Martin Prado NL Player of the Month for August

In 28 games last month, Prado led the National League and ranked third among all Major Leaguers with 30 RBI. His 43 hits were also tops in the N.L. and second in the Majors. The Venezuelan born slugger also ranked among League leaders in multiple other offensive categories. His 65 total bases were the second-highest tally in the N.L., while his .375 (43-for-115) batting average was the League's fourth-best mark. Prado scored 19 runs on the month, tying for fifth in the N.L. while his .565 slugging percentage and .425 on-base percentage both ranked ninth.

On August 7th, Prado matched a career high with four hits while collecting a season-high four RBI in Arizona's win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Chase Field. Prado's clutch hitting factored heavily in the win. The first-year D-back, acquired from Atlanta prior to the 2013 season, clubbed a two-run homer in the third inning that tied the game at 3-3. His two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning off Rays closer Fernando Rodney gave the D-backs a 9-8 victory. Prado notched his second four-hit effort of the month at Pittsburgh on August 17th in a 15-5 rout of the Pirates. The 29-year-old went 4-for-5 with a walk, clubbing his 11th homer of the season and collecting three RBI.

Prado continued his trend of multi-hit, multi-RBI performances, going 3-for-9 with three RBI on August 24th at Philadelphia in an 18-inning affair that ended in a 12-7 Diamondbacks victory. It was one of four consecutive multi-RBI games for Prado from August 23rd-27th, tying a career best streak (five times). With 30 RBI last month, Prado raised his season total to 71 (now 72), eclipsing his previous career high of 70 RBI set last season. His 30 RBI were a club record in August and were the most by a D-back in a calendar month since Luis Gonzalez had 35 in June 2001. This is Prado's first career monthly award.

Other players receiving votes included

• Washington's Jayson Werth (.380, 20 R, 35 H, 6 HR, 21 RBI, .620 SLG, .468 OBP);
  
• Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen (.384, 15 R, 38 H, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .535 SLG, .483 OBP, 6 SB);
  
• San Diego's Will Venable (.367, 20 R, 40 H, 8 HR, 15 RBI, .697 SLG, .395 OBP, 6 SB);
  
• Chicago's Donnie Murphy (.282, 15 R, 24 H, 8 HR, 15 RBI, .635 SLG);
  
• St. Louis's Carlos Beltran (.366, 37 H, 4 HR, 15 RBI, .594 SLG)
  
• San Francisco's Brandon Belt (.350, 35 H, 5 HR, 13 RBI, .630 SLG, .421 OBP).

He is the first Diamondback position player to win the award since Kelly Johnson in April 2010 - Patrick Corbin won Player of the Month in May this season. Here's the full list of Arizona players to have won either award, or Rookie of the Month:

• Martin Prado: Player, August 2013
• Patrick Corbin: Pitcher, April 2013
• Wade Miley: Rookie, May 2010
• Daniel Hudson: Rookie, August 2010
• Kelly Johnson: Player, April 2010
• Justin Upton: Player, May 2009
• Gerardo Parra: Rookie, May 2009
• Dan Haren: Pitcher, June 2008
• Brandon Webb: Pitcher, April 2008
• Luis Gonzalez: Player, April 2001
• Luis Gonzalez: Player, June 2001
• Matt Williams: Player, April 1999

Yes, you're right. There was a seven-year span without a Diamondback being recognized, even though the team won a pair of division titles in that period (2002 + 2007).