Rangers Martin Perez voted American League Rookie of the Month for August

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez has been voted American League Rookie of the Month for August. He becomes the fourth Rangers hurler to claim the honor since the award's inception in 2001, joining teammates Yu Darvish (April 2012) and Neftali Feliz (September 2010), and former Texas reliever Frank Francisco (August 2004).

Perez finished the month with a perfect 5-0 mark with a 3.06 ERA, 11 walks and 26 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched over five starts. The Venezuelan native tossed the first complete game of his career on August 11th, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts as the Rangers rode the left-hander's 115-pitch gem to a 6-1 victory over the in-state rival Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Among A.L. rookies, Martin finished first in wins, second in innings pitched and fourth in strikeouts, ERA (minimum 27.0 innings) and opponent batting average (.223). Perez's five-game winning streak in August made him the only Texas rookie ever to win five consecutive starts without a no-decision and he became the first Ranger overall to do so since Ryan Dempster won five straight between August 20-September 12, 2012. Additionally, it was the first five-win month ever by a rookie in Club history and it is just the fourth time a Rangers pitcher has gone 5-0 in a month with zero no-decisions, joining Rick Helling (5-0 in 5 GS in April 1998), Aaron Sele (5-0, 5 GS in April 1998) and Kenny Rogers (6-0 in 6 GS in May 2005). The 22-year-old is the first rookie to win five starts in any month since New York Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova, who was the A.L. Pitcher of the Month for August, went 5-0 in five starts in August 2011.

Others receiving votes included Avisail Garcia (.354, 2 HR, 11 RBI) of the Chicago White Sox; Robbie Grossman (.301, 7 2B, 3 HR, 16 RBI), Jarred Cosart (0-1, 2.10 ERA, 20.0 IP, 18 SO) and L.J. Hoes (.301, 4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI) of the Houston Astros; Andrew Albers (2-2, 2.92 ERA, 1 SHO, 37.0 IP) of the Minnesota Twins; Danny Farquhar (0-2, 2.03 ERA, 11 SV, 21 SO) of the Seattle Mariners; Sonny Gray (2-2, 2.90 ERA, 31.0 IP, 31 SO) and Nate Freiman (.346, 2 HR, 6 RBI) of the Oakland Athletics; J.B. Shuck (.324, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI) and Kole Calhoun (.259, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 12 BB) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; and Jose Iglesias (.294, 3 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI) of the Detroit Tigers.

In recognition of his American League Rookie of the Month Award, Martin Perez will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, for his accomplishment.