Gonzalez, Ellsbury, Ortiz win Silver Slugger awards

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BOSTONFor the second time in as many days the Red Sox scored a trifecta in awards, as Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, and David Ortiz were named Silver Sluggers.

This marks the fifth time Ortiz has won a Silver Slugger, passing Edgar Martinez and Paul Molitor for most ever by a designated hitter. For Ellsbury and Gonzalez, it was the first Silver Slugger in his career.

Gonzalez, Ellsbury, and Dustin Pedroia were also named as Gold Glove winners on Tuesday. This marks the first time in history a pair of Sox teammates have won Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers in the same season. Dwight Evans (outfielder, 1981), Ellis Burks (outfielder, 1990), Jason Varitek (catcher, 2005) and Dustin Pedroia (second baseman, 2008) are the only other Red Sox players to win both awards in one season.

The Sox lead all teams with three winners.It is just the second time the Sox have had three players win Silver Sluggers in one season since the awards were first presented in 1980. Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Jason Varitek won in 2005.

For Ellsbury, it is his third major postseason award, along with the American League Comeback Player of the Year. He hit .321, setting career-highs with 46 doubles, 32 home runs, 119 runs scored, 105 RBI, and 52 walks. He led the majors with 364 total bases, the most by any teams primary leadoff hitter since San Franciscos Bobby Bonds in 1973 (341), and 83 extra-base hits.

A first-time All-Star in 2011, Ellsbury was just the fourth player in major league history to accumulate at least 200 hits, 30 home runs, 100 RBI and 35 stolen bases in a season. He became the first Sox player ever with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases and also became the first player in team history with a 30 homer100 RBI season while serving as leadoff hitter. Ellsbury is the eighth Red Sox outfielder to win a Silver Slugger Award, the first since Jason Bay in 2009, and is one of three center fielders in club history to be honored as a Silver Slugger, along with Tony Armas (1984) and Ellis Burks (1990).

Gonzalez was second in the majors behind Detroits Miguel Cabrera with a .338 batting average. He led the majors with 66 multi-hit games and matched Texas Michael Young for the major league lead with 213 hits, tied for the fourth-highest single-season total in team history

Gonzalez was the only player to finish the year with at least 200 hits and 115 RBI. He is just the second Sox first baseman ever to win a Silver Slugger Award, along with Mo Vaughn in 1995, and is one of six players to win a Silver Slugger in his first season with the Sox, joining third baseman CarneyLansfordin 1981, DH DonBaylorin 1986, left fielder Manny Ramirez in 2001, third baseman Bill Mueller in 2003, and third baseman Adrian Beltre in 2010.

Ortiz hit .309 with 162 hits, 70 extra-base hits, 40 doubles, a .398 on-base percentage, .554 slugging percentage and .953 OPS in 2011, all his best marks since 2007. He led all DHsin average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, extra-base hits, home runs (29), RBI (96), runs (84), walks and total bases (291).

With his 29 homers in 2011, Ortiz recorded his eighth season with at least 25 home runs, passing Jim Rice (seven seasons) for the second-most 25-homer campaigns ever for a Red Sox batter behind only Ted Williams (14). He also reached the 20-homer mark for the 10th straight year since 2002, and joins Albert Pujols and Alfonso Soriano as the only Major Leaguers with at least 20 homers in each season in that time.Ortiz set the all-time mark for RBI as a DHon April 2with his 1,004that the position, passing Edgar Martinez (1,003). He ended the season with 1,094 career RBI as a designated hitter and also holds the all-time mark for home runs at the position with 333.

Silver Slugger awards are presented annually to the top offensive players at each position in both the American and National Leagues by vote of managers and coaches. The complete A.L. team also includes Robinson Cano,second base, New York; Adrian Beltre, third base,Texas; Asdrubal Cabrera,shortstop, Cleveland; outfielders Curtis Granderson, New York, and Jose Bautista,Toronto; and Alex Avila, catcher,Detroit.

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