THE APEX TIMES
Adrian Del Castillo’s 3-run homer sparks Diamondbacks past Brewers, 4-3
Merrill Kelly found a more aggressive rhythm and Arizona’s offense struck early, with Del Castillo delivering a decisive three-run blast as the Diamondbacks evened their weekend series against Milwaukee.
PHOENIX, July 4, 2026 (Apex Times) - Adrian Del Castillo’s three-run home run in the first inning and a steady start from Merrill Kelly helped the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Saturday night, allowing the teams to split the weekend series one game apiece.
Kelly’s outing stood out as a reset after a rough stretch. In the aftermath of his previous start, Kelly described himself as running out of ways to explain how badly he had pitched that season. Before the first pitch against Milwaukee, he told reporters he wanted to stop overthinking and return to competing, aiming to be aggressive and “let it fly” rather than trying to be too precise with every pitch.
That approach showed early. After Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff retired the first two hitters of the first inning, the Brewers allowed a walk to Corbin Carroll and then a single to Gabriel Moreno, putting runners on base with momentum leaning Arizona’s way. Del Castillo followed and launched a Woodruff offering deep into the right-field bleachers for a 3-0 lead, a margin the Diamondbacks never fully surrendered.
Kelly’s form was not flawless, but it was effective. MLB reported he limited Milwaukee to a pair of runs over five innings despite giving up eight hits and two walks. The Brewers were able to keep rallying and making contact, yet Arizona’s lead and bullpen plan helped them avoid a second-inning-like deficit from turning into a turnaround.
The game narrowed late, making the back end tense for Arizona. Still, Milwaukee came up short, and the Diamondbacks held on for the one-run win. The result mattered beyond the final margin because it evened the weekend set and kept Arizona positioned to build on momentum rather than carry a series loss into the next stretch.
For Del Castillo, the impact was immediate and tangible. His three-run blast in the opening frame did more than add to the scoreboard, it shaped the entire night by giving Arizona a lead to manage while Kelly worked through traffic on the bases.
What to watch next is whether Kelly can treat this start as a lasting stylistic adjustment rather than a one-night correction. If his aggressiveness holds, it gives Arizona a clearer path to consistent run prevention, especially in games where their own scoring depends on capitalizing on early base runners like the first-inning sequence that preceded Del Castillo’s homer.
Why It Matters
- A one-run win in a rivalry-style matchup keeps momentum moving forward and prevents a series from slipping away.
- Kelly’s stated intent to compete aggressively points to a potential performance shift that could affect Arizona’s rotation stability.
- Early run production from Del Castillo created a game script where Arizona could absorb pressure late and still finish strong.
- Splitting the weekend set sets up a more important feel for the next interleague stretch, where consistency often determines who separates.
Key Facts
- Merrill Kelly’s bounceback start helped the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3.
- Adrian Del Castillo hit a three-run home run in the first inning that provided Arizona’s early cushion.
- Arizona’s lead was built after the Brewers allowed a walk to Corbin Carroll and a single to Gabriel Moreno before Del Castillo’s homer.
- MLB reported Kelly held Milwaukee to two runs over five innings while allowing eight hits and two walks.
- The win evened the Diamondbacks-Brewers weekend series at one game apiece.