Patrick Corbin named NL Pitcher of the Month for May

Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin has been named NL Pitcher of the Month for May, becoming the first D-backs pitcher to win the monthly honor since Dan Haren in June 2008, so it has been a while! Corbin, 22, went 5-0 with a 1.53 ERA., allowing six earned over his 35.1 innings in five May starts. That included his first-ever complete game, a brilliant outing with 10 strikeouts on May 20 against the Rockies at Coors Field. He led all NL pitchers in May with a 1.53 ERA and five wins, while his .180 opponents' average ranked second only to the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija (.177).

The 6-foot-2 left-hander leads the Major Leagues in wins, picking up his ninth victory yesterday in Chicago and his 9-0 record is tied for the best start in club history with Brandon Webb (2008). Corbin, who has won seven straight decisions, opened the season with a franchise-record nine straight starts of at least six innings pitched and two runs allowed or less, becoming only the second pitcher since 1916 to accomplish the feat (the other being Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez, who went 12 straight at the beginning of 2010).

Corbin was acquired by the D-backs from the Angels on July 25, 2010 with left-handed pitchers Joe Saunders and Tyler Skaggs and right-hander Rafael Rodriguez for right-handed pitcher Haren. As noted a little earlier this afternoon, Skaggs will be starting tomorrow, so this truly is the trade which keeps on giving to Arizona! Corbin becomes the fifth D-backs pitcher to earn Pitcher of the Month accolades, and it's the 10th time overall. He joins Randy Johnson (July 1999, April 2000, April 2002, Sept. 2002), Curt Schilling (May 2001, May 2002, July 2002), Brandon Webb (March and April 2008) and Haren (as noted, in June 2008).