Ex-Knight Tommy Hanson of Atlanta Beats Orioles.
June 13, 2009Hanson Earns First Major League Win
Ex-Knights ace Tommy Hanson (pictured throwing his first pitch in the Major Leagues on Sunday, June 7) of Riverside CC earned his first win Friday, June 12 for the Atlanta Braves at Camden Yards in Baltimore as the Braves beat the O's 7-2.
Hanson dodged trouble to notch his first win tossing 5 2/3 innings giving up 9 hits and 2 runs while walking five and striking out 5 vs. the Orioles of the American League.
Tommy was added to the Braves active roster on Sunday, June 7 and made his first big league start at Turner Field vs. the Milwaukee Brewers that same day.
He went six innings vs. the Brewers and did not get a decision in the Braves 8-7 win.
Tommy started the 2009 season as the fourth-best prospect in all of baseball, according to Baseball America. He dominated pitching for the Gwinnett Braves (AAA) going 3-3 while posting a 1.49 ERA and striking out 90 over 66 1/3 innings pitched, earning a big league call-up.
The right-hander from Redlands, California had a breakout season last year cementing his status as a rising star, splitting the season between Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach and Double-A Mississippi.
Tommy was the recipient of the Phil Niekro Award, given annually to the top pitcher in the Braves' system, and was named to Baseball America's 2008 minor league All-Star team and was also named the Best Pitching Prospect in the Carolina League by Baseball America.
Hanson became the first pitcher in the 17-year history of the Arizona Fall League to be named MVP when he won the pitching triple crown by going 5-0 with an 0.63 ERA in seven starts.
On June 25, 2008, Hanson threw the first no-hitter in Mississippi Braves history and set a new personal best and team record by fanning 14 batters against the Birmingham Barons.
Following his freshman season at Riverside CC, Tommy set Knights' single-season records for ERA (0.92), strikeouts (116) and innings pitched (78) for the 2005 team and earned West Coast League Pitcher of the Year honors.
