The Reds did not win. They didn’t tie, either. They lost. They do that.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Luis Castillo needed a solid start in the worst of ways, and the young Cincinnati Reds righty finally had one on Wednesday. Against the Milwaukee Brewers, Castillo made it into the 7th inning allowing just 2 ER in his 6+ innings of work. He walked the lone batter he faced in the 7th - his lone walk of the night - and fanned 7 Beers in the process.

He still allowed 9 hits, and struggled at times to put away batters in pitcher’s counts - especially to the bottom of the Milwaukee batting order - but it certainly appeared that the arm-angle issues he’d dealt with earlier in the season were wrinkles that have now been ironed out. Hopefully, we’ll look back at tonight as the start that put Castillo back on-track for the rest of the 2018 season, as he certainly looked as good tonight as he has in quite sometime.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Amir Garrett, who looked electric in his scoreless inning of work, fanning a pair; Alex Blandino, who was on-base thrice, with an infield single and a pair of walks; and Eugenio Suarez, who walked twice, too (and scored a run).

Key Plays

• The Brewers plated the game’s initial run in the Top of the 2nd, and it came courtesy of some hard-hit balls - but also from some iffy defense at 1B. Jesus Aguilar ripped a 1-out single into LF to begin things, and he moved to 3B on a Domingo Santana laser that went past Joey Votto into RF when he didn’t quite get his glove down in time. That left runners on the corners, and after Castillo got a Manny Pina strikeout, Orlando Arcia singled in a run on a hard-hit grounder that kicked off Votto’s glove on the attempted stab. Nerbs. Reds trailed, 1-0.
• The Reds finally struck back against Wade Miley in the Bottom of the 4th, and it came courtesy of a pair of right-handed hitters with a histories of success against lefties. Suarez coaxed a walk, and he motored all the way around to score on Mesoraco’s double to the wall in left-center. Game tied, 1-1.
• Christian Yelich is a heckuva good baseball player, one who would’ve looked mighty fine in CF for the Cincinnati Reds baseballers. Instead, the Brewers splurged for him via trade this offseason, and he provided them with a solo dinger off Castillo in the Top of the 5th that put Milwaukee back in front, 2-1.
• Jared Hughes took over for the Top of the 8th, and after allowing back to back singles to Hernan Perez and Aguilar, the Brewers got a run on Manny Pina’s slow grounder to Peraza at SS, as Blandino couldn’t turn the double play with Aguilar barreling down on him at 2B. Reds trailed, 3-1.
• That was it. That’s how things ended, because of course.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Milwaukee’s Travis Shaw was replaced at 3B by Hernan Perez for the Bottom of the 2nd. There was no initial reason given as to why Shaw departed, but he did foul a ball off his foot in his first PA. It was later confirmed that the exit was prompted by said foul ball off of said foot.
• The Reds have an off-day on Thursday, but will continue their homestand come Friday as the Miami Marlins come to town. Sal Romano will start that series opener, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM ET.
• Tunes.