Reds Recap: Luis Castillo, bullpen hold on for a 1-0 win over the Brewers

Luis Castillo was nails, as was the bullpen as the pitching staff made a 1-0 lead that was grabbed in the 1st inning hold up over the Milwaukee Brewers. Your Cincinnati Reds are now 3.5 games out of first place.

The Offense

Runs, and offense, were at a premium on Thursday afternoon at Great American Ballpark, though it didn’t seem that way from the start. Jesse Winker led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a double. Joey Votto singled to put runners on the corners. After a strikeout of Eugenio Suarez, Yasiel Puig came to the plate and singled in the 1st run of the game.

After that, the offense was pretty much shut down. Fortunately the Reds had Luis Castillo on the mound so that 1-0 lead held up. The offensive struggles the rest of the way weren’t at the fault of Jesse Winker, who went 3-3 before being replaced by Phillip Ervin as a pinch hitter later in the game. Joey Votto walked and had a single. Derek Dietrich, Nick Senzel, and Jose Peraza all went 1-3 on the day.

The Pitching

Don’t talk about it! Don’t mention it! How dare you think about it?! Aliens and ghosts are real, but jinxes are not. Luis Castillo got the start for the Cincinnati Reds on the 4th of July and the right-handed pitcher took a no-hitter into the 7th inning before rookie Keston Hiura singled with 1 out to break things up. It was the only hit he’d allow until the rain came and put the game on hold with 2 outs in the top of the 8th in the middle of his match up with Jesus Aguilar. Castillo was behind in the count 2-0 when the umpires put a halt in action and the grounds crew sprung into action to get the tarp on the field. He finished with this line: 7.2IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 9K. That. Will. Work.

David Hernandez came on to finish the at-bat after a rain delay that lasted 1 hour and 9 minutes. He would go on to walk Aguilar, which goes down as a walk for Luis Castillo since he began the plate appearance. Hernandez would strike out Yasmani Grandal to end the inning and maintain the Reds 1-0 lead.

Raisel Iglesias came out for the 9th to face the heart of the order for the Brewers. On a full count he saw Christian Yelich unload on a ball, lining a double off of the wall in right-center to lead off the inning and put the tying run in scoring position. Phillip Ervin helped out by reaching into the stands on the run down the left field line for a great catch for out number 1. Keston Hiura grounded out to second, but saw Yelich move to third on the play – but there were two outs. Iglesisas then got Eric Thames to fly out to shallow right-center to end the game.

Notes Worth Noting

Alex Wood begins his rehab assignment on Saturday with the Louisville Bats.

Alex Wood is set to begin a rehab assignment with the Louisville Bats on Saturday. The #Reds left-hander has not pitched since February in spring training.https://t.co/MuLpfh0NdG pic.twitter.com/91OLlXFM4K

— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24) July 4, 2019

Luis Castillo’s change up is absolutely filthy. You already knew that. But you probably didn’t know this about just how insane it is…..

Luis Castillo has 7 games this season with at least 6 strikeouts on his changeup.

Nobody else in the Majors has even TWO such outings. All other pitchers in baseball have combined for 8 such outings total.

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 4, 2019

While it’s noted below, it’s worth noting here, too: The Reds do not play tomorrow. They will open up a 2-game series on Saturday at home against the Cleveland Indians just before the All-Star break that will begin on Monday.

Here’s the current standings through the end of Thursday:

Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds

Cleveland Indians vs Cincinnati Reds

Saturday July 6th, 4:10pm

Shane Bieber (7-3, 3.54 ERA) vs Anthony DeSclafani (5-4, 4.35 ERA)