RailCats starting pitchers Karl Triana and Richard Castillo couldn’t travel to Canada. The right-handers from Colombia and Venezuela, respectively, were unable to make the team’s trip to Winnipeg because of work visa issues.
Same with right-handed reliever Santiago Rodriguez, who’s from the Dominican Republic.
Moises Melendez, a left-handed reliever from Venezuela who had been expected to be a key part of the bullpen from the beginning of the season, finally arrived this week after extended visa issues. And he couldn’t cross into Canada.
Those pitchers were relegated to working out at the Steel Yard, throwing bullpen sessions and simulated games.
Despite departing Gary with just eight pitchers, juggling their rotation and using a spot starter, the RailCats still took two of three games against the Goldeyes.
“Even after all these years, you never know what’s going to happen when it comes to visas,” said RailCats manager Greg Tagert, who’s in his 21st career season.
The four left-behind pitchers met the team in Sioux City, where the RailCats (23-17) opened a three-games series with a 3-2 win Friday.
With Castillo pitching seven shutout innings and Rodriguez adding a scoreless eighth, the RailCats maintained their hold on first place in the American Association’s Central Division. They led Lincoln by three games and the Explorers by 3.5 going into Triana’s scheduled Saturday night start.
The RailCats won four straight games and eight of nine before losing Wednesday to Winnipeg. But Thursday’s 5-4 victory over the Goldeyes, with the RailCats scoring two runs in the ninth inning after they had been 0-15 when trailing after eight, secured their fifth consecutive series win.
Still, Tagert wasn’t getting overly excited.
“Whether we were in first or last, I’m not looking at the standings in Game 35,” he said. “We were able to put together some wins in games that were a couple of plays away from being losses. Our defense isn’t where we want it to be, but we’re doing enough pitching-wise and offensively.”
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With their pitching ranks fortified upon their return to the United States, the RailCats now aim to bolster their offense. The late June sale of the contract of switch-hitting Jose Sermo to the Boston Red Sox left a void in the middle of their lineup.
The RailCats hope to add a player similar to the experience of veteran Frank Martinez, whom they claimed off waivers from Sioux Falls in mid-June. The 30-year-old switch-hitter, who has been playing third base for the RailCats, reached as high as Class AA in six seasons in the Oakland Athletics organization.
The RailCats also should receive a boost from the upcoming return of Jaime Del Valle. The catcher suffered a broken hamate bone in the season-opening series at St. Paul, undergoing surgery.
After completing a stretch of 15 of 18 games on the road, the RailCats begin a seven-game homestand on Independence Day, playing Winnipeg and Wichita. During the week, they expect to activate Del Valle, a team leader who hasn’t played since the sweep at the hands of the Saints.
“We started off the season behind the eight ball with the four losses in St. Paul and we were constantly playing catchup,” Tagert said. “Then we always seemed to be within a game or two of .500 either way. So it’s been nice to get on this little run. But we know we still have a lot of work to do.”
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff