Chicago @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( May 7, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 14, Cincinnati 7
Starlin Castro sure knows how to make a good impression.
The Chicago Cubs' top-ranked prospect was recalled Friday and his major-league debut was one for the ages. Castro homered in his first career at-bat and became the first player in history to have six RBIs in his debut.
The 20-year-old Castro will attempt an encore – if even possible – in his second career contest on Saturday when the Cubs and Cincinnati Reds continue their three-game series in Cincinnati.
Castro stunned everybody inside Great American Ball Park with his scintillating debut. The right-handed hitting shortstop hit an opposite-field three-run homer off Homer Bailey his first time up and had a bases-loaded triple in the fifth.
The rookie gave the staggering Cubs a much-needed jolt in the 14-7 victory after Chicago was swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this week.
Castro was recalled from Double-A Tennessee, where he was batting .376. He wowed the Cubs during spring training and it was a given that he would be recalled at some point this season.
With Ryan Theriot performing well, Castro wasn’t expected to be recalled this early in the campaign. General manager Jim Hendry even said in late April that no recall was imminent.
But with the Cubs performing poorly, the plan changed and Castro got the call Friday morning with the request to meet the team in Cincinnati.
Castro became the sixth Cubs player to homer in his first major-league at-bat. He’s the youngest player to play for the franchise since Oscar Gamble debuted at age 19 in 1969.
Castro’s recall prompted the Cubs to move Ryan Theriot to second base. Theriot, batting .333, has been one of Chicago’s top players this season.
The Cubs reached a season-high total for runs on Friday and face struggling Aaron Harang on Saturday.
Harang, who won 16 games in back-to-back seasons for the Reds in 2006-07, has gone 13-35 since. This season, he’s 1-4 with a 6.68 ERA in six starts.
Opposing hitters are batting .324 against Harang, who is 9-8 lifetime against Chicago. He had a no-decision against the Cubs on April 10 when he allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings.
The Cubs will counter with Tom Gorzelanny (1-3), who struck out a career-high 10 batters against Arizona in his last start while posting hits first victory of the season.
Gorzelanny received a no-decision against the Reds on April 11 despite not allowing an earned run in 6 1/3 innings. His ERA is 2.48.
Cincinnati pulled Drew Stubbs from the leadoff spot and dropped him to seventh in the order. Orlando Cabrera batted first and went 2-for-5. Stubbs went 1-for-5 to raise his average to .175.
Reds manager Dusty Baker wants to keep Stubbs in the lineup because the youngster is an outstanding defensive center fielder.