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Luis Castillo flirts with perfection as Mariners sweep Rockies

Apr 16, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) pitches to the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Luis Castillo took a perfect game into the seventh inning as the Seattle Mariners completed a three-game interleague series sweep with a 1-0 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies on Sunday afternoon.

Castillo (2-0), who had an 0-3 record with an 11.30 ERA in three previous starts against the Rockies, retired the first 18 batters he faced before Jurickson Profar led off the seventh with a bloop single into left-center field.

Kris Bryant followed with an infield single on a slow roller to shortstop J.P. Crawford. Castillo struck out Charlie Blackmon, got C.J. Cron to ground out to first and Ryan McMahon to line out to Crawford to end the threat.

Castillo allowed two hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out nine over seven innings. It was the third time in four starts this season the right-hander didn’t allow a run. Paul Sewald struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

The Mariners broke the scoreless tie in the sixth against the Colorado bullpen. Ty France drew a leadoff walk from Dinelson Lamet (1-1), and an out later, Cal Raleigh also walked. With two outs, the Rockies brought in lefty Brad Hand to face the left-handed-hitting Jarred Kelenic, who lined a run-scoring single to right.

The Rockies nearly evened the score off reliever Justin Topa in the eighth. Alan Trejo hit a two-out double to left and Elias Diaz hit a liner down the right-field line but Kelenic fully outstretched to make a diving catch to end the inning.

Rockies right-hander Noah Davis, making his first major league start in place of the injured German Marquez, pitched five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out five.

Davis worked his way out of jams in his final three innings.

In the third, Kolten Wong and Crawford hit one-out singles before Davis got Julio Rodriguez to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

France led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and Eugenio Suarez singled to right. Davis struck out Raleigh and got Teoscar Hernandez to ground into another inning-ending double play.

In the fifth, Kelenic led off with a walk, stole second and took third on catcher Brian Serven’s throwing error. Davis struck out AJ Pollock and got Wong and Rodriguez to foul out to Cron to cap his outing.

–Field Level Media

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