Smokies Beat Wahoos

April 8, 2017

In his second game of the season, Pensacola right hander Luis Castillo did his impression of Amir Garrett who toed the mound for the Blue Wahoos last year. The Tennessee Smokies defeated Pensacola, 2-1, Friday to tie the series at one game apiece in front of the second sellout crowd of 5,038 this season.

Despite the loss, Blue Wahoos coaches liked what they saw from Castillo, the Red’s No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Castillo was the No. 2 prospect in the Miami Marlins organization and its Minor League Pitcher of the Year before being picked up in a trade Jan. 19.

Castillo, who effortlessly throws a fastball in the upper 90-mph range, allowed just one run, three hits, walked one and struck out five in six innings in his first start for Pensacola. It was just his fourth start in Double-A.

Blue Wahoos pitching coach Danny Darwin compared Castillo’s explosiveness to Garrett’s.

“The only thing holding him back right now is his slider,” Darwin said. “There are not many arms that can throw 97, 98 mph like he does with ease.”

Speaking of Garrett, all he did was become the first Reds’ pitcher since 1970 – 47 years ago – to throw six or more scoreless innings in his debut. In franchise history, it has only been done three times. His line against the St. Louis Cardinals: 6 IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, and 4Ks and picked up the victory.

Castillo had his slider working against Tennessee. After allowing a leadoff single to Tennessee left fielder Charcer Burks, the 24-year-old Dominican, struck out the next batter and then got out of the first inning on a double play by second baseman Josh VanMeter and shortstop Blake Trahan that wowed Blue Wahoos fans. Castillo then set down the next 11 batters in a row.

He ended his night on the hill striking out Smokies second baseman Davis Bote on a slider. He pumped his fist and looked up to the sky.

“That was great to see him use his slider,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “He did a really good job. (Catcher Adrian) Nieto made him throw it.”

The only run off of Castillo came on a two-out solo shot over the left center wall in the fifth inning to Tennessee center fielder Trey Martin, who was 2-4 Friday.

Pensacola got its third solo home run of the season when center fielder Brian O’Grady yanked the ball deep over the right field fence to tie the score, 1-1, in the bottom of the fifth.

Tennessee regained the lead, 2-1, in the eighth inning when Smokies second baseman Davis Bote hit a ground rule double that bounced just inside the right field line over the fence. It dove in pinch hitter Cael Brockmeyer, who had reached first when he was hit by a pitch thrown by Pensacola reliever Alex Powers.

Right-handed reliever Austin Brice, who is doing rehabilitation in Pensacola to recover from an inflamed ulnar nerve of his throwing elbow, relieved Castillo. In his one inning of work, Brice struck out two, hit Tennessee hitter Jeffrey Baez in the back with a fastball, and got Martin out on a long fly ball to the warning track in left field.

“The pitch he hit the guy with was his first two-seamer in three weeks,” Darwin said. “He threw on the side the day before and was a little anxious.”

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports