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Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings July 9, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1940-Bill McKechnie manages the National League to a win, 4-0, in the All-Star Game. Paul Derringer starts the game, and pitches 2.0 shutout innings with three strikeouts and Bucky Walters follows with two more scoreless frames MLB.COM Castillo cracks win column with speed mix Reds rookie carves up D-backs with heater, changeup By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | 2:49 AM ET + 5 COMMENTS PHOENIX -- Before he even took the mound on Saturday vs. the D-backs for his fourth big league start, Reds rookie Luis Castillo and his velocity already had a reputation. Among starters with at least 300 pitches thrown this season, only the Mets' Noah Syndergaard had a higher average velocity (98.7 mph) than Castillo (97.6). But the Reds right-hander showed during a 7-0 victory over Arizona that he has more than heat to offer. On Saturday night, it helped him net his first big league win. "He had a nice mix, he really did. He was able to bring in the changeup and breaking ball but threw the fastball with confidence. He sat there at 97-100, throwing fastball strikes and blending in the others when needed," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I was very impressed at his composure and his presence." While throwing 6 2/3 innings with three hits, one walk and eight strikeouts, Castillo averaged 97.2 mph with his four-seamer. But according to Statcast™, the 24-year-old also threw 35 changeups, his other strong pitch, and 13 sliders -- a pitch he is still developing. Like other Reds infielders, first baseman Joey Votto has enjoyed playing behind Castillo. But Votto also takes an opposing hitter's view of the right-hander, because he remembered facing him in a preseason exhibition game against Reds future stars in Dayton. "Facing him initially, I thought his fastball played pretty true to the number. But then he started to throw the changeup," Votto said. "The changeup is a bit of a game-changer. His changeup, for me, makes things quite a bit more challenging as a hitter. I think he's starting to throw it more for strikes. I feel like he's throwing it in counts that matter." The average velocity of the changeup on Saturday was 87.1 mph, a sharp drop in speed from the fastball that makes him deceptive. "I was just focused 100 percent to get on top of the hitter and get ahead in the count with my fastball, and the secondary stuff was really good," Castillo said via interpreter Julio Morillo. "I had a real feel for my changeup today, and it worked really good for me." He held the D-backs hitless through three innings before Paul Goldschmidt hit a single to begin the fourth. Castillo had only two runners reach second base all evening. Chris Owings reached on a one-out error in the second inning and advanced on a Brandon Drury walk. In the seventh, Jake Lamb hit a leadoff single and Ketel Marte hit Castillo's 113th and final pitch for a two-out single. Price decided to pull Castillo and called on Wandy Peralta for the next 1 1/3 innings. "I feel really happy right now," Castillo said. "You always wonder as a professional pitcher when it's going to be your first win, and thank God today was the night." Castillo -- ranked as the Reds' No. 5 prospect by MLBPipeline.com -- was acquired from the Marlins with two others in the January trade for starter Dan Straily. After Straily's strong 2016 season, it wasn't a popular deal in Cincinnati. But Castillo has impressed since his callup from Double-A Pensacola on June 23. "This level is very new to him. You wouldn't be able to tell from looking at him," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "I thought he held himself very, very well throughout the course of the game." Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Reds rock D-backs as Castillo rolls to 1st win By Jarrid Denney and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 4:25 AM ET + 49 COMMENTS PHOENIX -- The Reds came alive on Saturday night as they hung three first-inning runs on the D-backs en route to a 7-0 victory at Chase Field. Joey Votto, who hit 29 home runs all of last year, hit his second long ball in as many days to push his season total to 26. In his fourth career big league start, Reds rookie Luis Castillo tossed 6 2/3 innings, struck out eight and held the D-backs to three hits for his first Major League win. It was All-Star Paul Goldschmidt who cracked Arizona's first hit -- a leadoff single up the middle in the fourth. The D-backs, who were shut out at home for the first time this season, are now 9-23 in games in which they score three runs or fewer. Within the first four innings, Billy Hamilton walked twice, stole three bases, scored a run and cracked an RBI single. He now has 37 steals on the season and took the MLB lead back from Washington's Trea Turner (35). Scooter Gennett added a home run with two outs in the fifth inning against Arizona starter Taijuan Walker. It was Gennett's 15th homer of the season, a new career high. "Hamilton's one of their catalysts," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "Taijuan was doing his very best to make pitches, unfortunately he ended up walking him and kind of getting their line moving. You put [Zack] Cozart and Votto right behind him, and they're two very good hitters. I think Taijuan made a couple of mistakes tonight and they made him pay." Now 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA, Walker threw five innings and surrendered five earned runs and five hits while striking out four and walking three. More >> "I think, collectively, guys got to some of his better pitches and put the ball in play where they ain't," Votto said. Tucker Barnhart hit the Reds' third homer of the night in the ninth inning off left-hander Jorge De La Rosa. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Votto stays hot: Votto entered leading the National League in home runs, and he added to that total before the D-backs recorded their first out. Votto blasted a two-run shot in the first that left his bat at 101.4 mph and was projected to travel 374 feet, according to Statcast™. "It's a big year. It's a big first half of the year for Joey," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "To do it at 33 -- he'll be 34 in September -- and being able to run the numbers he's running. ... I don't mean that he's past his prime, but he's still finding ways to evolve at 33, whereas I think a lot of players are trying to survive. It's been very impressive." Peralta shuts down rally: In the seventh, A.J. Pollock came to the plate to pinch-hit for Rey Fuentes with two on and two outs and the Reds holding a 5-0 lead. Wandy Peralta relieved Castillo and induced a popup to Votto in foul territory, ending the Arizona threat. Peralta went on to work 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. "We were limited to three hits on the entire night," Lovullo said. "We really couldn't build anything. I felt like we had a couple moments where if we got a hit, things could have really turned in a good way for us, but unfortunately not in the cards tonight." QUOTABLE "You couldn't ask for more than that. It was just a great performance. We grabbed the lead in the top of the first and he didn't give anything back. And they made him work." -- Price, on Castillo SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Votto (26), Scott Schebler (22) and Adam Duvall (20) are the only set of three teammates in the Majors with at least 20 homers each. WHAT'S NEXT Reds: It will be Homer Bailey who takes the Reds' rotation into the All-Star break Sunday when he starts the 4:10 p.m. ET first-half finale vs. Arizona. Bailey has a 12.66 ERA through three starts but is coming off working six innings with one run and eight hits -- all singles -- in Tuesday's 8-1 win over the Rockies. D-backs: Left-hander Patrick Corbin takes the mound at Chase Field on Sunday (1:10 MST) to close out the first half of the season. Corbin is 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in six career starts against the Reds. He went 2-2 with a 3.41 ERA over 29 innings in his past five starts. Jarrid Denney is a reporter for MLB.com based in Arizona and covered the D-backs on Saturday. Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Bailey, Corbin square off to wrap first half By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 12:00 AM ET + 0 COMMENTS As the D-backs and Reds conclude the first half with Sunday's series finale at Chase Field, both starting pitchers aim to keep some level of momentum going.