With strong finish, Medlen is Pitcher of Month
Right-hander secures September accolade for second straight year
Kris Medlen is making a habit out of finishing the season strong.
The Braves right-hander was named National League Pitcher of the Month on Monday, claiming the honor for the second consecutive September.
Medlen, who also won last August, went 4-0 in five starts to tie for the NL lead in wins. He posted a league-best 1.00 ERA over 36 innings and tied for first with the Dodgers' Zack Greinke with a 0.92 WHIP. The 27-year-old also ranked sixth with a .197 opponents' batting average and racked up 33 strikeouts against eight walks.
Medlen's run helped the Braves finish off their first NL East title since 2005 and claim home-field advantage in the NL Division Series against the Dodgers.
In four of his five September starts, Medlen went at least seven innings while giving up no more than one run. He began Sept. 3, when he held the Mets to one run over seven frames and struck out nine without walking a batter in a 3-1 victory. Medlen then closed his month Friday, tossing eight scoreless innings against the Phillies, giving up two hits in a 1-0 win.
In his first full season as a big league starter, Medlen set career highs in innings (197), wins (15) and strikeouts (157) while posting a 3.11 ERA.