lavarnway, first baseman Mauro Gomez, infielder Pedro Ciriaco and starting pitcher Justin Germano. Manager Arnie Beyeler has also been named a coach on the team for his role in leading the PawSox to a share of first place in the North Division. The game will be played on July 11th at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo.
Lavarnway has come on very strong in the month of June, hitting .403/.464/.694 in 18 games on the month to raise his overall season line to .312/.400/.480. The sixth-round draft pick out of Yale in 2008 will be making his second All-Star team, as he was also named to the 2010 Carolina League squad while a member of the Salem Red Sox.
Gomez, 27, is making his second consecutive appearance in the International League's midsummer classic. The first baseman, signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason, went 0 for 1 with a walk in the 2011 game while wearing a Gwinnett Braves uniform. Along with a sterling .304/.366/.600 batting line, Gomez leads the league with 24 doubles and is in the top ten in hits, runs, RBI, home runs, and slugging percentage. He also appeared in two games for the major league club in mid-May, going 0 for 2.
Ciriaco had a standout spring training, earning himself a long look for a major league roster spot, and has continued his solid play into the regular season. He currently has a batting line of .307/.327/.418, and has split his time between second base and shortstop, showing off solid glove work. The 26-year-old minor league veteran has made two previous All-Star teams: in the Low A Midwest League in 2006, and the Double-A Southern League in 2008, both while in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.
Like Ciriaco and Gomez, Germano is another minor league free agent having an excellent year with the PawSox. The 29-year-old righthander, a 13th round pick of the San Diego Padres in 2000, will be making his first All-Star appearance at any professional level. With an 8-4 record, 2.60 ERA and league-leading 97.0 innings pitched, Germano has stepped up as the ace of the Pawtucket staff. His 1.2 BB/9 rate is good for second in the league, and he ranks in the top ten among starters in both ERA and WHIP.