Pair of rookie left-handers help lead Padres past Reds
It was a big SAN DIEGO — night for a pair of 22-year-old rookie left-handers with the rebuilding San Diego Padres.
Eric Lauer got things started when he pitched five strong innings, drove in his first run and threw out Joey Votto to tie for the big league lead in pickoffs, helping the Padres to an 8-2 victory against the Cincin- nati Reds.
Jose Castillo had an impressive MLB debut by striking out the side in the eighth, starting with fanning Votto on a 95-mph fastball.
“That was cool, wasn’t it?” Lauer said of his new teammate, who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso earlier in the day.
The 22-year-old Castillo was acquired along with Wil Myers from Tampa Bay in a three-team, 11-player trade on Dec. 18, 2014. He became the ninth Padres player — and seventh pitcher — to debut this season.
“It’s cool to be a part of it. I’ve seen it firsthand,” Lauer said. “I’ve been with a ton of these guys that are coming up. I was one of those guys that came up. You just hope to see these guys stick and kind of have a little culture change to where we turn this club around.”
Lauer (2-3) won for the first time in five starts. He has largely struggled since making his MLB debut on April 24, but put together a nice outing and was backed by a four-run second inning against Matt Harvey (1-4). Lauer allowed one run on five hits, struck out four and walked two. He came in with a 7.67 ERA and lasted only 21/3 innings in his previous start, a 7-2 loss Monday to Miami.
Lauer’s only real mistake was allowing Curt Casali’s solo homer in his first Reds at-bat with one out in the second. Casali was acquired from Tampa Bay on Thurs- day and was added to the 25-man roster on Friday.
Votto singled with two outs in the third and was picked off by Lauer, who tied Atlanta’s Julio Teheran with five pickoffs, the most in the majors. The Padres lead the big leagues with 11 pickoffs.
“I think from an overall standpoint, I helped the team in more aspects. The RBI and pickoff are kind of bonuses, I think. I still need to get through more innings. Overall, though, it’s one of those outings where you look back and I helped the team in multiple ways.”
Castillo first showed flashes of what he can be when he pitched for Venezuela in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
“Fun. I gave him a really easy batter the first one he faced,” manager Andy Green joked about having Castillo start off against Votto. “The guy’s as good as it comes. That’s fun in and of itself, the first strikeout being Joey Votto. There’s probably not too many pitchers who can actually say that. And to punch out the whole side; we’ve been talking about him for some time, since he’s been acquired but also since I watched him in the WBC. Finally his time has come for a chance at the big league level and he seized it.”
Harvey allowed five runs — four earned — and six hits in five innings, struck out three and walked one.
Harvey said things “just kind of unraveled in that second inning. It’s frustrating, the last two starts I’ve had, one inning is really causing a lot of the damage. I think I got through the first inning fine, then kind of became mechan- ical and slowed everything down a little bit instead of just getting after it. Once I sped up my mechanics and stopped worrying about stay- ing back or staying closed and this and that it was a completely different ballgame.”
Trainer’s room: The Reds placed RHP Homer Bailey on the 10-day disabled list with
Reds pitcher
right knee inflammation and reinstated RHP Austin Brice (mid-back) from the DL.
‘It’s frustrating, the last two starts I’ve had.’ Matt Harvey