FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Jon Versteeg
July 12, 2007 815-774-2881

DIAZ EARNS SECOND N.L. PLAYER OF WEEK HONORS

Closes Out the First Half With Individual Honors

JOLIET, IL-Joliet JackHammers DH/1B Juan Diaz has been named Northern League Player of the Week for the week ending on July 8. Diaz finished the week batting .419 with five home runs and 13 RBI in seven games played. The JackHammers slugger earned his first “Player of the Week” honors on June 18. Joliet begins the second half of the 2007 Northern League season by starting a four-game series against the Gary SouthShore RailCats this morning at 11:05 a.m. at Silver Cross Field.

The Northern League home run leader (14) launched home runs in five of the seven games he played last week. Diaz closed out the first-half with a two-run home run on Sunday, July 8 in a 17-15 loss to Edmonton. Diaz also hit a three-run home run in the first inning of a game on July 6 that the JackHammers won 8-1 over Edmonton. He also hit a two-run home on July 5 against Edmonton, a two-run home run on July 3 in Fargo-Moorhead and a solo home run on July 2 against the RedHawks.

If Diaz’s home run total over the first half was not impressive enough, he scored 10 runs in seven games to continue his meteoric rise to be among the Northern League leaders in runs scored. His 43 runs scored is tied for third place in the league and is second on the JackHammers behind Cory Harris’s 44 runs scored.

Loose Gravel: This is the fifth time a JackHammer has earned weekly honors from the Northern League during the 2007 season. Along with Diaz, Cory Harris and Derek Nicholson both garnered player of the week honors during the first half. Joliet RHP Nate Sevier also earned Northern League “Pitcher of the Week” Honors last month.

The JackHammers are currently home through Sunday, July 15! For tickets or for more information, please give the JackHammers a call at (815) 726-BALL (2255), go online to www.jackhammerbaseball.com or stop by the Box Office at Silver Cross Field during normal business hours.

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