Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:22 pm
Kory Casto Gets First Major League Hit in Debut
Kory Casto, a former standout at North Marion, didn't wait long to get his shot with the Washington Nationals.After center fielder Nook Logan was injured in the team's season-opener Monday, Casto was recalled from Triple-A Columbus.
"I was pretty ecstatic hearing that one of my goals in life is going to be accomplished today," said Casto, the Nationals' minor league player of the year in 2005 and 2006.
Washington began game two of the season Tuesday with Casto -- playing above Double-A for the first time -- starting in left field and batting second. He went 1 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout in the team's 9-3 loss to Florida.
He flied out to right in his first at-bat, then singled to center in the fourth inning. Casto walked in the sixth, struck out in the seventh and grounded out to second to end the game.
"People always say injuries are devastating," general manager Jim Bowden said. "Well, they are. But they also create opportunity for somebody."
Casto is the first player from the Salem area to play in the majors since Greg Brock of Stayton in 1991.
Logan strained his left foot while making a catch in the team's opener Monday and is expected to miss two weeks.
Casto, who played his college ball at the University of Portland, was the last position player cut at the end of spring training and drove to Columbus, Ohio, last weekend.
He got a phone call from Bowden on Tuesday morning telling him to pack his things and fly back to Washington, D.C., on a private jet.
"I asked him how it was to miss us for one day, and I said, 'You know what? You're probably lucky you weren't here for that one day,' " Bowden said.
Source: Salem, Oregon's Statesman Journal
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The reason why this is so big for me is because I played against this guy in high school. I pitched against him in 5 different games I think. He was 2 for 18 against me and I struck him out 6 times. I think it's pretty cool that he's in the majors now especially since I dominated him so well