Reds spoil Luis Castillo gem, lose to Brewers 1-0

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Maybe it’s that the entire rest of the Cincinnati Reds look totally lost at the moment that Luis Castillo’s star has shone so bright early this season.

Maybe, though, it’s because he’s thrown absolute darts in his two starts, the second of which came today against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Reds Opening Day starter took the hill in the series finale and was virtually untouchable, allowing just a lone earned run and 1 hit in his 7 brilliant innings of work. He walked 4 - and balked once, which ultimately led to that lone earned run - but managed to strike out 9 Brewers on the day, upping his season total to 17 Ks in just 13.2 IP.

The stuff has always been there for Castillo, and it’s wonderful to see his ability to command it all appear to be coming together. Unfortunately, the offense...

Honorable Mentions are due to: you’ll have nothing and like it. That’s what happens when the Reds get 3-hit in a shutout loss to wrap a series sweep.

Key Plays

• Castillo did it to his own danged self in the Top of the 2nd. He issued a 1-out walk to Jesus Aguilar, and promptly balked to allow Aguilar to move to 2B. Aguilar, as Beers beat Tom Haudricourt noted, has never once stolen a base in his career. Later, notorious Reds-thrasher Manny Pina dumped a slow-roller through the infield into CF that was hit juuuust slow enough for Aguilar to lumber home, and the Reds trailed early, again, 1-0.
• Unfortunately, Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta was just as dominant as Castillo on the day, perhaps just a bit more so. He fanned 11, walked nary a Red, and allowed just 2 hits in his 8 IP, none of which pushed a Red across the plate. That’s the first half of a recipe for how you lose a 1-0 game, and though the Reds tried to try a bit in the 9th against the Milwaukee bullpen, a 1-0 final was how things ended.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Since we’re in the middle of Extension Season, it really wouldn’t piss me off one bit if Bob Castle decided to dole out a big ol’ extension to Lou Castle sometime soon.
• Also...BALKS WILL HAUNT.
• The Reds will venture out from GABP for the first time this season, as they’ll head to Pittsburgh this evening before opening a four-game weekend series on Thursday against the Pirates. That Thursday game will be a 7:05 PM ET start, and it’ll feature Tyler Mahle and Jordan Lyles on the mound as starters, respectively.
• The 2018 Cincinnati Reds started the season 1-4 and then had to play the Pirates.
• The 2019 Cincinnati Reds have started the season 1-4 and now play the Pirates.
• Dear god don’t do this to us all again.
• Jordan Lyles, for the record, has been valued at a whopping -3.3 bWAR in his career in 217 career games, so if ever there was a game where the offense might finally show up...
• Tunes.