By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

Back when the double-A Texas League began play on April 4, Charles LeBlanc had a two-hit night as the Frisco RoughRiders lost 3-0 to the Midland RockHounds.

And in the second game of the final week of the season LeBlanc went 4-for-5.

A 10-hit week, which led all Canuck hitters, earned LeBlanc (Laval, Que.) his second Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week.

How the week that was went for LeBlanc as he

_ Batted second and played second, going 1-for-4 in a 3-1 loss to the Spingfield Cardinals before 2,826 fans at Hammons Field. LeBlanc singled to right in the third inning. Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) was hitless for the Cardinals.

_ Playing left field and hitting second, he was 4-for-5 with a double and a homer, plus three RBIs in a 13-9 loss to Springfield in front of 7,098 at Hammons Field. LeBlanc doubled on a line to left field, his 14th, in the fourth, singled to left in the sixth to knock in a run, hit a solo homer to left centre, his seventh, in the seventh and singled in a run in the ninth with a drive to centre.

_ Hitting second and playing first he was hitless in an 8-0 win against the

Northwest Arkansas Naturals in front of 5,508 at Arvest Ballpark.

_ Playing left and hitting clean up he was 1-for-3 in a 7-1 loss to Northwest Arkansas in the opener of the doubleheader. LeBlanc had an infield single in the fourth.

_ Batting fifth and playing in left he was 2-for-3 and knocked in a run in a 9-0 romp over the Naturals in front of 4,532 at Arvest Ballpark. LeBlanc singled in a run with a drive to centre in the first and singled to left in the seventh.

_ Playing left and hitting second, he was 1-for-4 in a 2-1 Frisco win in front of 6,091 at Arvest Ballpark. LeBlanc reached on an infield single to short in the eighth.

_ DHing and hitting fifth he was 1-for-4 in a 2-0 loss before 4,229 fans at Arvest Ballpark. LeBlanc reached on an infield single in the seventh.

Highlights of the Week - RHP Phillippe Aumont, Gatineau, QC - Active with Ottawa Champions, was named IND Can Am League 2019 Pitcher of the Year.

RHP Phillippe Aumont, Gatineau, QC - Active with Ottawa Champions, was named to the 2019 postseason IND Can Am League All Star Team.

OF Raphael Gladu, Trois Rivieres, QC - Active with the Trois Rivieres Aigles, was named to the 2019 postseason IND Can Am League All Star Team.

OF Malik Collymore, Mississauga, ON - Active with Ottawa Champions, in the final game of the 2019 regular schedule against the Quebec Capitales, his third inning steal of second base established a new IND Can Am League single season record of 52 stolen bases, surpassing the previous record of 51.

Initial Listing of Canadians assigned to Six Team 2019 Arizona Fall League - Cole Armstrong, Surrey, BC - Chicago White Sox, coach, Glendale Desert Dogs

Scott Thorman, Cambridge, ON - Kansas City Royals, Manager, Surprise Saguaros

Yannick Plante, Orleans, ON - Kansas City Royals, strength and conditioning coach, Surprise Saguaros

Jim Henderson, Calgary, AB - Milwaukee Brewers coach, Glendale Desert Dogs

Carson Vitale, Victoria, BC - Seattle Mariners coach, Peoria Javelinas

Jared Young, Prince George, BC - Chicago Cubs 1B Mesa Solar Sox

Ryan Maedel, Essex, ON - Toronto Blue Jays strength and conditioning coach, Scottsdale Scorpions

Top offensive weeks

Player / Class / Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

Otto Lopez - A Lansing 20 5 8 1 3 .400

Charles Leblanc - AA Frisco 27 4 10 1 4 .370

Andy Yerzy - A Hillsboro 17 3 6 - 3 .353

Eric Wood - AAA Indianapolis 13 - 4 - 4 .308

Daniel Pinero - AA Erie 25 4 7 1 4 .280

Tanner Kirwer - A Lansing 22 3 6 - 2 .273

Mike Crouse - IND Somerset 21 5 7 2 2 .333

David Glaude - IND Trois Rivierers 10 2 3 1 1 .300

Raphael Gladu - IND Trois Rivieres 25 5 7 2 7 .280

(Minimum 10 AB’s)

Top pitching performances

Tyler Gillies RHP - A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA

3 2.1 2 0 0 1 3 1-0 2 1.43 0.00

It’s a given that relief pitchers and in particular closers, must relish the challenge of pitching in very tight late inning situations, Tyler Gillies demonstrated again this week, that feeling is in his DNA. He made three appearances this week, all of them in one-run games, and he picked up a win and two saves. It would be hard to improve on that performance. On Aug. 28 in a 3-2 win over Kane County Cougars he pitched a scoreless 1/3 allowing up one base hit to earn the win. On Aug. 31 in a 4-3 win over Quad Cities River Bandits he threw one scoreless, surrendered zero hits while striking out two to pick up his third save of the year. He ended the week on Sept. 1 in a 3-2 victory over Quad Cities pitching one scoreless allowing two hits and with one strikeout, to earn a second save of the week. His overall record with Wisconsin in 42 Single A Midwest League appearances, ended up at 5-2 with four saves and a 3.17 ERA.

Phillippe Aumont RHP - Ind Ottawa Champions

APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA

1 9.0 6 1 1 1 9 1-0 - 0.78 1.00

It was inevitable that Phillippe Aumont would end the season in the same manner as he performed all year. In his final start on Aug. 30 in a 2-1 win over arch rivals Quebec Capitales, he pitched another gem. A nine inning complete game, he scattered six base hits and gave up one earned run while striking out nine Quebec batters, to earn his eighth win of the season. His overall record with Ottawa in 18 starts, was 8-4 with a 2.65 ERA and in recognition of his excellent complete season performance, he was named 2019 IND Can Am League Pitcher of the Year, and a starter on the 2019 postseason All Star Team.

Previous Players of the Week

Week 1 _ INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) Double A Frisco Roughriders (Rangers).

Week II _ RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) Triple A El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres).

Week III _ RHP R.J. Freure (Burlington, Ont.) Class-A Quad Cities River Bandits (Astros).

Week IV _ INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles).

Week V _ RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) Class-A Fort Myers Miracle (Twins).

Week VI _ RHP Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC) double-A Montgomery Biscuits (Rays)

Week VII _ RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Phillies) and 3B Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) double-A Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros).

Week VIII _ 1B Jim Adduci (Burnaby, BC) triple-A Iowa Cubs (Cubs).

Week IX _ INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles).

Week X _ RHP R. J. Freure (Burlington, Ont.) class-A Quad Cities River Bandits (Astros).

Week XI _ OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) class-A Inland Empire ‘66s (Angels).

Week XII _ OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) class-A Dunedin Blue Jays (Jays).

Week XIII _ OF Jacob Sanford (Cole Harbour, NS) class-A Staten Island Yankees (Yankees).

Week XIV _ RHP Kyle Thomas (Mississauga, Ont.) class-A Connecticut Tigers (Tigers).

Week XV _ RHP Alex Nolan (Burlington, Ont.) class-A Vancouver Canadians (Jays).

Week XVI _ OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) class-A Dunedin Blue Jays (Jays).

Week XVII _ LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) double-A Tulsa Drillers (Dodgers).

Week XVIII _ INF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) class-A Lansing Lugnuts (Jays).

Week XIX _ INF Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) triple-A Round Rock Express (Astros).

Week XX _ RP Brandon Marklund (North Vancouver, BC) class-A Lexington Legends (Royals).

Week XXI _ RHP Mike Brettell (Fonthill, Ont.) class-A Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals).

Week XXII _ INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) Double A Frisco Roughriders (Rangers).

Updated Canadians in the minors stats