Wizards

Sandberg on Pelzer

Wynn Pelzer had another solid outing Monday against Peoria. The right-hander allowed three hits in seven shutout innings, guiding the Wizards to a 4-2 victory.

Pelzer struck out a season-high 10 to improve to 9-4.

Pelzer hit two batters, something Peoria manager Ryne Sandberg made mention of following the game.

“He drilled a couple of guys, I didn’t appreciate that. But other than that he pitched a pretty good ballgame,” Sandberg said.

Pelzer has won five of his last six decisions.

-- By LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

Hit parade

The Wizards had 45 hits in the three games against Peoria. Fort Wayne collected a season-high 20 on Saturday and followed it up with 12 Sunday and 13 in Monday’s 4-2 victory.

“Maybe with all the bosses in from San Diego (including vice president of scouting and player development Grady Fuson), the guys wanted to show them how well they could hit the baseball,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said with a laugh.

Luis Durango, Brad Chalk, Felix Carrasco and Ryan Hill each had two hits on Monday. Chalk had eight hits in the series.

-- LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

McBryde wins weekly honor

Jeremy McBryde was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week. The right-hander went 2-0 with victories against Quad Cities and Peoria. He’s the first Wizard to earn a weekly honor this season.

In 12 innings, McBryde allowed 11 hits, walked two and struck out 14.

-- LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

Coming along

Brad Chalk went 0 for 10 in the last series against Kane County. He’s more than made up for it in the first two games against Peoria. Chalk, a second-round draft pick out of Clemson, has had three hits in both contests. He went 3 for 5 Sunday, knocking in Anthony Contreras with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning of an eventual 3-2 victory. Chalk is batting .281. Two days ago, his average was .267.

“He gets it done. He works hard every day and it’s starting to pay off for him,” manager Doug Dascenzo said.

- LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

Injury updates

Left fielder Robert Perry was hit in the left wrist by a pitch in the fifth inning of Sunday’s 3-2 win against Peoria. Perry stayed in the game. After the contest, he said he’s OK.

“He was able to finish the game, that’s a good thing,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said.

Infielder Lance Zawadzki sat out his second consecutive game, recovering from a left calf injury. He exited in Friday’s game against Kane County.

“His left calf was cramping up on him. With the day game, we gave him 2 /12 days off, so he should be ready to go,” Dascenzo said.

- LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

New address

Beginning in August, the Wizards blog will have a new Web address. The blog will be moving to http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=BLOGS07.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Career best

I’ve been out of town this week for Big Ten football media day in Chicago. The Wizards made sure to provide plenty of fireworks in my first game back. Fort Wayne matched a season high with 20 hits in a 13-1 victory Saturday against Peoria. The team record is 22, set April 29, 1998 at Lansing. Luis Martinez had a career-high three hits. Luis Durango, Brad Chalk, Zach Brown and Andy Parrino also had three hits in the win, the team’s seventh in nine games.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

In the house

Grady Fuson, San Diego’s Vice President for Scouting and Player Development, is in town this weekend watching the Wizards. I’m hoping to have an interview with him sometime in the next couple of days to discuss this year’s team and also an update on when a few of this year's draft picks might be coming to Fort Wayne.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

No Ryno

Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Fame manager of the Peoria Cubs, is in Cooperstown for this weekend’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. He’s missing the first two games of this weekend’s series against the Wizards, but should be in town for Monday’s series finale.

-         By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Contreras contributes in victory

It’s been a rollercoaster year for Anthony Contreras.

He was selected in the ninth round of the 2005 draft by the San Francisco Giants out of San Jose State.

He played three minor league seasons in the Giants organization, hitting .259 (263-for-1,014) with 40 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 117 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 271 games.

The Giants released him in the spring, and he landed in Lincoln.

There he waited, hoping for another chance.

The Padres gave him that opportunity. Although he hasn’t played much since signing on June 28, he has made the most of those chances. He had three hits to up his average to .333 in a 9-4 victory against Wisconsin.

The Wizards like his versatility.

"He swung the bat real well, but it’s particularly nice you can play him anywhere on the field," Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said. "He looks good at short, at second. Swinging the bat is a bonus."

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette