Patrick Corbin of the Arizona Diamondbacks voted National League Pitcher of the Month for May

Starting pitcher Patrick Corbin of the Arizona Diamondbacks has been voted National League Pitcher of the Month for the month of May. This marks his first career monthly award and the first by a D-backs pitcher since Dan Haren won for June 2008.

Corbin was a perfect 5-0 in five starts during the month of May. His five wins were the most in the N.L. and were tied with Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim starter Jason Vargas for the Major League lead. Corbin's 1.53 ERA (six earned runs in 35.1 innings pitched) was the lowest among qualifying N.L. pitchers and ranked second in the Majors. The 23-year-old led the D-backs staff with 31 strikeouts during the month and held opposing hitters to a .180 batting average, the fourth-lowest mark in the Majors and second-lowest among N.L. starters.

Corbin won his sixth straight start on May 26th against the San Diego Padres at home, allowing four runs (three earned) over 6.0 innings of work to become the first Diamondbacks left-hander to start a season with an 8-0 mark. The youngster's strong outing helped the N.L. West-leading D-backs take the rubber game of a three-game set with the Padres, 6-5. The victory was Corbin's second consecutive win against an N.L. West rival after posting career highs with a 9.0-inning, 10-strikeout effort on May 20th at Colorado. The Syracuse, New York native allowed just a single earned run on three hits in a 5-1 victory over the Rockies in his first career complete game. Corbin joined Ubaldo Jimenez (12 in 2010) as just the second pitcher since 1916 to open a season with at least nine straight starts of 6.0 innings-or-more while allowing two runs-or-less. The second-year hurler was similarly effective in his May 14th start against visiting Atlanta, as he tossed 7.0 shutout innings against a high-powered Braves lineup en route to a 2-0 win. Corbin fanned five and allowed just three hits in the outing as the D-backs took the rubber match of a three-game set with the N.L. East leaders. On May 9th, the Chipola Junior College product tossed 6.1 innings and allowed just one run on four hits as the D-backs edged the Phillies, 2-1, at Chase Field. On May 4th, Corbin opened the month with a 7.0- inning, seven-strikeout effort to earn the win in an 8-1 victory at San Diego. With a 9-0 record this season, the southpaw currently leads the Majors in wins while his 2.06 ERA (17 earned runs in 74.1 innings pitched) ranks fourth among qualifying starters.

Other pitchers receiving votes included April and May Delivery Man of the Month Jason Grilli (0-1, 1.32 ERA, 12 SV, 21 SO, 13.2 IP) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; Philadelphia's Cliff Lee (4-1, 1.80 ERA, SHO, 8 BB, 33 SO, 45.0 IP); Atlanta's Mike Minor (4-0, 1.98 ERA, 39 SO, 41.0 IP); Clayton Kershaw (2-1, 1.97 ERA, 35 SO, 45.2 IP) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; Scott Feldman (4-1, 2.25 ERA, 39 SO, 40.0 IP) of the Chicago Cubs; and reliever Seth Maness (4-1, 2.19 ERA, 6 SO, 12.1 IP, 12 G) of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The National League Pitcher of the Month for May 2013, Patrick Corbin will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, to commemorate his performance.