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BALTIMORE -- Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch has already described Yulieski Gurriel as an international star. Now, the 32-year-old Cuban is getting a chance to make his mark in the majors.Gurriel singled in his first big league at-bat Sunday after being called up from Triple-A Fresno earlier in the day.I wasnt sure I was going to get my first hit that fast, Gurriel said. I will take care of (the ball) and put it away and put in a place that is very special.Gurriel was the designated hitter against Baltimore, and he came to the plate in the second inning after waiting a bit -- the start of the game at Camden Yards was delayed more than four hours because of rain.Gurriel finished 1 for 2 with a walk and a groundout. He left the game in the eighth with right hamstring tightness and is day to day.This is the one test in his whole life he has never answered, Hinch said. Hes played at every level in the world and been on the center stage and one of the best international players for a long time. This will be different for him, hell feel like a rookie again.Gurriel, who signed a $47.5 million, five-year deal with the Astros on July 16, is primarily a third baseman. This weekend, the AL wild-card contenders sent third baseman Luis Valbuena back to Houston to re-evaluate his injured right hamstring, and he could be out for the season.But Gurriel can play other positions and could possibly get some time in left field, Hinch said. Gurriel said he is open to helping the club any way he can.Im not going to be nervous. Excited is probably a better word, Gurriel said through a translator. This has been a dream of mine for years. For a Cuban player to make it is a big deal, so Im excited.Gurriel batted .250 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 15 games (56 at-bats) with four Astros minor league affiliates. That was enough for Houston to give him an opportunity at the major league level, especially with Valbuena ailing.He got up to 50 at-bats with us in the minor leagues, Hinch said. Thats a normal spring training for him. Weve bounced him around the country. But from a baseball standpoint, hes ready and hes ready for this challenge. To add him to this group is exciting for us, certainly fun for us, our guys will be excited about it. His baseball readiness, hes in shape and ready to go.Gurriel said the biggest adjustment might be dealing with all of the excessive travel of a major leaguer. That was never an issue in his native Cuba. He got his first taste of that grind flying from California to Maryland to meet his new teammates.Those trips are always a little tiring, Gurriel said. Obviously, in Cuba I didnt travel as much as they do here. But Im ready to play and help my team today.To make room on the roster, infielder Tyler White was optioned to Triple-A after Saturdays game. 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With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. ST. LOUIS -- Stephen Piscotty savored the moment of his second career grand slam. Then he got some chow.The St. Louis Cardinals budding star remembered an empty stomach caused by all that time at the ballpark after a rain-soaked, twice-delayed 9-8 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that completed a three-game sweep on Sunday. He hadnt eaten since breakfast and the game lasted just over six hours counting stoppages.I hadnt eaten before the homer, so maybe theres something to staying hungry, Piscotty joked.Brandon Moss had a go-ahead double in a two-run fifth, and rookie Aledmys Diaz hit his 11th homer. The Cardinals lead the season series 7-2.But it was a long slog to get there.I think guys feel like they played two, manager Mike Matheny said. Coming out with a win, it doesnt matter.Besides falling short, the Brewers had no complaints.They did the best they could to make the field playable, manager Craig Counsell said. There was nothing you could really do. Just miserable weather.The start was delayed by rain 1 hour, 20 minutes, there was a 14-minute stoppage in the middle of the sixth and a third delay of 55 minutes in the top of the Brewers two-run seventh. Perhaps a few thousand of a crowd of 41,148 stuck it out for a game that officially lasted 3:48.Pitchers on both sides had trouble gripping the ball.It seemed like it was always coming down hard when our guys were trying to make pitches, Matheny said. It ended up really saturating the field. I mean right there at the end you still saw puddles all over the place, but the guys stayed the course.Piscotty is 5 for 9 with 13 RBI with the bases loaded this season, including his first career slam on May 27 at Washington, and for his career hes 8 for 15 with 18 RBI. He connected on a full count against Blaine Boyer with two outs in the sixth for an 8-2 lead, and got the full effect.Around first base you really hear the crowd start to roar and thhe fireworks go off, Piscotty said.dddddddddddd Its a fun trip around the bases.Michael Wacha (5-7) allowed two runs and nine hits and escaped his fifth and final inning when Aaron Hill grounded into a double play on a 3-1 count with the bases loaded. Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run double in a four-run ninth and the go-ahead run was at first when Seung Hwan Oh struck out pinch-hitter Martin Maldonado for his second save.Chase Anderson (4-9) has lost three straight starts, allowing 15 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings and was pulled after his fifth walk, with one out in the fifth. Jacob Barnes gave up Moss RBI double for the lead and Jhonny Peraltas sacrifice fly.He was not his normal self, Counsell said of Anderson.Ramon Flores two-run double put the Brewers ahead in the fourth and Ryan Braun had four singles. Milwaukee is 13-26 on the road with one series win and four splits in 13 attempts, and finished the first half 35-46.BREWERS MOVEAfter the game the Brewers optioned OF Keon Broxton to Triple-A Colorado Springs and purchased the contract of IF Will Middlebrooks from Colorado Springs. LHP Chris Capuano was transferred to the 60-day disabled list from the 15-day DL.SURPRISE STICKAnderson, who entered a career .077 hitter, singled in the second.ROSENTHALS WOESTrevor Rosenthal, who lost his closer job about a week ago, faced four hitters in the seventh, retired none of them and was charged with two runs.UP NEXTCardinals: Carlos Martinez (7-5) is to start against Pittsburgh. He is 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA in his last six starts, allowing no runs in three of them. He is 3-4 with a 4.02 ERA against the Pirates.Brewers: Milwaukee is 9-2 in starts by Junior Guerra (5-1) entering an 11:05 a.m. game at Washington. The right-hander will be facing the Nationals for the first time. ' ' '