Detroit Tigers infielder Willi Castro stepped to the plate Saturday with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, with Leones del Escogido looking to avoid a shutout against Estrellas de Oriente in the Dominican Winter League.
Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols — a 21-year MLB veteran and three-time National League MVP — opened the ninth by drawing a seven-pitch walk. He stood on second base while Castro faced right-handed reliever Diogenes Almengo, a 26-year-old who reached Triple-A Norfolk for the Baltimore Orioles in 2021.
Swinging from the left side of the plate, the switch-hitting Castro smoked a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right-center field for a two-run home run, cutting his team's deficit to 5-2.