Bryan Hoch/MLB.Com:On Monday, Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes was selected as the Arizona Fall League's Pitcher of the Week for the circuit's first week of action.
Hughes won his start in the Peoria Javelinas' AFL opener on Tuesday, striking out seven and allowing one hit over five scoreless innings in a 10-3 victory over the Surprise Rafters. Hughes pitched out of trouble in the start, walking five, and was scheduled to make his second AFL start on Monday.
The 22-year-old Hughes was sent to the Fall League after he lost much of his 2008 campaign to injury. Opening the season in the Yankees' rotation, Hughes went 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in six starts before going on the disabled list with a fractured rib that derailed his season.
"I never tried to figure out what happened this year -- I just tried to move forward," Hughes said. "I'll go to the Fall League and pitch well there and get some innings in, and then come into Spring Training ready to go."
"I'm just thinking about getting back and pitching well and going into the spring with a good attitude," Hughes said. "Innings, basically, are what I'm focused on -- pitching well and commanding my fastball and everything else. But the main reason for being down there is getting innings in."
