Tough split on Pitching Honor

This week's JR Cigar's Smokin' Batter of the Week is Marietta's Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzo has helped the Mighty Men to a 6-game winning streak that has opened up a 9 1/2 game atop the division. Gonzalez hit a league-leading 7 home runs this week and drove in 18 runs and scoring 10. Gonzalez batted .367, but with a .474 on base percentage and 1.100 slugging.

His competition includes Hillsborough's Justin Upton (.423/.500/1.00, 10 R, 10 RBI, 3 HR), Gonzalez's teammate Chone Figgins (.476/.676/.667, 11 R), Vancouver's Garrett Jones (.455/.455/1.045, 4 HR, 10 RBIs), New Jersey's Franklin Gutierrez (.500/.500/.643), Arkansas' Skip Schumaker (.452/.469/.677, 8 R), Las Vegas' Joe Mauer (.429/.500/.571), and Sardine City's Ryan Braun (.379/.441/.724, 9 RBIs).

This week's Hottest World Cup Fans Pitcher of the Week was a tossup, so we'll give it to both players. Our first honoree is Bridgewater's Tommy Hanson, who was 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 0.73 ERA. In Hanson's first start this week, he held Blue Ridge to 4 hits in 6 innings, while giving up 2 runs, but in his second start, he pitched a 2-hit shutout of Las Vegas in which he struck out 10 Rats.

Meanwhile, Rich Harden started out well against Hoboken earlier in the week, but had to be lifted in the second inning. But he came back strong against Bridgewater, holding the Mallers to just 1 hit and striking out 10. Harden finished the week giving up just 1 hit and 2 walks in 10.2 innings, with 13 strikeouts.

Other contenders: Hoboken's Tommy Hunter (1-0, 2.35, 0.85) and Mark Buehrle (1-1, 2.87, 1.09), New Jersey's Kevin Slowey (1-1, 2.93, 14 K), and Sardine City's Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1, 1.62, 12 K) and John Lackey (1-1, 2.81, 0.81).

Notes from around the league

Vancouver and Hoboken battled it out with Vancouver edging the Cutters 11-10 in 10 innings. Both teams got on the board early and often, leading to a 9-7 Vancouver lead after 4 innings. The Cutters clawed back and eventually tied it up on a two-run home run by Adam Dunn. The Iron Fist scored what would be the winning run off a Michael Cuddyer single in the 10th. Ronald Belisario finished the game off for his 12th save. Cuddyer ended the game 4-6 with a triple and 4 RBIs and Brad Hawpe was 4-4 with 2 doubles for the Cutters.

Jon Lester held the Falcons in check, limiting them to 3 hits over 7.1 innings, while striking out 11. Matt Kemp was 3-4 with 2 homers and 5 RBIs for Amityville in the 9-1 win.

New Jersey extended their winning streak to 6 with a 6-5 win over Hillsborough. Everyone in the Buddah lineup got one hit except Seth Smith, who had 2 hits.

Bridgewater won an important victory against the Rat Pack, ending their 3-game losing skid. Rookie Tommy Hanson held the Rats to only 4 hits in 7 innings to earn his 5th win of the year. Hanson struck out 9.

Aramis Ramirez was 5-5 with 2 homers and 3 RBIs to lead the Mudcats to an 11-6 win over the Mighty Men. The Mighty Men lost ground to both Las Vegas and Newark, who won 6-5 over Philadelphia. The Mighty Men's lead shrunk to 4 games over second-place Newark. Vegas is one game behind the Sugar Bears.