CASTILLO CONTINUES TO SIZZLE
HOUSTON — The fans’ favorite punching bag is quietly having one of his best seasons in years. Seemingly reviled for his untradeable contract, his injury-filled 2008 season and, of course, The Dropped Popup, Luis Castillo continued his sizzling play with two hits, two runs and two RBIs in the Mets’ 8-3 win over the Astros yesterday.
Castillo is hitting .411 (23-for-56) over his past 17 games, with 13 runs, eight RBIs and 10 walks in that span. His 2-for-4 showing yesterday raised his average to .301, the first time the second baseman has been over .300 since May 14.
Castillo also has a .398 on-base percentage, second best among Mets regulars behind David Wright’s .409 mark.
Castillo particularly impressed manager Jerry Manuel with his two-out bunt in the fourth inning that scored Angel Pagan from third.
“Castillo has been tremendous,” Manuel said. “He’s been on fire. He’s doing everything. His game is impeccable at this point. Offensively, he’s moving runners, he’s putting down bunts, triple over the defensive head. He has really, really been key.”
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The Mets also have plenty of reasons to be pleased with the recently acquired Jeff Francoeur, whose two RBIs gave the right fielder 14 RBIs in 12 games since coming from Atlanta.
“He brings a lot of energy,” Wright said of Francoeur, who is hitting .261. “Then what he does on the field speaks for itself.”
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Rickey Henderson became the 10th former Met inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The others are: Tom Seaver, Gary Carter, Nolan Ryan, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Warren Spahn, Duke Snider, Richie Ashburn and Eddie Murray.
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The Mets hit three triples in one game for the first time since June 12, 1994, at Colorado. The triples were by Pagan, Castillo and Jeremy Reed.
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Reliever Pedro Feliciano picked up his 69th career hold as a Met, tying Aaron Heilman‘s franchise record. . . . The Mets released veteran right-hander Brandon Knight from Triple-A Buffalo so he could sign with a team in Korea.
