Seattle Mariners‘ prized trade deadline acquisition Luis Castillo didn’t disappoint in his first playoff start Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Castillo posted 7.1 scoreless innings, helping lead the Mariners to a 4-0 victory in Game 1 of their wild-card series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The shutout win was just the second in Mariners history, joining the 2000 squad that blanked the New York Yankees in the ALCS.
The Mariners took control early, jumping ahead 3-0 just four batters into the game.
Julio Rodriguez led off the game, reaching first after being hit by a pitch. After a Ty France groundout moved Rodriguez to second, Eugenio Suarez doubled to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Cal Raleigh followed, smashing a two-run shot, and just like that, Seattle led 3-0.
Raleigh’s long ball made him the first Mariner to hit a home run in their first career postseason at-bat and was Seattle’s first playoff homer since 2001.
In the fifth, Rodriguez reached base after being hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. After a France single, Suarez increased the Mariners’ lead to 4-0, driving in Rodriguez from third on a fielder’s choice.
A 4-0 lead was more than enough for Castillo, who allowed six hits and struck out five to earn the win on the mound.
Castillo ended his day emphatically, punching out the side in the seventh before giving way to reliever Andres Munoz with one out in the eighth inning.
Munoz took over from there, allowing only one hit in 1.2 innings of work to preserve the victory.
The Mariners and Blue Jays will meet Saturday at 4:07 p.m. for Game 2 as Seattle looks to close out a sweep of the best-of-three set.
