Rays' Pena is AL player of the week

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- First baseman Carlos Pena, a member of the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Rays, was picked the American League player of the week Monday.

Pena hit .368 in games played Sept. 15-21 and has driven in at least one run in each of his last six games during a week in which the Rays secured their first playoff berth. He had three hits in the series with the Boston Red Sox, whom the Rays are battling for the AL East title. One of his hits was a home run in a 2-1 Tampa Bay win.

This is the second time Pena has been selected the league's player of the week. The other award came Oct. 1, 2007.

Other players considered for the weekly award were: Cleveland's Shin-Soo Choo, Minnesota's Joe Mauer, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, Los Angeles's Garret Anderson, Kansas City's Kyle Davies and Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka.