The American Association has named Sioux City Explorers RHP Solomon Bates the Pointstreak Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 21.
Bates threw seven innings, holding the Lake Country Dockhounds to just one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts on May 18 in a 2-1 Sioux City win.
The X’s would eventually walk off winners in extra innings over Lake Country.
Bates is off to a great start for the Explorers. The University of Southern California product was the opening night starter for Sioux City, picking up the win over the Kansas City Monarchs 10-1. Bates struck out six with five looking that night against Kansas City.
Bates was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the eighth round in the 2018 June draft after two seasons at USC.
He would go 7-4 in his career in college with a 3.57 ERA in 113.1 innings with 110 strikeouts.
Bates is the second Explorer to be named Pitcher of the Week this season, joining fellow righty Mitchell Verburg as the X’s have claimed back-to-back honors during the first two weeks of the season.
