Luis Castillo Shines on the Mound, Mariners Tie Astros
Kansas City – Dominican pitcher Luis Castillo delivered a stellar performance this Thursday, propelling the Seattle Mariners to a crucial 2-0 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. This triumph not only keeps Seattle’s hopes alive, but also puts them in a tie with the Houston Astros at the top of the American League West Division, both with a record of 84-69. Castillo, 32, demonstrated his dominance on the mound by pitching six scoreless innings. He limited the Royals to just three hits, without conceding walks and showing absolute control of his pitches. This was his third consecutive quality start, reducing his ERA to 2.86 during the month of September and solidifying himself as a fundamental pillar for the Mariners in the final stretch of the season.Seattle’s offense made its presence known early in the game. A two-run double by the also Dominican Jorge Polanco in the second inning opened the scoring. Later, a double by J.P. Crawford in the eighth inning extended the lead, after a controversial play that the Mariners successfully challenged. The three-game series that will begin this Friday at Daikin Park against Houston will be decisive. Not only will it define who will take the divisional lead, but also the advantage in case of a possible tie towards the playoffs. Seattle has not won the division since its historic 116-win campaign in 2001.“He stepped up, took the ball, and did what we needed. He understands those moments and delivered in a big way. He’s in a great moment”.
Dan Wilson, Mariners manager
Expectations are high for this crucial series between the Mariners and Astros, which promises to be a preview of the postseason, with the American League West title at stake.“We’ve been having fun since the start of the season. That’s the main thing in this game, going out there and giving it your all and enjoying it. And of course, we want to keep winning.”
Jorge Polanco
