Josh Johnson was named NL Pitcher of the Month for April. It is the second time JJ has won the Pitcher of the Month award..
Since it is a press release, here it is:
Florida Marlins starting pitcher Josh Johnson has been voted National League Pitcher of the Month for the month of April.
In six April starts, Johnson went 3-0 and led the National League with a 0.88 ERA. The 27-year-old right-hander notched 39 strikeouts, ranking second in the league, while only walking 11 in 41.0 innings of work. The two-time All-Star had six quality starts for the month and he tossed at least 6.0 innings in each of his outings while never allowing more than two earned runs. Johnson's 18 hits allowed were the fewest allowed before May 1st in the modern era (since 1900) by any pitcher with a minimum of 40.0 innings pitched. On April 1st, Johnson made his second career Opening Day start, going 6.2 innings en route to a 6-2 Marlins victory over the visiting New York Mets. The win marked his first career Opening Day victory. On April 13th, the fourth round selection in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft tossed 7.1 shutout innings, allowing just one hit on the day, a double to Braves rookie Freddie Freeman. He followed that performance with a 7.0-inning, two-hit shutout on April 19th, earning his third win of the season in a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at home. Johnson finished his remarkable month by tossing another 7.0 shutout innings at Cincinnati on April 30th, but did not factor in the decision as the Reds came from behind to win 4-3 in 10 innings. In his last four April starts, a span of 28.1 innings, the Marlins ace allowed only a single earned run. The Marlins, currently tied for the first in the N.L. East, were 4-2 during Johnson's starts this month. This is his second career National League Pitcher of the Month Award, previously winning for the month of June 2010.
Other pitchers receiving votes were Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay (4-1, 2.14 ERA, 47 SO, 46.1 IP, 7 BB); Cardinals right-hander Kyle Lohse (4-1, 1.64 ERA, 24 SO, 38.1 IP, 5 BB); Rockies closer Huston Street (10 SV, 2.20 ERA, 17 SO, 16.1 IP); and Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan (1.93 ERA, 8 SV, 12 SO, 14.0 IP).
Josh Johnson will receive specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, to commemorate his Pitcher of the Month performance.
Congrats JJ, well deserved.