Cincinnati Reds: Luis Castillo and company stay hot in 3-1 win

Luis Castillo struck out 9 batters as the Cincinnati Reds emerged victorious last night against one the NL’s hottest teams.

The Cincinnati Reds continued their dominance over the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. Cincinnati defeated LA 3-1 last night at Great American Ball Park behind a great pitching performance from Luis Castillo and great defense from Brandon Dixon.

Castillo keeps proving his worth. Luis Castillo is the best starting pitcher on the Cincinnati Reds, and his performances of late are a sterling example of just that. Last night Castillo went 6.1 innings, allowed only 1 run on 4 hits and struck out 9 batters.

Castillo allowed two base runners in the first inning but got out of that jam after striking out Cody Bellinger and Yasmani Grandal. Castillo at one point retired 15 straight hitters before surrendering a home run to Joc Pederson.

More from Blog Red Machine

• Reds vs. White Sox: Pitching preview, prediction, and more
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin adds another twist to offseason roster construction
• Reds: Signing Tyler Mahle to a contract extension should be a top priority
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin should get first major league start vs Pirates
• Reds should unquestionably bring Wade Miley back in 2022

The home run was, unfortunately, his 28th allowed on the season. Castillo trails just Chase Anderson of the Milwaukee Brewers and Tyler Anderson of the Colorado Rockies, who have both allowed 29 home runs this season.

Over his last 6 starts, Luis Castillo has 42 strikeouts and only 5 walks. Castillo has solidified his spot in the Cincinnati Reds rotation entering next season and has entered the conversation as the potential No. 1 of next year’s staff barring a trade or free agent signing of a top-of-the-line starting pitcher.

Dixon’s glove and bat help the Reds. Brandon Dixon has been getting a lot of playing time lately, and that’s a good thing. Dixon, while not an elite hitter, has some power at the plate as he showed last night with his 436-foot moon shot toward the upper deck in left field.

Dixon’s number’s at the plate won’t wow anyone. He’s hitting only .194 with a .223 on-base percentage. However, Dixon’s numbers have been steadily increasing as his opportunities have become more prevalent. Over the last 7 games, Dixon is hitting .231 with a .289 OBP and a .978 OPS.

Dixon is an incredibly versatile defender. He’s played six different positions this season including two relief appearances on the mound. Last night, Dixon was subbing for Joey Votto at first and made a fantastic game-ending double play. Dixon’s defense will get him into games, and if his bat continues to improve, it may keep him there.

Schebler getting his groove back. Scott Schebler was cruising into the All-Star break, but a serious shoulder injury took him out of action for over a month. It was a slow start upon his return to the lineup back on August 25th. However, Schebler has experienced a resurgence of late.

For the month of August, in which he played only six games, Schebler was 5-of-25 at the plate. He had only 1 home run during that span and his on-base percentage was a lowly .259. Fast forward to now, and Schebler has been crushing the ball.

Over the last 7 games, Scott Schebler is hitting .357 with a 1.058 OPS. He has 3 long balls, including his solo shot last night, and 7 RBIs. While he has struck out 11 times during his 25 at-bats during that time, the other offensive numbers make that stat easy to overlook.