Luis Castillo delivered seven shutout innings to spark a combined two-hitter and Drew Romo and Chase Meidroth homered as the host Chicago White Sox defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 on Wednesday.
American League Central-leading Chicago won for the third time in four games on the heels of a four-game skid.
Castillo was the stabilizer for the White Sox. Acquired from the Seattle Mariners in an Aug. 1 trade, the veteran right-hander shined in his home debut, scattering one hit, two walks and a season-high 10 strikeouts.
Hagen Smith struck out the side in the eighth inning before Huascar Brazoban worked around Sal Stewart’s one-out single in the ninth to complete the gem.
Sam Antonacci paced Chicago’s 11-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with a double, while Romo and Meidroth both added a pair of hits. Back in the lineup for the first time since Saturday after dealing with a left wrist issue, Meidroth hit a two-run home run in the sixth that provided valuable breathing room.
Stewart went 2-for-4. He registered Cincinnati’s lone hit against Castillo (4-9), grounding a single to right field with one out in the first inning. Castillo recovered to strand Stewart, ending the frame with his first strikeout of the night.
Castillo added two strikeouts each in the second and fourth innings and fanned Stewart to close the sixth. He struck out the side in the seventh to end his outing with four straight Ks.
Red right-hander Rhett Lowder was seeking his third consecutive quality start but came up two outs short of the feat. He fell to 4-8 after allowing two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts.
Lowder surrendered a home run for the third consecutive start as Romo connected for a solo shot to right field with one out in the third.
Julian Garcia entered in relief for the Reds after Colson Montgomery singled against Lowder with one out in the sixth. Meidroth greeted the righty with a two-run shot into the left-field bullpen.
Romo added his second RBI of the game with a run-scoring single in the eighth. Tristan Peters scored the last Chicago run on a wild pitch later in the inning.
Cincinnati has lost four of five.
