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 "We used to always come in here and lose," he said. "Now we're here
to compete and win. It's great."
So was Castro on Tuesday night, when he was involved in every rally
as Chicago tightened the National League Central race with an 8-5
verdict over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cubs second baseman started a two-run first inning with a walk
ahead of first baseman Anthony Rizzo's 29th homer, cracked a
three-run homer in the second and knocked in a run in the seventh
with a double.
Once considered the franchise's future face at shortstop when he
came to the majors in 2010, Castro saw his star dim as critics
panned him for errors and poor strike-zone discipline.
Manager Joe Maddon then did in late July what might have been
unthinkable even last year, benching Castro and moving rookie second
baseman Addison Russell to his natural shortstop position.
Instead of pouting, though, Castro kept working and is becoming a
more effective player without getting everyday at-bats. In his past
34 games, Castro is 32-for-99 (.323).
"He's been so professional," Maddon said of Castro. "I think what
you're seeing is a more rested player with some days off. Lately,
the ball's been coming off his bat hotter. Good for him."
Castro's performance is mirroring that of his team, which won its
fifth consecutive game and pulled within 6 1/2 games of St. Louis in
the division while staying within two games of the Pittsburgh
Pirates for the first NL wild-card spot.
Rizzo knocked in three runs, while starter Jason Hammel (8-6)
carried a shutout into the seventh inning and contributed an RBI
single in the second.
It was a far cry from Chicago's first two trips into St. Louis,
which saw the Cubs win only one of seven games. Their youth was
exposed at every turn with poor at-bats and other mental mistakes
against a team that punishes sloppy play.
"I wouldn't say we're a different team, just a smarter team," Hammel
said.
Yet the Cubs (80-57) had to sweat for the first time in the series
when the Cardinals snapped a 15-inning scoreless streak with five
seventh-inning runs. In his first at-bat since Aug. 16, when he
sustained an elbow injury that put him on the disabled list, pinch
hitter Randal Grichuk kick-started the rally with a 451-foot,
two-run homer into the third deck in left.
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The inning got back to Grichuk after his teammates tacked on three
more runs, thanks to a two-run single by first baseman Stephen
Piscotty and an RBI single by catcher Tony Cruz. Pedro Strop,
Chicago's fourth pitcher of the inning, fanned Grichuk with a 1-2
breaking ball to end the uprising.
Fernando Rodney worked a clean eighth, and closer Hector Rondon
pitched around a one-out double by second baseman Matt Carpenter in
the ninth for his 27th save in 31 chances.
Hammel allowed four hits and three runs in six-plus innings, walking
four and whiffing six.
St. Louis starter Michael Wacha (15-5) lasted just four innings,
allowing six hits and six runs with three walks and two strikeouts.
It was his first start since Aug. 28, as the team skipped his
previous turn to give him extra rest.
"I wouldn't put much into it," Wacha said when asked if too much
rest hurt his performance. "Everything felt really good. I just
couldn't get it under control and keep the ball consistently down in
the strike zone."
In losing for the fifth time in six games, the Cardinals (87-51) saw
their division lead over the Pirates slip to 4 1/2 games.
NOTES: St. Louis recalled RHP Sam Tuivailala from Triple-A Memphis,
marking his fifth and final trip this year on the Memphis-St. Louis
shuttle. Tuivailala is 0-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 11 outings with the
Cardinals. ... Chicago activated RHP Neil Ramirez (left abdominal
soreness) from the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Yoervis
Medina from Triple-A Iowa, placing its active roster at 34 players.
... St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong (calf tightness) didn't start for the
second straight game. Wong pinch-hit in the ninth inning Monday, but
he didn't play Tuesday.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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