ROOKIE catcher Adrian Del Castillo, a Miami native playing his first pro game in his hometown, slugged a grand slam and drove in six runs, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-6 win over the host Marlins on Monday night (Tuesday in Manila).
Del Castillo went 2-for-4 with a walk and his first career stolen base. He also threw a runner out attempting to steal second.
Brandon Pfaadt (8-6) earned the win despite allowing nine hits, two walks and four runs in 5 1/3 innings. The Diamondbacks have won five straight games in which Pfaadt has pitched.
Nick Fortes had a solo home run and a sacrifice fly as Miami lost for the fourth time in five games.
In other games, it was the Mets 4, Orioles 3; Rangers 4, Pirates 3; Reds 6, Blue Jays 3; Astros 5, Red Sox 4; and Royals 5, Angels 3.
Mets 4, Orioles 3
Francisco Alvarez hit a walk-off homer – the first of his career – in the ninth inning for host New York, which took the opener of a three-game series against Baltimore.
Edwin Diaz (4-1) logged a perfect ninth inning for the Mets, who won for the fourth time in 10 games to move within 1 1/2 games of the idle Atlanta Braves in the race for the final National League wild-card spot.
Ramon Urias and Ryan Mountcastle had two hits apiece while combining to score all three runs for the Orioles, who fell a half-game behind the idle New York Yankees in the race for first place in the American League East and the top overall seed in the AL.
Rangers 4, Pirates 3
Corey Seager slammed two home runs to account for all of Texas’ offense as the Rangers earned a win against Pittsburgh in the opener of a three-game series at Arlington, Texas.
Marcus Semien had two hits and scored a run for the Rangers, who have won two in a row for the first time since a five-game winning streak from July 21-25. Jose Urena (4-8) pitched four innings of shutout relief for the win.
Jared Triolo hit a three-run homer as the Pirates fell for the 12th time in 14 games. Pittsburgh starter Luis L. Ortiz (5-4) gave up four runs and five hits in six innings.
