By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 4/17/2002
TORONTO - It's enough to make all the fantasy baseball general managers who overlooked them devour their pencils. Sure, it's early. But Shea Hillenbrand knocking in 17 runs in 12 games to lead the majors? And Frank Castillo flashing some serious potential by harnessing opponents to a league-best .117 batting average in his first three starts?
Believe it. Hillenbrand, the workaholic kid who relies on a sports psychologist to keep him in synch, and Castillo, the laid-back veteran without an apparent worry in the world, last night formed an unlikely alliance to lead the Red Sox in a 14-3 thrashing of the Blue Jays before a paltry 16,069 at SkyDome.
Home Run Hillenbrand slugged his fifth of the season, a three-run bomb, as he maintained his torrid April pace by also doubling, scoring three runs, and improving his team-leading average to .413.
''I knew he had a lot of talent,'' said Castillo, such a punchless hitter that a former teammate, Brian McRae, once bet him an $89,000 Mercedes that he couldn't hit a home run in batting practice (Castillo eventually won the car). ''But, man, he's a rising superstar.''
One of Hillenbrand's role models, Manny Ramirez, pitched in with what Johnny Damon described as ''a breakout game,'' as he fell a triple short of the cycle by homering, doubling, singling, and knocking in three runs in the onslaught.
And Castillo surrendered the Jays only one run on three hits and a walk over six innings for his first victory - and his first in three tries against his former teammates. Castillo bolted Toronto after the 2000 season when the Sox gave him what the Jays wouldn't - a two-year contract.
''Frank Castillo pitched an awesome game,'' a sweat-laden Hillenbrand said after he was all but dragged from his postgame weight-pumping session to face reporters. ''And the team went out and kicked butt tonight.''
Given the brutality of the beating, Toronto fans could be forgiven for wondering if it marked the start of another season-long Boston massacre north of the border. The Sox won eight times in SkyDome last year, their most road victories in one city since they went 9-0 in Detroit in '76.
The victory was such a laugher that even Tony Clark, who went 0 for 5 to extend his streak of futility to 1 for 30, could smile when his left foot briefly got stuck under a fence when he tried to catch a foul ball. And Rolando Arrojo could chalk up his first save despite committing a pair of ugly errors.
They could thank Hillenbrand and Castillo for the sense of comfort.
''What more can you say about Hillenbrand?'' Damon said. ''He's carrying our team.''
With his double in the first inning, Hillenbrand extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He launched his three-run homer in the third inning by one-arming an 84-mile-per-hour slider from Toronto starter Brandon Lyon over the left-field wall. The blast drove in Rey Sanchez, who had singled, and Damon, who had singled after Sanchez to drive in Trot Nixon.
Manager Grady Little had moved Hillebrand into the second spot in the order for the second time this season.
''That was a quite a sight,'' Little said of Hillenbrand's one-armed wallop. ''Everything he's doing right now is turning out to be gold.''
Damon went 2 for 5 and scored twice. Nomar Garciaparra knocked in two runs and just missed a homer when his shot off Justin Miller in the seventh caromed off the top of the left-field wall for a double. And Sanchez keyed two rallies with singles and scored twice as he improved his average to .324.
Then there was Castillo, who had gone winless in his previous two starts despite yielding only three runs and four hits over 12 innings. He buffaloed the Toronto lineup by deftly mixing his fastball, cutter, and changeup.
Only one Blue Jay advanced past first base against Castillo; Vernon Wells homered leading off the third.
''He's the kind of pitcher the opposition can hardly wait to face, but when the game's over, they're beating their heads against the wall wondering how they went 0 for 4,'' Little said.
With Pedro Martinez struggling to regain his form and two other starters - John Burkett and Dustin Hermanson - sidelined, Castillo has joined Derek Lowe, Darren Oliver, and Tim Wakefield in providing the Sox with one quality start after another.
''I think they've learned from the past,'' catcher Jason Varitek said. ''We're not going to be a successful team if just Pedro pitches well and just Pedro wins. He needs a supporting cast.''
Oliver takes the stage tonight.