Zach Brown has been one of the hottest Wizards as of late. He upped his average to .350 with a 2 for 3 performance in the Wizards 2-1 victory Monday against West Michigan.
Brown drove in both runs with a two-out double in the second inning.
“I’m just having fun. I’m happy to have the opportunity and I’m just trying to make the most of it.
A 27th-round draft pick, Brown joined the team on April 28.
The Wizards came into Wednesday’s game with Burlington issuing a Midwest-League low 67 walks. They surrendered a season-high six in Wednesday’s 7-4 loss. The most crucial came when reliever Tyler Davis walked Antonio Jimenez with the bases loaded in the fifth, giving the Bees a 6-4 lead.
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Mat Latos made his third outing of the season Sunday. He pitched three innings, allowing two runs and five hits in the Wizards’ 4-1 loss to Cedar Rapids. The right-handed pitcher struck out three and walked one. He fell to 0-2, but his ERA is at 2.70.
“It’s a lot different than (spring training in) Arizona,” said Latos, the No. 3 prospect in San Diego’s organization according to Baseball America. “I have to mix in a few more pitches here and there. I have to throw more change-ups, mostly rely on my fastball, but definitely throw more change-ups. Down the zone, keep the slider, making adjustments from Arizona to here. There are a lot better hitters, a lot more controlled hitters aware of the zone.”
In 10 innings this year, Latos has recorded 11 strikeouts while walking four.
“He had a couple of pitches where they weren’t where he was trying to throw them,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said. “The change-up might have been a little hard and up in the zone. He knows he’s better than that and he’ll continue to grow from this outing.”
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
The Wizards collected a season-high 12 walks to rally and beat Cedar Rapids, 10-9, on Saturday. Fort Wayne entered the day leading the Midwest League with 111 walks.
Justin Baum walked three times. He came into the game tied for the team lead with 15 walks. Zachary Brown and Ali Solis both walked twice.
“You have to watch how the game is going and let the game dictate to you what you should do,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said. “They were having trouble throwing the ball over the plate and we were patient enough to take the walk.”
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Friday’s 7-5 comeback victory continues a hot streak for Fort Wayne. The Wizards have won four out of five, seven of their last 11 and 10 of their last 16.
“Every one of these games are important. That’s why we play them. We play them to win,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said.
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Jackson Quezada has emerged as one of the more reliable figures in the Wizards’ bullpen. The right-handed pitcher threw two perfect innings Friday in Fort Wayne’s 7-5 victory against Cedar Rapids.
“He has a great arm, he has great stuff and when he’s in the strike zone, he can shut some guys down,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said. “He’s been throwing the ball outstanding.”
Quezada struck out three batters en route to his first victory. He has a 3.09 ERA. In 11 2/3 innings pitched, he has struck out 11 batters.
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Outfielder Danny Payne was played on the disabled list, retroactive to Sunday. Infielder Zachary Brown was promoted from the San Diego Padres’ extended spring training camp.
Payne joined the Wizards on April 18. He is hitting .333 with four doubles, one RBI and four runs scored. Brown was selected in the 27th round of the 2007 draft out of The Citadel. He was an All-Southern Conference pick, leading The Citadel with 69 runs scored, 21 doubles and 38 walks. He was second on the team with a .353 average, 13 home runs and a .622 slugging percentage.
Brown split time between Eugene of the Northwest League and the Arizona League Padres, hitting .225 with nine doubles, three home runs and 29 RBI.
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Mathew Latos, ranked the No. 3 prospect in the San Diego organization according to Baseball America, made his first start for the Wizards on Wednesday, a 5-0 loss to Clinton.
Latos' fastball was consistently clocked in the mid-to-low 90s. But his breaking ball wasn’t as crisp. He struggled to get the slider over for strikes early, which allowed Clinton to just wait for a fastball. That’s what led to the LumberKings first run, when Jose Felix lined a single to right, scoring Tim Smith in the second inning.
“They jumped on a couple of pitches. He was up 0-2, he tried to get the ball in and then the guy hits the ball down the line, that’s just baseball,” pitching coach Tom Bradley said.
Latos’ other two runs were unearned. He nearly got out of the third without giving up anything, but second baseman Drew Cumberland dropped a pop-up with two outs, which brought home two runs.
For the day, Latos struck out eight while surrendering five hits in four innings.
“I want to work on my change-up. My slider is coming along well. I made an adjustment when I’m throwing it and it’s not where it needs to be. The change-up is a work in progress. I have to work on keeping the ball down,” Latos said.
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Here’s pitching coach Tom Bradley’s take on Mathew Latos’ first stat of the year.
“His motion has been cleaned up from last year (in Eugene). He’s around the plate better. He’s around the zone better. He’s throwing more strikes. He probably didn’t throw enough change-ups today, but that will come.
“He threw some better breaking balls in the third and fourth inning. He was around his slider a little bit. He did a good job. He has an above-average fastball and he’s around the zone. He got to 59 pitches and his limit was 65, there was no reason to send him out there the fifth inning. He did his job, kept us in the game.”
- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette
Copyright 2007 -- The Journal Gazette
