Prado named NL's top player for August
D-backs veteran had two four-hit games and 30 total RBIs during month
Martin Prado's second-half surge reached new heights in August, as the Arizona third baseman put up blistering numbers at the plate en route to his first career National League Player of the Month Award.
In 28 games last month, Prado led the NL with 30 RBIs and ranked among the league's best in a number of other offensive categories. He topped the NL with 43 hits in August, while his .375 (43-for-115) average ranked fourth in the Senior Circuit. He also added four home runs, 11 walks and 19 runs scored for the month.
Along with turning in the best month of his career, Prado's 30 RBIs set a franchise record for the month of August. That total was also the most by a D-backs player in any month since Luis Gonzalez drove in 35 runs in June 2001.
Following a slow start to his first season with the D-backs, Prado has found a groove in the second half. Last month, he matched his career high with four hits in a game on two occasions, starting with a 4-for-4 performance on Aug. 7 against the Rays, when he hit a home run and drove in four runs.
His second four-hit performance came 10 days later, when he went 4-for-5 with another homer and three RBIs on Aug. 17 against the Pirates. Later in the month, he rattled off four consecutive multi-RBI games from Aug. 23-27.
"I've just been given a lot of opportunities," said Prado, whose 30 RBIs last month helped him eclipse his previous season high of 70 RBIs, set last year with the Braves. "And when you have those kind of opportunities, you have to take advantage of it. This game is streaky like that."
Aided heavily by his scorching August performance, Prado entered play Wednesday hitting .289 with 13 home runs and 72 RBIs.