It took 13 days, but Brent Dlugach made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers Sunday night. He pinch-ran for DH Aubrey Huff in the 8th inning of the Tigers’ 7-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Dlugach then scored on Brandon Inge’s single, but did not get to field or bat.

Dlugach, a native of Fort Smith, AR, was called up to the Tigers on September 1st. He is the 149th Arkansas-born player to make it to the major leagues and the 3rd this season, joining Drew Sutton of the Cincinnati Reds and Graig Gentry of the Texas Rangers.

Dlugach, 26, spent the first 5 months of the season with the Toledo Mudhens of the International League. He hit .294 with 9 homeruns in 125 games, earning him a place on the IL Post-Season all-star team.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder and Pine Bluff, AR native Torii Hunter was honored as the 2009 Branch Rickey Award recipient, as announced on Thursday. He is the first Arkansan to when the award, which has been around since 1991.

The Branch Rickey Award is given annually to the player who makes a positive impact in their community. Hunter has made multiple contributions, especially in Pine Bluff, among other places. In addition to donating $500K to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Hunter is providing college scholarships to students in Pine Bluff and other cities.

Hunter is also a nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which will be announced later this year.

Fort Smith, AR native Ryan Franklin was named August’s best reliever Wednesday when he was awarded the Delivery Man of the Month award. He went 11 for 11 in save opportunities with a 0.00 ERA in 11 innings pitched.

The league leader in saves, Franklin is having what is likely the best season ever for a reliever from Arkansas. His 37 saves is a single season record among Arkansans. In addition, his 1.67 ERA is the best of any reliever with at least 50 innings pitched this season.

Needless to say, Franklin is the first Arkansas-born player to win the award, which has been around since 2005.

Van Buren, AR native Craig Gentry made his MLB debut Sunday with the Texas Rangers, going 0 for 1. He became the 148th Arkansas-born player to play in the big leagues and the second this season, joining Drew Sutton of the Cincinnati Reds.

Gentry replaced Marlon Byrd at center field in the 7th inning of the Rangers’ 0-7 loss to Baltimore. The first Oriole batter that inning flew out to center, Gentry’s first putout. His first major league at-bat came the next inning when grounded out to third.

Another September call-up from Arkansas, Brent Dlugach, has yet to make his debut for the Detroit Tigers.

Craig Gentry, an Arkansas native, was called up to the Texas Rangers’ major league roster Tuesday as part of September’s expanded rosters. He is expected to make his MLB debut some time this month, and when he does so, he will be the 3rd Arkansas-born player to debut this season.

Gentry, 25, was born in Van Buren, AR. He later went on to play at with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. With AA Frisco this season, he hit .303 with 8 homeruns and a league-best 49 stolen bases in 127 games. The center fielder played 10 games with Texas during spring training and went 5 for 12.

Depending on when Detroit Tigers player and fellow Arkansan Brent Dlugach debuts, Gentry will be either the 148th or 149th Arkansas-born play to make it to the majors.

Arkansas native Brent Duglach was placed on the Detroit Tigers’ roster Tuesday as a September call-up. When he will make his MLB debut is unknown, but when he does, he will be the 148th Arkansas-born player to play in the Major Leagues.

Dlugach, a 26-year old native from Fort Smith, AR, has played his entire 2009 season with the Toledo Mudhens on the AAA International League. In 125 games, he has hit .294 with with 9 homeruns. The shorstop also hit 36 doubles, second most in the league, and was named to the IL Post Season All-Star Team. He is also the son of former minor leaguer Mike Dlugach, who played in the White Sox organazation from 1973-1976.

Dlugach will be the second Arkansan to make his Major League Debut this season. Earlier this year, Drew Sutton debuted for the Cincinnati Reds.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Fort Smith, AR native Ryan Franklin completed a contract extension Tuesday that will keep him with Cardinals until 2011. Fellow reliever Trevor Miller was also given an extension. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Franklin, the single-season save leader among Arkansans, has been with St. Louis since 2007. It that time, he has 54 saves and a 2.74 ERA. So far this season, the 36-year old is 2-1 with a 1.05 ERA and a National League best 35 saves.

Currently, Franklin is second all-time in saves among Arkansans, only behind Ellis Kinder.

The class AA Southern League named it’s post season all-stars on Mondays, and among the listed players was Arkansan Travis Wood of the Carolina Mudcats. But that was just the first honor for Wood, who was also named the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher.

Wood, who was born in Little Rock and grew up in Bryant, AR, has put together an impressive season between the Mudcats and the AAA Louisville Bats. With the Mudcats, he went 9-3 with a 1.21 ERA, which remains best in the league. Wood has also gone 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA with the bats, where he will likely get at least one more start before the end of the season.

Wood is expected to play with Louisville in the International League playoffs later this month.