The Dodgers announced the August winners of the Dodger Pride Awards.  The Dodger Pride Awards were created in 2008 by General Manager Ned Colletti, and are given on a monthly basis to the players at each level of the club’s minor league system who play the game with a hustling, smart, aggressive style. The players and staff on each respective club vote for the awards. The winners for August are as follows:

Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes

Josh Wall

Pitcher – RHP JOSH WALL posted a 1.80 ERA (2 ER/10.0 IP) in 11 August appearances and converted all eight save opportunities, tying for the most saves in the Pacific Coast League in the month. The right-hander limited opponents to a .194 batting average while striking out nine and walking only two. Overall this season, he led the Pacific Coast League with 28 saves in 30 chances and was one of four Isotopes who garnered All-PCL team honors. Wall, who was recalled on September 4 for the third time this season, is 1-0 with an 11.57 ERA (3 ER/2.1 IP) in three appearances for Los Angeles and was selected in the second round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.

Player – 1B/OF JERRY SANDS earned Albuquerque’s Dodger Pride Award for the second consecutive month after helping the Isotopes to a playoff berth and ranking among the Pacific Coast League leaders in several offensive categories, including RBI (28, T-2^nd), runs (22, 4^th), OPS (1.011, 4^th), slugging percentage (.594, 6^th), batting average (.356, T-8^th) and home runs (6, T-8^th) . The 24-year-old strung together an Albuquerque franchise record 21-game hitting streak, batting .467 (42-for-90) with nine home runs, 37 RBI and a 1.332 OPS from July 27 – Aug. 20. Sands earned a spot on the All-PCL team after batting .296 with 26 homers and a PCL-leading 107 RBI overall on the year with Albuquerque and has also appeared in nine games in two stints with the Dodgers. The Middletown, NY, native is in his fifth professional season and was selected in the 25^th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts

Pitcher – RHP STEVEN AMES went 2-0 and surrendered only one run in 14.0 innings in 11 relief appearances, going 5-for-5 in save opportunities with a 0.64 ERA in August after posting a 0.69 ERA July. The right-hander struck out 18 and walked three while limiting opponents to a .146 average in the month. Overall on the year, Ames posted a 3-3 record with a 1.56 ERA (11 ER/63.1 IP) with 72 punchouts and 13 walks and also strung together a 16.1 scoreless innings streak from April 25-May 28. Ames is in his fourth professional season after being selected in the 17^th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of Gonzaga University.

J.T. Wise

Player – 1B J.T. WISE led the Southern League with 12 doubles and 26 RBI in the month of August and was among the league’s best in batting average (.320, 9^th) and on-base percentage (.423, 7^th). The 26-year-old first baseman tied his season-high seven-game hitting streak Aug. 11-Aug. 18 and also had a season-high four hits on Aug. 22 in a win over Tennessee, going 4-for-4 with a three-run home run and three runs scored. In his fourth professional season after being selected in the fifth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, Wise batted .278 with 41 doubles and 70 RBI, while thriving with runners in scoring position (.317, 39-for-123) and the bases loaded (.500, 6-for-12).

Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Pitcher – RHP RYAN ACOSTA went 3-0 with a 3.20 ERA (7 ER/19.2 IP) while striking out 22 batters and walking seven during his last three starts in August and his three wins tied for sixth most in August in the California League. At home this season, the right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.76 ERA (9 ER/29.1 IP) in 12 appearances (one start) with 37 strikeouts and seven walks while limiting opponents to a .214 average. Overall, the Dodgers’ free agent signee was 4-2 with a 4.30 ERA (32 ER/67.0 IP) in 28 games (five starts).

Player – OF JOC PEDERSON batted .354 (40-for-113) with eight home runs and 32 RBI in 29 August games, including a multi-home run game on August 14 against Stockton. The Palo Alto, CA, native led Rancho Cucamonga in many offensive categories in August and ranked among the California League leaders in home runs (8, T-3^rd), batting average (.354, 13^th), hits (40, T-2^nd), doubles (14,1^st) stolen bases (8, T-6^th), runs (32, 1^st), RBI (32, 2^nd), extra-base hits (23, 1^st) and on-base percentage (.447, 7^th). Overall, the 20-year-old is batting .313 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI. Pederson was selected by the Dodgers in the 11^th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Palo Alto High School.

Single-A Great Lakes Loons

Pitcher – RHP CRAIG STEM converted all three of his save opportunities, striking out 10 over 10.1 scoreless innings in six August relief appearances for the Loons. After being promoted to Single-A Great Lakes on August 15, the right-hander converted all four of his save opportunities on the season and did not surrender a run in 11.1 innings in seven appearances, limiting opponents to a .128 average. The 22-year-old faced 16 right-handed batters while with Great Lakes and allowed only one of those hitters to reach base via hit (.063 average). Stem was selected by the Dodgers in the 15^th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Trevecca Nazarene University.

O’Koyea Dickson

Player – 1B O’KOYEA DICKSON posted a .314 average (37-for-118) and tied for the team lead in RBI (14) during August. The first baseman collected a season-high four hits on Aug. 19 at West Michigan, going 4-for-6 with a solo home run and three runs scored. Dickson ranked among the Midwest League leaders for the month in home runs (8, 2^nd), RBI (17, T-3^rd), hits (37, T-6^th), extra-base hits (17, T-3^rd), and slugging percentage (.593, 7^th). Overall, the 22-year-old batted .272 and tied for fourth in the Midwest League with 17 home runs and collected 48 RBI. The Dodgers selected Dickson in the 12^th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Sonoma State University.

Rookie-advanced Ogden Raptors

Pitcher – RHP LINDSEY CAUGHEL responded from two rough starts at the beginning of August to allow five earned runs combined in his next four starts, including a 7.0 innings complete-game shutout over Orem to begin September, striking out four and walking only one. He won three of his last four starts overall, finishing the season 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) for the Raptors.

Player – C ERIC SMITH ranked second on the team with 23 RBI during August, batting .327 (33-for-101) with seven doubles, a triple and two home runs in 24 games during the month, drawing 13 walks while striking out just 14 times. The 21-year-old had nine multi-hit contests, including a pair of four-hit games on Aug. 20 against Missoula and Aug. 29 at Orem. Los Angeles’ 18^th-round selection in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, Smith hit .336 (85-for-253), leading the team in batting average (min:150 AB) while ranking second on the club with 17 doubles and 53 RBI.

Rookie-level Arizona Dodgers

Pitcher – RHP JACKSON MATEO was nothing short of dominant for the Dodgers during August, allowing just two earned runs in 19.1 innings in eight relief appearances. The 20-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic struck out 11 batters in his final four appearances (10.0 IP), allowing just one run on five hits during the span. On the season, Mateo went 4-0 with a 2.72 ERA in 16 appearances including one start, striking out 29 batters and holding the opposition to a .248 batting average (34-for-137).

Paul Hoenecke

Player – 1B PAUL HOENECKE was a constant force all season for the Dodgers offensively, winning the Dodger Pride award for a second time this year after batting .406 (39-for-96) with 18 extra-base hits and 20 RBI in 25 August games. The Dodgers 24^th round selection in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, Hoenecke reached base in each of his starts dating back to July 24, including a 15-game hitting streak July 24-August 12 and 13 multi-hit contests. On the season, the first baseman led the AZL with a .382 batting average while ranking second in OPS (1.064).

Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Dodgers

Pitcher – RHP JOSE DIAZ went 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA, striking out 22 batters in his 24.1 innings pitched through four August starts. The 21-year-old threw his second complete game in his last six starts of the season against the Royals on August 9, allowing just one unearned run and fanning eight batters through his 7.0 innings. On the season, the non-drafted free agent signee limited hitters to a .205 batting average, allowing just three home runs in 72.2 innings pitched, and ended the season on a three-game win streak after being added to the starting rotation on June 29.

Player – OF/C LUIS ALCANTARA’s batting average has climbed significantly each month of his first season after being signed as an undrafted free agent by the club on May 1, 2012, reaching a high of .333 in August. Alcantara has performed well in the clutch, hitting .333 (7-for-21) with six RBI with runners in scoring position. The 19-year-old showed great versatility for the Dodgers, appearing at four different positions on the season, including 17 appearances as a left fielder, seven as a catcher, and one each as a first baseman and right fielder.