Castellanos sits amid struggles

Castellanos' two-run single 0:52 6/9/14: Nick Castellanos grounds a two-run single through the left side to stretch the Tigers' lead before being thrown out at second "Day on [for Andrew] Romine," the Tigers manager replied. "He needs to play once in a while."

Still, Ausmus didn't hide the struggles and that Castellanos' bat has been off for a while. Detroit's sophomore third baseman entered Sunday in an 0-for-9 slump as part of a 3-for-15, six-strikeout homestand. He's 7-for-36 with no extra-base hits and 10 strikeouts in June, and he's 17-for-86 (.198) with 21 strikeouts over the past four weeks.

Castellanos has had well-struck drives travel for outs, such as his ball to center field…