Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Jose Castillo hits a three-run home run against the Brewers in the third inning last night at PNC Park. Click photo for larger image. Today Matchup: Brewers (Capuano 5-3) vs. Pirates (Snell 4-3), 7:05 p.m. Where: PNC Park TV/radio: FSN Pittsburgh/KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network. Related articles Pirates Notebook: PNC suddenly a launching pad Pirates Q&A with Dejan Kovacevic Smizik: Older veterans should not play at expense of younger Pirates Game Statistics Provided by Forecaster Pirates vs. Brewers box score Game play-by-play

Upon arrival to the ballpark just about every afternoon, Jose Castillo heads to the indoor cage and is fed endless outside pitches by hitting coach Jeff Manto. He is ordered to stay back, extend the arms and use his natural power to drive it straight or the opposite way.

He also is told -- time and again, in English and Spanish -- that pulling the ball brings bad habits, and he seems to have accepted it.

Embraced it, even.

Just this once, though, Castillo could not resist abandoning the approach. And the result would be a second home run, as well as a majestic exclamation point on the Pirates' 12-1 pummeling of the Milwaukee Brewers last night at PNC Park.

As Castillo would put it later, grinning through his chew, "I cheated a little bit there."

He had gone deep off Milwaukee left-hander Jorge de la Rosa in the second inning. He followed the book on that one, staying back on a 94-mph fastball and crushing it into the bullpen beyond center field to put the Pirates ahead, 1-0.

Next inning, Sean Casey's RBI double and Freddy Sanchez's RBI single made the score 3-0 with two men still on base for Castillo.

He drew a 2-1 count, then saw a changeup running across the plate and under his hands.

This one was a no-no, but the instruction went out the window, and the ball went a mile.

Castillo recoiled his arms, reached down and rocketed his seventh home run of the season into the third level of the left-field rotunda, a shot measured at 441 feet that is believed to be one of the farthest hit in that direction in stadium history.

"That felt good," Castillo said.

He nearly had a third home run in the seventh, reverting right back to form in sending a ball off the wall in center for a run-scoring double.

And, in the next inning, he lashed an RBI single to left for his fourth hit, his sixth RBI and a standing ovation from the crowd of 14,300 as he stood on first base.

The output was no fluke. Castillo has homered in four consecutive games -- just after Jason Bay's six-game streak ended -- and has raised his average from .218 on May 7 to .303 this morning by batting .419 in that span.

Manager Jim Tracy praised Castillo for his effort before games during that stretch, saying, "His preparation to play has improved greatly."

Tracy declined to expound on that, but Castillo allowed to spending more time -- and being more focused -- in his sessions with Manto.

"We've done a lot together, and I know it's good," Castillo said. "I know I cheated on the second home run, but I went right back to what we're working on after that."

Tracy pointed to pitch selection as Castillo's top priority.

"When he makes people throw the ball over the plate, works his way into hitter's counts, that's what he can do," Tracy said.

Asked if he had any concern about the one Castillo pulled, Tracy shrugged.

"As long as he stays with the pitch where it's thrown to, he's fine."

Castillo's power might surprise some who look at the back of his card and see eight home runs as a rookie, 11 last season. But not those within the team, who long have marveled at his batting-practice prowess.

"It's no secret to anyone here," right fielder Craig Wilson said. "I just think he's going up there and waiting for better pitches to hit. When he gets it, he lays into it."

Castillo hardly is the only one swinging well for the Pirates. They have outscored the Brewers, 26-3, and totaled 35 hits in taking the first two of this four-game series, including 17 hits last night. Over the past six games, they have 57 runs.

Of particular note, Sanchez matched a career high with four hits and boosted his average to .342, vaulting him to second in the National League batting race behind the Florida Marlins' Miguel Cabrera at .346. And Jack Wilson went 3 for 5 with a double and scored twice.

All of which overshadowed a fine start by Victor Santos, who won for the second time in four days after pitching the 18th inning of the marathon Saturday. He allowed one run on three hits over six innings.

"A very solid job," Tracy said. "It was a great game to win, but it also was great to see the manner in which we played. We had great pitching, made all the plays and took great at-bats."

That all-around aspect had been sorely lacking until recently.

"I think it's coming together," reliever Roberto Hernandez said. "You look at Bay's streak, the way Castillo's swinging ... this is not an easy lineup if you makes mistakes. And, from that, our pitching and defense are doing the job. I'll tell you what: It's been fun coming to the ballpark on this homestand."

The Pirates are 4-1 so far, with five to go.