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Reds 5 Cubs 3
With scouts from multiple teams reportedly looking on at Wrigley Field, Luis Castillo fired six dominant shutout innings as the Reds beat the Cubs 5-3 on Tuesday night. Castillo struck out 11 in throwing a career high 123 pitches. The game was scoreless through the first five innings. The Reds took a 2-0 lead in the 6th inning and made it 5-0 in the bottom of the 7th before the Cubs scored three times in the 7th versus the Reds bullpen. Hunter Strickland retired Ian Happ with the tying run at 2nd base to end the game. The Reds have won 3 of 4.
Luis Castillo: 6 IN, 5 H, 3 BB, 11 K. 123 pitches/77 strikes. What a performance for scouts on hand. He struck out six straight batters in one stretch. He dodged 3rd inning trouble by answering back-to-back singles with three straight strikeouts. He escaped bases loaded trouble (BB-BB-1B) in the 6th inning. His ERA dips to 3.32. He had 19 swing and misses on his fastball. His previous high in pitches was 119.
Icebreaker: The game was scoreless to the 6th inning when Brandon Drury lined a hit-and-run double to the gap to score Jonathan India to make it 1-0. Donovan Solano followed with a ground-rule double to score Drury, 2-0 Reds.
Add on: The Reds sent nine batters to the plate in the 7th inning. Jonathan India jacked a three-run homer in the 7th inning off reliever Rowan Wick to push the lead to 5-0.....it was 421 feet off the bat at 105.3 mph.
Bullpen: 3.0 IN, 3 R. Joel Kuhnel: 1.0, 3 H, 3 R. Art Warren 1.0, 0 R. Hunter Strickland: 1.0, 0 R, 4th save.
Pitch count: The two teams combined to throw 326 pitches. Cubs 150/Reds 176.
Mickey Mouse: Miscommunication between Nick Senzel and Albert Almora Jr. resulted in a fly ball dropping and producing the Cubs first run in a three run
7th inning.
Extensions: Aramis Garcia extended his hit streak to four games with a three hit night. Drury pushed his hit streak to seven games, with two hits.
Senzel extended his streak to five games.
Scratched: Tommy Pham was a late scratch from the starting lineup due to lower back tightness. Replaced by Max Schrock.
Double trouble: Solano had two doubles. He was activated last Wednesday and has five doubles in his first five games played. His five doubles equal the season totals for Matt Reynolds, Senzel and Almora Jr.
Oh-fer: Joey Votto 0 for 4, 2 K....now batting .208.
Solved? Reds nemesis Ian Happ was held down, 0 for 5, 2 K.
Bottom heavy: Cubs No. 8 Alfonso Rivas and No. 9 batter David Bote were on base a combined five times....3 H, BB, HBP, 2 R.
Down the Farm:
RHP Chase Petty: 5.0 IN, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K at Low-A Daytona. The 19-year-old, acquired for Sonny Gray, tossed a career-high-tying five shutout innings.
Colin Moran cleared waivers and accepted his assignment at Triple-A. He was removed from the 40-man roster.
Elly De La Cruz snapped a seven game homerless streak by going deep for the Dragons, No. 14....3 for 3, BB
Austin Hendrick homered for Dragons, No. 12.....3 RBI