Arozarena scores again, Rays beat Astros 2-1 in ALCS Game 1

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tampa Bay reliever Diego Castillo played catch Sunday afternoon, less than 48 hours after throwing 29 pitches in two innings, and told manager Kevin Cash he was ready to participate in the first game of the AL Championship Series against Houston.

Has he ever been.

“It’s always good news when you get a thumbs up,” Cash said after Castillo got out of an inherited bases-loaded situation with just one pitch and completed the five-out save to help the Rays win beat the Astros 2-1 on Sunday night.

Randy Arozarena scored again at Petco Park, Mike Zunino got the go-ahead run, and Blake Snell settled in for the win after allowing José Altuve’s first-inning homer.

The play of the game, however, came when Castillo entered the game with one out in the eighth and threw a pitch, allowing Yuli Gurriel to ground into a double play. Aaron Loup had loaded the bases on a batter, a walk and a single.

Castillo threw 29 pitches Friday night in a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees that won the AL Division Series. Cash didn’t know until Sunday afternoon whether the burly 26-year-old would be allowed to pitch that evening.

“I was going to be ready,” Castillo said through a translator. “I knew that with the day off yesterday, I came to the stadium prepared. I just showed up ready to throw.

Tampa has relied on its bullpen all season.

“I think the work he did sums up his whole year,” said Zunino, the catcher. “He took a big step for us. He started a lot of big situations for us. We had an idea who we could go to, but him coming in here showing what he can do says a lot about what these guys in the bullpen have done for us all year.

Cash called it “just a remarkable performance.” We really benefited from the double ball game on one court. … I appreciate his effort so much, the way he’s able to bounce back and make those dirty throws in front of incredible hitters.

Cash has a bullpen full of guys who want the ball.

“It’s impressive. It’s what you want as a team,” Cash said. “We’re going to continue to hope they want it.”

Gurriel fell to 2-for-25 (.080) with one RBI in the postseason.

“Everybody in the dugout knew he was going to get at least a sacrifice fly or a base hit,” manager Dusty Baker said. “It drives him crazy because he’s not used to wrestling like that. We just have to keep believing in Yuli.

Game 2 is Monday afternoon when the Rays turn to 36-year-old Charlie Morton, who got the win for Houston in Game 7 in winning the 2017 World Series. Houston counters with Lance McCullers Jr., who started this game 7 for the Astros.

Houston, which entered the playoffs with a 29-31 record, is in the ALCS for the fourth straight season and trying to advance to the World Series for the third time in that span.

The Astros are villains in many people’s eyes for their sign-stealing scandal three years ago, when they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. They also remain unapologetic.

Tampa Bay is trying to reach its second World Series after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.

“They have a lot of weapons there where they can mix and match, and we tried to keep the right-handed side of their lineup tonight, which we did,” Baker said. “Everything went according to plan tonight, other than winning the game.”

Zunino hit diving shortstop Carlos Correa to bring in Willy Adames with the go-ahead run with two outs in the fifth against left-hander Framber Valdéz. Adames reached on a leadoff walk and advanced on consecutive outs to Valdéz.

Arozarena continued his postseason run with his fourth homer in six games, sending a 1-2 pitch from Valdez to center field with one out in the fourth to tie it at 1. He scored in each of the first three games of the AL Division Series. against the New York Yankees, also in San Diego.

Nicknamed “The Cuban Rocket,” Arozarena defected to Mexico in 2015 and signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016. He made his big league debut last year and was traded to the Rays in the offseason.

He tested positive for COVID-19 during intake testing before summer camp and did not debut in the 2020 season until August 30.

The only Rays with more postseason home runs are Melvin Upton Jr. with seven and Evan Longoria six, both in 2008.

Altuve homered in his third straight game, driving in a 2-1 Snell pitch to left with one out in the first.

Snell allowed one run and six hits in five innings, struck out two and walked two.

“They have a great team, a great pitching staff and they threw the pitches when they needed to,” Houston’s Alex Bregman said. “I’m looking forward to playing more baseball. It’s funny! I love playing in this ballpark. It’s funny. The weather is incredible. It was just good to be there. It’s really fun to play baseball today.

FOLLOWING

Astros: McCullers allowed four earned runs and eight hits in four innings in Houston’s 10-5 win over Oakland in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Rays: Morton got the decision in the Rays’ 8-4 win over the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS.

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