Castillo has rare off night in loss
Rockies 12, Reds 2
CINCINNATI — After back-to-back hits to open the bottom of the seventh inning Friday, the Cincinnati Reds had a chance to strike against Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez and cut into a four-run deficit.
The right-hander was nearing 90 pitches and the Rockies had movement in their bullpen. Luis Castillo had one of his worst starts in an excellent season, and the Reds needed to win with their offense.
But Marquez (10-5) struck out Scooter Gennett and induced an inning-ending double play from Jose Iglesias. The opportunity for Cincinnati to get back in the game was gone, and Colorado made sure of it by scoring six runs in the ninth for a 12-2 victory at Great American Ball Park.
Daniel Murphy hit a three-run homer and a three-run double to lead Colorado and tie his career high with six RBIS.
The Rockies are 5-16 in their past 21 games, but 3-1 during that stretch against the Reds.
“(Marquez) didn’t really make mistakes,” Reds manager David Bell said. “When he throws strikes and doesn’t make mistakes over the middle of the plate, with his stuff that he has, that’s when he has good nights.”
Castillo (9-4), who entered Friday with the second-lowest ERA in the major leagues (2.39), allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings. The six earned runs matched a career high.
“Those things are going to happen,” Bell said.
Colorado scored three times in the first on Murphy’s homer to set the tone. Cincinnati scored single runs in the first and second, including a Josh Vanmeter homer, but the Rockies bounced back with three in the fourth, with two coming on a homer by David Dahl.
“The two homers cost me the game,” Castillo said through team interpreter Julio Morillo.