New York, NY (Sports Network) – Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia shared the National League’s top award for the first week of the 2011 season.
Castro began his second big-league campaign by leading the majors with eight hits, going 8-for-13 with a .615 batting average and .643 on-base percentage for games played through April 3rd.
The Cubs began the year by dropping two of three games to Pittsburgh.
Castro went 3-for-5 in a 6-3 season-opening loss on Friday, then on Saturday jumpstarted a five-run, eighth-inning with a run-scoring double and finished 2-for-4 with a run scored in a 5-3 victory.
He rounded out the week by hitting a pair of triples in a three-hit effort on Sunday, but the Cubs fell 5-4. His 1.000 slugging percentage and 13 total bases were tops in the NL.
The 24-year-old Garcia was masterful in pitching the Cardinals to a 2-0 win over San Diego on Sunday. The left-hander went the distance, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out nine.
It’s the first career NL Weekly honor for both Castro and Garcia.
Other nominees for the award included Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan and outfielder Drew Stubbs, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard and shortstop Jimmy Rollins, outfielder Matt Kemp, left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw and reliever Jonathan Broxton of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Braves catcher Brian McCann, Giants second baseman Freddy Sanchez, Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez, Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata and Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.
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