It is games like these that only reinforce the confidence the Boston Red Sox brass has about their decision to lock up Cuban right fielder Rusney Castillo to a five-year, $72.5 million deal in August of 2014.
The 28-year-old showcased his full potential in Boston's 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox Monday night, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs including a three-run home run in the second inning and a two-run double in the sixth inning, leading his team to a series-opening win.
Just a triple shy of the cycle, Castillo showed Red Sox Nation just why ownership penned the contract bringing the right fielder to Beantown, improving his average on the season to a stellar .305.
Starting pitcher Joe Kelly (W, 7-6) was magnificent as well, going 7.1 innings while relinquishing just two runs on five hits, earning his fifth consecutive win on the mound. Kelly kept the White Sox batters at bay with his impressive arsenal of off-speed offerings, recording four strikeouts on the night which were all sealed with either a changeup or a curveball.
On the other side of the docket, Boston beat up on White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija, who allowed five runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings despite striking out seven. In addition to Castillo's breakout performance, second baseman Brock Holt went 2-for-3 with two runs in his return to the lineup for the first time since August 19, and left fielder Hanley Ramirez chipped in two runs to accompany a double.
Chicago opened the game with a blast, as designated hitter Jose Abreu knocked his 24th home run of the season on a solo shot in the first inning off of Kelly, however, Samardzija would quickly relinquish the advantage.
After retiring the first two batters of the second inning, Samardzija hit Ramirez on the arm before yielding a Holt single to right field. This brought up Castillo, who proceeded to slam a booming three-run home run to center to provide his team with an early 3-1 lead.
The Red Sox expanded this advantage to 5-1 in the sixth inning, facing Samardzija, when Ramirez laced a one-out double to the gap in left-center before Holt worked a walk. This, once again, brought up Castillo with a runner in scoring position, and he delivered for the second time in the game lacing a double off of the right field wall to plate both runners for his fourth and fifth RBIs of the night.
The White Sox recovered a run in the bottom half of the stanza, as center fielder Adam Eaton lead off the inning with a double and scored on an RBI groundout by left fielder Melky Cabrera. However, Kelly remained unflappable for the following 1.2 innings after that.
Chicago threatened in the bottom of the ninth, however, making life difficult for Boston reliever Jean Machi (SV, 2). Abreu led off the inning with a double down the left field line, scoring on a one-out RBI infield hit by right fielder Avisail Garcia. First baseman Adam LaRoche then singled, moving Garcia to third, before an RBI fielder's choice by shortstop Alexei Ramirez scored the runner to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, Machi was able to induce second baseman Carlos Sanchez into a game-concluding foul out to left, emerging from the inning with the lead still intact.