Matt Kemp named National League Player of the Week

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp has been named National League Player of the Week for the period ending August 3rd. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

In six games last week, Kemp was tied for the Major League lead with five home runs and nine RBI while pacing the N.L. with a 1.091 slugging percentage and ranking second in the League with 24 total bases. The 29-year-old hit .409 (9-for-22), which was the N.L.'s fourth-highest mark last week, and he compiled a .458 on-base percentage, which was good for sixth. Kemp added a stolen base and six runs scored as his division-leading Dodgers won four of six contests.

On Tuesday, Kemp's two-homer game helped sink the Atlanta Braves by an 8-4 tally in the opening game of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. With his two-run homer in the second inning of the game, Kemp became the seventh Los Angeles Dodger to eclipse the 600 career RBI threshold. On Wednesday, Kemp's 3-for-4 effort, capped by a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning, gave the Dodgers a 3-2 victory over the Braves. It was his ninth career walk-off hit and the third of four walk-off victories for the Dodgers this season. It also marked the second consecutive three-hit performance for the two-time All-Star, who has posted seven such performances this season. Kemp's power surge continued into the weekend as he clubbed home runs in both Saturday and Sunday's contests against the Chicago Cubs. His 13 long balls are tied with Yasiel Puig for second-most on the Dodgers this season behind Adrian Gonzalez's team-leading 15 homers. This is Matt's fifth career Player of the Week citation, having won previously for the weeks ending May 4, 2008; September 25, 2011; April 8, 2012; and April 15, 2012.

Other noteworthy performances last week included Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison (.400, 10 R, 12 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, .967 SLG, .455 OBP) and Vance Worley (1-0, 0.60 ERA, 5 SO, 15.0 IP); Milwaukee's Aramis Ramirez (.522, 12 H, HR, 5 RBI, .783 SLG, .522 OBP); Cincinnati's Aroldis Chapman (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 SV, 4 G, 4.0 IP, 6 SO) and Mike Leake (2-0, 0.66 ERA, 13 SO, 13.2 IP); Kemp's Dodger teammate Clayton Kershaw (1-0, CG, R, 9 SO, 9.0 IP); and Washington's Stephen Strasburg (1-1, 0.64 ERA, 14 SO, 14.0 IP).

In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Matt Kemp will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.