Less than a week after being recalled to the major leagues by the Tampa Bay Rays, Curt Casali hit his first MLB home run Wednesday night in Washington, DC.
The solo blast—hit off Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann—came in Casali’s fifth plate appearance of the season, clearing the left-centerfield fence with room to spare to give Tampa a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning. Casali, who had singled in his first at bat in the third inning, also drew a walk in the seventh and added a single in the ninth for a perfect three-for-three night as the Rays won 5-0.
The Casali brothers—Curt and Andrew—were at the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day in 2014. Credit: Terry Dinan
The New Canaan native, who began the 2015 season at Triple-A Durham, was called up to the parent club after hitting .205 with four home runs and 13 runs batted in with the Bulls. With starting catcher Rene Rivera (.165 AVG, 3 HR, 15 RBI entering Wednesday’s game) struggling at the plate, the Rays designated backup Bobby Wilson for assignment, clearing the way for Casali.
Last season, the 2007 NCHS grad singled in his first-ever MLB plate appearance. Casali went on to hit .167 with three RBI and 10 runs scored in 2014 and earned high praise from the Rays’ pitching staff for his defensive skills behind the plate.