Adrian Del Castillo provided the early spark the Arizona Diamondbacks needed on Independence Day, launching a three‑run homer in the opening inning that ultimately decided a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field. The blast came immediately and decisively, helping Arizona build a cushion it would cling to despite being out‑hit by Milwaukee, 12-4, over the course of the game.
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Arizona Diamondbacks players celebrate in the dugout after a first‑inning three‑run home run that helped lift Arizona to a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field.
Arizona’s win evened the club’s record at 45-45. Merrill Kelly, who had been searching for his first victory in seven starts, delivered five innings of work to earn the decision. Kelly gave up eight hits and two runs over those five innings while striking out six batters, doing enough to preserve the slim margin forged by Del Castillo’s opening salvo.
The Brewers’ starting pitcher, Brandon Woodruff, did not finish the fourth inning. Woodruff, making only his third start since recovering from right shoulder inflammation, was forced from the game because of a recurring shoulder problem after striking out Del Castillo on a full count 3-2 pitch. Milwaukee’s manager, Pat Murphy, indicated that Woodruff will likely be placed back on the injured list following the outing.
Woodruff described the progression of the issue after the game, saying, "First inning was fine, then it was kind of a slow progression of discomfort." The right‑hander acknowledged the familiar nature of the pain, calling it "kind of the life of my shoulder," and said that continuing to pitch was not a viable option when the discomfort increased. His velocity had dipped to 87 mph during the fourth inning before he was removed from the mound.
The Brewers chipped away at Arizona’s lead. Christian Yelich delivered a two‑run homer in the fifth inning that cut into the margin, and Jackson Chourio added a solo shot in the ninth off Paul Sewald to make the game tense down the stretch. Sewald, however, closed the door for the Diamondbacks, securing his 20th save in 21 opportunities by inducing a groundout from William Contreras for the final out.
"You hope that it will hold on until the end of the year and then you reassess and make some adjustments," Woodruff said, reflecting on the longer view of his shoulder situation. He admitted that the issue had resurfaced suddenly, adding, "But it’s kind of popped up on me here." On the emotional toll of recurring physical setbacks, he added, "It gets a little frustrating dealing with this," and, summing up the intermittency of the problem, said, "It kind of comes in waves."
Arizona and Milwaukee were scheduled to finish the series on Sunday. The Brewers planned to send Brandon Sproat to the mound opposite Arizona left‑hander Eduardo Rodríguez for the series finale. For the Diamondbacks, the victory offered a modest boost as they returned to .500 late in the first half of the season; for Milwaukee, the game provided cause for concern about Woodruff’s shoulder health and its impact on a rotation already affected by missed time.
A Diamondbacks pitcher releases a pitch during the July 4 game at Chase Field; Arizona's Merrill Kelly earned the win in the 4-3 victory over Milwaukee.
In the box score details that defined the contest, Arizona managed to protect a narrow lead despite Milwaukee racking up three times as many hits. Kelly’s five innings were the backbone of the outing for the home side, and the bullpen — highlighted by Sewald’s 20th save — shut down the Brewers in critical moments late. Milwaukee’s offense showed life in the middle and late innings but could not erase the early deficit created by Del Castillo’s homer.
The postgame focus for Milwaukee was largely medical. Woodruff has been limited by shoulder trouble for several seasons and has made only 32 starts since 2023, missing the entire 2024 season. His latest setback came after he had returned from right shoulder inflammation earlier in the year, and the team must now weigh the next steps for the veteran right‑hander as they head into Sunday’s finale and the remainder of the season.
Arizona left Chase Field with the win and a split of the opening games of the series, while the Brewers left with lingering questions about the availability of one of their rotation pieces. For Del Castillo and Kelly, the night marked significant individual contributions: Del Castillo with a game‑opening three‑run homer and Kelly snapping his personal winless stretch in starts. Sewald’s late‑game work preserved the margin and gave Arizona its 45th victory of the season.
The Brewers placed Brandon Woodruff on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation, specifically an inflamed labrum, and recalled Drew Rom from Triple-A. He will seek a second opinion from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in the coming days to determine next steps. Manager Pat Murphy confirmed it's the same area as before, reports Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale).
Brandon Woodruff threw 61 pitches and exited after 3 2/3 innings; Statcast data showed his fastball velocity fell from about 92.5 mph early in the game to roughly 86.6 mph by the fourth inning, and his changeup slipped from about 82.9 mph to 76.6 mph as the outing progressed.
Adrian Del Castillo’s first‑inning three‑run shot was the fifth home run of his season.
The Brewers officially recalled left‑hander Drew Rom from Triple‑A Nashville on July 5; Rom had a 3.04 ERA in the first half with Nashville across 22 appearances and has been used as a swingman/spot‑starter option.
With the victory, Merrill Kelly’s record improved to 6‑8 for the season.