Castellanos drove in three runs and made a spectacular diving catch in the ninth inning to preserve a Phillies 7-6 victory over the Braves in the opener of their NL Division Series at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Matt Olson hit a three-run homer off Zach Eflin in the final frame to bring the Braves to within a run, but Castellanos recorded the second out of the inning with his sliding catch in right field, just getting his glove under the ball as it neared the ground to his left side.
“Do anything I could to not let it hit the ground,” Castellanos said.
Alec Bohm added a pair of RBIs for the Phils in the winning effort.
The Phillies jumped ahead 2-0 in the first and built up to a 7-1 lead by the fifth.
Atlanta starter Max Fried was lifted in the fourth, surrendering eight hits and six runs.
Ranger Suarez lasted just 3 1/3 innings for the Phils, but darted in and out danger, including two bases loaded situations.
“We had him on the ropes,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “We just couldn’t get a big hit.”
Seranthony Dominguez was solid in relief of Suarez, tossing two scoreless inning while collecting three strikeouts.
"His last outing in St. Louis was huge for him, I think, for his confidence, and these two innings today were magnificent," manager Rob Thomson said. "Him and [Jose] Alvarado did a great job.
"I thought [Andrew] Bellatti did a great job closing out, I think it was the fourth. I thought Brad Hand did a great job closing out the, I don't know what it was, the fifth, I guess. Brad Hand hasn't been in a game in a long time. And that's where that experience comes into play, I think, and he did just a remarkable job."
As for Castellanos, he appreciates the blank slate of the postseason.
"Anytime that I do anything to help the team that wins, to be able to now get to where as a team we want to get to, the postseason, we're in a great spot. It's kind of just a fresh start, a clean slate, so to speak. And obviously these games are really intense. For me, that helps me lock in and kind of slowed things down. It's just a lot of fun. Baseball is really, really fun right now."
The two clubs will be back in action in Game 2 of the NL Divisional Series on Wednesday at Truist Park. Zack Wheeler will be on the mound for the Phillies. The Braves counter with right-hander Kyle Wright.
