Castillo pitches Reds to 1-0 win, four-game sweep of Pirates

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo pitched a masterful seven innings, Shogo Akiyama drove in the game’s only run, and the Reds moved into a virtual tie for second place in the National League Central Division with a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Castillo (3-5), coming off his first career complete game in a 3-1 win at St. Louis on Friday, retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced and gave up only three hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts, helping the Reds extend their winning streak to a season-high five games.

“He backed up his last start," Reds manager David Bell said. "He couldn’t get much better than that, but to be able to back that up was huge for us,”

Castillo's combination of a fastball that can reach 98 mph and a nearly unhittable changeup was unbeatable, Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.

“I thought his changeup was that good," Shelton said. "He was really good. Not only did his changeup have down action, but his fastball is usually side-to-side, but tonight it was straight down. He didn’t make many mistakes, and the ones he made, we hit right into the ground.”

Archie Bradley pitched a perfect eighth before Raisel Iglesias pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save.

Pittsburgh rookie J.T. Brubaker (1-2) tied his career high with 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and the lone run with one walk and four strikeouts.

Brubaker, who grew up about 90 miles north of Cincinnati in Springfield, Ohio, allowed a hit and a walk in four innings before the Reds pieced together a two-out rally in the fifth on consecutive singles by Jose Garcia, Curt Casali and Akiyama, whose liner to left knocked in Garcia.

Even though he lost, Brubaker basked in the challenge.

“Very enjoyable just going out and trying to make sure...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Castillo-pitches-Reds-to-1-0-win-four-game-sweep-15573570.php