Luis Castillo ends season on strong note, but Reds relievers crushed in loss to Pirates

PITTSBURGH – Luis Castillo left the mound to hugs from his infielders during the sixth inning Friday, but it was the Pittsburgh Pirates who were celebrating at the end of the night with a high-five line.

The Pirates scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against a trio of relievers after the Cincinnati Reds tied the game in the previous half-inning and the Reds were handed a 9-2 loss at PNC Park to open their final series of the 2021 season.

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It was a nightmare eighth inning for Reds pitchers. Amir Garrett allowed groundball singles to two of the three batters he faced. Michael Lorenzen didn’t record an out against his five batters (three singles, two walks), which included a missed catch by Tyler Stephenson in left field during his outfield debut.

Pirates leadoff hitter Cole Tucker put the exclamation point on the inning when he hammered a grand slam on the first pitch he saw from Dauri Moreta.

"I knew there was some risk there," Reds manager David Bell said of using Stephenson in left field in a tie game. "I took a shot for an inning to be able to get him back up in the ninth. His spot could have come up with the bases loaded, two outs in the tie game. Wanted to get him the experience and also believed that was the best way to try to win the game there.”

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Castillo, who was away from the team for three games while on the family medical emergency list, permitted one run in 5 1/3 innings. Tucker hit a leadoff triple into the right-center gap on Castillo’s second pitch of the afternoon and he scored on a groundout.

When he exited with two runners on base, he received hugs from all of his infielders as he walked off the mound for the final time this season.

"They were just giving me congrats on a great season," Castillo said, according to interpreter Jorge Merlos. "Obviously, with the season that we had and they just wanted to congratulate me with all the hard work that I did this year."

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Castillo had a 1-8 record and a 7.22 ERA through his first 11 starts of the season, a befuddling stretch for one of the most talented pitchers in baseball. His changeup wasn’t drawing nearly as many swings-and-misses and the Reds’ Opening Day starter with Cy Young aspirations was in the worst rut of his career.

Teammates raved about how Castillo kept his typical positivity despite his poor start to the season. There were small moments when he showed some frustration, but he never lost his confidence. He always felt he was one start from turning things around.

"To finish the year the way he did, not that we need to know any more about Luis Castillo, I think it was just very impressive how he kept his confidence and kept working," Bell said. "I do believe he got better through that time and finishing strong going into next season is pretty exciting to see how that develops."

Since the beginning of June, Castillo looked like an ace again. He closed the season with a 2.73 ERA across his final 22 starts, striking out 144 in 135 2/3 innings.

Castillo was one of the unluckiest pitchers in the league in terms of run support and he totaled a league-worst 16 losses. It’s strange to say a pitcher who had an 8-16 record and a 3.98 ERA should be happy about his season, but Castillo delivered for the final four months of the year.

He was rewarded after his final start with an ERA below 4.00 for the first time this season. Reds reliever Lucas Sims ensured it by striking out two batters on six pitches to end the inning, stranding Castillo's two runners.

"We had a lot of things we had to change, and it all worked out," Castillo said. "Positive mindset all the way through and we were able to get through. It was just a perfect season for me."

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In the sixth inning, the Reds saved a run with a shrewd challenge after shortstop Jose Barrero committed an error on an errant flip attempting to turn a double play. Ben Gamel, the runner, missed second base as he ran to third. The Reds appealed the play, second-base umpire John Libka signaled safe and the Reds challenged the ruling on the appeal. 

Bell credited replay manager Bo Thompson for noticing Gamel missed the bag. Castillo gave up a single on the next pitch – his final pitch – which would’ve scored a run if there was a runner on third. 

"The phone here, it doesn’t ring very loud," Bell said. "We happened to see the light flashing and (Thompson) came through. He caught that just in time and it was a big play, a really big play at the time, and it could have won us the game.”

The Reds, who have scored four runs across their last 27 innings, tied the score in the eighth inning when Max Schrock hit a two-out RBI single. Castillo was the only Reds batter to record a hit against Pirates right-hander Wil Crowe, who pitched six shutout innings.

Eugenio Suárez hit a one-out single in the seventh inning, but Tucker ended the inning with an over-the-shoulder diving catch that turned into a double play. It was a jaw-dropping catch for the part-time center fielder. Tucker received a standing ovation from the crowd of 13,582, including the fans in Reds jerseys.