Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals voted National League Rookie of the Month for May

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has been voted National League Rookie of the Month for May. It is the first rookie honor for a National since outfielder Ryan Church won in May 2005.

In 28 games during May, Harper hit .271 (29-for-107) and led National League rookies with 21 runs scored and four triples. His 107 at-bats were also tops among N.L. rookies while his two stolen bases were tied for first. The 19-year-old ranked second among the league’s rookie class with 29 hits and third with four home runs while collecting 10 RBI during the month. The first overall selection of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft has played a key role for the N.L. East-leading Nationals since his April 28th call-up from Triple-A Syracuse. Harper averaged over a hit per game during his first full calendar month in the Majors, which included nine multi-hit performances. The Las Vegas, Nevada native collected hits in nine consecutive games from May 20th-29th, hitting .400 (14-for-35) with two homers and six RBI in that span. His bat propelled the Nationals to a three-game sweep of the division-rival Atlanta Braves at Turner Field from May 25th-27th, as he went a combined 5-for-11 with a pair of homers. Harper hit his first Major League home run on May 14th, clubbing a solo shot to deep centerfield in the third inning of an 8-5 Washington win over the visiting San Diego Padres. Batting third in just his fifth career Major League game, the College of Southern Nevada product drove in his first game-winning run with a sixth-inning double on May 3rd as the Nationals edged the Arizona Diamondbacks, 2-1, at Nationals Park. The day before, Harper notched his first multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored in a 5-4 Nationals’ victory over the D-backs. Since Harper’s call-up, the Nationals have averaged over 4.0 runs per game after averaging 3.55 runs per game without the young prospect. This is his first career monthly award.

Other rookies receiving votes included Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley (3-1, 3.16 ERA, 17 SO, 31.1 IP); Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso (.298, 31 H, 9 2B, HR, 10 RBI); Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Freddy Galvis (.255, 26 H, 9 2B, 2 HR, 18 RBI); Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier (.246, 5 HR, 11 RBI, .565 SLG) and reliever J.J. Hoover (1-0, 0.90 ERA, 10 SO, 10.0 IP); Colorado Rockies infielder Jordan Pacheco (.317, 26 H, 6 2B, HR, 12 RBI, .451 SLG), catcher Wilin Rosario (.246, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 12 R, .590 SLG) and reliever Adam Ottavino (0-0, 0.87 ERA, 11 SO, 10.1 IP); Harper’s teammate Stephen Lombardozzi (.348, 24 H, 8 R, .392 OBP); and Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Jared Hughes (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 9 SO, 14.2 IP).

The National League Rookie of the Month for May, Bryce Harper, will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, to commemorate his performance.