Castillo delivers at opportune time for Sox
Outfielder knocks two-out RBI single in 7th in club's 1-0 win; also makes crucial catch
BOSTON -- The Red Sox had gone 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position during Tuesday night's game against the Twins, when Rusney Castillo stepped to the plate for a pivotal at-bat with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
An inability to cash in on scoring opportunities has been the recurring theme of the season for Boston. But Castillo fought Mike Pelfrey for a tough at-bat and gave the Fenway faithful a clutch RBI single that led the Red Sox to a 1-0 victory.
The hit came on a 1-2 count after Castillo saved himself with three straight foul balls.
"I thought it was a good at-bat for me, especially given the situation in the game," said Castillo, who also made a clutch catch at the wall to prevent Aaron Hicks' potential tying homer in the eighth. "Thankfully I was able to drive in the go-ahead run after some tough at-bats prior. I'm just happy I was able to drive in a run to win the game."
Video: MIN@BOS: Castillo makes a grab on the warning track
The Red Sox can use hits anywhere they can get them, and Castillo has been mostly quiet at the plate since his callup from Pawtucket on May 22.
But there's confidence within the organization that the outfielder is going to develop into a strong hitter in the coming weeks.
"I think with consistent at-bats, he's gaining some timing," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "It looks like pitchers are trying to pound him in with some pitches that he's fighting off, and he gets a pitch out over the plate for the base hit here tonight.
"He came to us last year, late September, more just to get his feet wet. Now that he's in the thick of things, with each passing at-bat, the timing and the swings he's putting on balls is getting a little more consistent."