TORONTO — On the night of July 29, the MarinersThey were at Minute Maid Park Houston. They were not happy.
It wasn’t long before the AstrosFinal touches were put on the 10-run win over Seattle. The buzz in the clubhouse was palpable, a rare sign of optimism.
The Mariners had traded for RedsStarter pitcher Luis Castillo, the best available arm at the trade deadline. That buzz was started, more or less, by two of Castillo’s former Cincinnati teammates, Jesse WinkerAnd Eugenio SuárezThey were all beaming with excitement.
They saw the potential danger that was presented by the Mariners. The rest of their teammates soon discovered the same.
On Friday afternoon in Toronto, anyone else who didn’t know, got a heaping helping of what Castillo is about, as he sucked all the fun out of a sold out Rogers Centre by shining bright on the game’s biggest stage.
Castillo was responsible for one of the most significant franchise starts in franchise history. Blue Jays and their potent offense to six hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings, which went a long ways toward the Mariners’ 4-0 victory over Toronto in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series.
“When we acquired Luis Castillo, I was as excited as anybody because I know the talent,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.
