Two Wood Ducks receive awards for strong play

A pair of Down East Wood Ducks recently received recognition for their strong play.

During the SiriusXM Futures Game in Cleveland Sunday, Woodies catcher/first baseman Sam Huff hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to send the game into extras — this season, the Futures game was reduced to seven. Although the game ended in a 2-2 tie after eight, Huff’s clutch hit was enough for him to be honored with the Larry Doby Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first DEWD to receive the honor and joining Joey Gallo as the only Texas Rangers prospects to receive the award, the latter getting his in 2014.

Huff came into the game in the fifth inning as a defensive replacement at first base and went 1-for-2 at the plate. Huff was promoted from Single-A Hickory on May 9; in his time with the Wood Ducks, he is batting .257 with six home runs, 12 doubles and 27 RBIs.

On Monday, Alex Eubanks was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week and became the seventh DEWD to receive a weekly honor, along with Diosbel Arias, Ryan Dorow, Yonny Hernandez, John King, Jake Latz and Tyler Phillips.

Eubanks threw 11 shutout innings in two games last week, allowing just four hits with eight strikeouts as the DEWDs defeated Winston-Salem on July 1 and Myrtle Beach six days later. Since joining the Woodies rotation on June 3, Eubanks has gone 4-1 with an ERA of 0.87.