Storm win Behind Stellar Jose Castro Start

LAKE ELSINORE — Righty Jesus Castro delivered his most dominant start of an impressive debut season, striking out 12 batters over 4.2 shutout innings. The diminutive 18-year-old filled up the strikezone with a three-pitch mix, completely overwhelming Ontario batters as the Storm rolled to a 6-1 victory to maintain a one-game lead in the division with just over a week left in the first half of the season.

Castro, who is perhaps listed generously at 5-foot-11, threw 61 of his 96 pitches for strikes, drawing a 34% whiff rate while allowing just five balls in play. Working off his sinker, which sat 91-92 and touched 94, the Guasave, Mexico, native kept the Tower Buzzers off balance with a mid-70s curve and a changeup he threw effectively to both righties and lefties.

“That guy has some really good pitchability. He knows what he’s doing on the mound,” said Storm manager Brallan Perez. “He’s always attacking hitters. It’s really awesome to see that guy performing that well.”

Castro opened the game with back-to-back strikeouts before a weak pop-out to second baseman Jose Verdugo, shallow on the outfield grass. The next out on a ball in play wouldn’t come until a ground ball to short to open the fifth inning.

Dodgers prospects reached on a ground ball single through shortstop Jorge Quintana in the second, a two-out walk in the third inning, and a two-out double just inside the third base bag in the third inning.

Having already thrown 77 pitches through the first four frames – really the only negative in his entire outing – Castro came back out for the fifth. After the grounder snapped his strikeout streak, Ontario catcher Bryan Gonzalez Garcia had the only hard-hit ball of the night, lofting a booming double high of the wall in right-center. Castro bounced back for another strikeout and got to 2-2 on the next batter before issuing his second free pass of the night with his 96th and final pitch.

Castro has allowed only three earned runs over 23.1 innings across his last five starts, striking out 37 while walking seven.

While their starter cruised, Lake Elsinore’s offense played the sort of aggressive game that has helped put them in line for a first-half division championship. They opened the scoring in the first inning when Kerrington Cross drew a one-out walk, stole second, and then came around on a Luke Cantwell double on a line drive that evaded the Buzzers’ center fielder.

The Storm couldn’t push across anything else over the next two frames, despite loading the bases with one out in the third inning. In the fourth, Bradley Frye drew a leadoff walk, advanced on two straight wild pitches, then scored as Quintana – who had struck out on three feeble swings in the second inning – got on top of a fastball to drive it to center for a sacrifice fly.

“That’s growth right there,” said Perez. “He’s been battling some, but it’s really good to see how he can stand up. It’s really good to see how he can handle himself.”

Quintana drew walks in each of his final two trips to the plate. The highest-ranked prospect on the roster to open the year, Quintana has struggled through the season, striking out in a third of his plate appearances and hitting just .228/.307/.295 through the end of May. The 19-year-old has been more consistent through his first six games this month, reaching base 10 times with six strikeouts in 27 trips to the plate so far in June.

Quintana keyed a four-run seventh inning by the Storm with a leadoff walk. The club loaded the bases behind him on a wild pitch that came on a third strike, and a walk. Quintana came in to score from third on the fifth wild pitch by Ontario pitching before Kerrington Cross shot a double to the left field corner. He swiped third for his second of the game and the club’s third of the inning before coming in on a Jose Verdugo sacrifice fly.

“The energy and the culture they have built have been great, and that showed up tonight,” said Perez. “Any opportunity that is given to us, we’re going to take it. We work on every single detail in pregame practice, and it’s been very good to see it every single night.”

Lake Elsinore, who finished the night with nine walks, swiped six more bases on the night, leaving them four off the minor league lead. Ryan Westman, who had a pair of singles and a walk on the night, stole two more, pushing his minors-best total to 39.

ODDS AND ENDS

Verdugo had a walk and his sacrifice fly, but saw his hitting streak snapped at 17 games. The 18-year-old infielder has raised his OPS 143 points since the start of that stretch and has a .324/.368/.471 line this month. … The Storm lead Angels affiliate Rancho Cucamonga by one game heading into the final week of the first half. They’ll head to North Division leader San Jose next week, while Rancho plays at Ontario.