CINCINNATI – Luis Castillo pitched seven scoreless innings and Jesse Winker homered before departing with a hip injury Saturday, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Castillo (3-10) gave up six hits, struck out six batters and walked two while improving to 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA in five June starts. The right-hander posted a 7.22 ERA through his first 11 starts of the year.
“His stuff was electric,” Reds manager David Bell said, “but so was his attack.”
Winker was 0-for-7 in the series before connecting in the first inning for his 18th homer of the season. He grounded out to end the fifth and then left the game. He was diagnosed with a right hip contusion and replaced by Shogo Akiyama.
“My hip was tightening up a little bit,” Winker said. “I am fine. I’d like to see how it feels tomorrow before I say I can play.”
Winker might have aggravated his hip making a diving attempt for Ronald Acuña Jr.’s double in the third.
Nick Castellanos extended his home hitting streak to 18 games with an RBI double in the third. Joey Votto added an RBI single, and Tyler Stephenson went deep in the eighth off Edgar Santana for the third pinch-hit homer of his career.
Atlanta right-hander Ian Anderson (5-4) allowed five hits, struck out nine batters and walked one in six innings. Anderson pitched six scoreless innings against the Reds in the wild-card round of last year’s National League playoffs.
“He did a good job; it’s a tough offense to navigate,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He pitched well enough to win.”
Castillo was backed by good defense when Jonathan India threw out Guillermo Heredia trying to score from first on William Contreras’ double to end the sixth.
Amir Garrett got three outs for his fifth save of the year.
Heredia and William Contreras each went 2-for-4 for Atlanta. One of Contreras’ hits was a double, and Heredia’s single to left drove in Ozzie Albies in the eighth.
The Braves are 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position in the series after going 1-for-8 on Saturday. Atlanta third baseman Austin Riley, who lined out to end the third with runners at first and third, said the team has been putting up good at-bats.
“It’s frustrating,” Riley said. “Mine – first and third, line drive to third base. What can you do?”
The Braves left 10 runners on base as they lost for the third time in their past four games.
“We’re having a hard time stringing hits together,” Snitker said. “We’re making good contact.”
Cincinnati won 5-3 in Thursday’s opener before the Braves bounced back to win 3-2 Friday.
The Reds will try to take the series Sunday afternoon behind right-handed starter Tyler Mahle, who ranks fifth in the NL with 11.26 strikeouts per nine innings but is looking to improve at Great American Ball Park, where he has a 6.93 ERA in five starts compared to 2.01 on the road.
Left-hander Kyle Muller (0-1, 5.40 ERA) will make his second career start for Atlanta.