5/7 Castro's ready

Starlin Castro didn’t waste any time. In his first big league at-bat in the second inning, he hit his first home run, launching a 2-2 pitch from Homer Bailey into the right field seats. The Cubs wanted some help offensively and he did just that — there were two on board at the time.

He’s the sixth Cubs player to homer in his first at-bat, and first since Jim Bullinger did so June 8, 1992, at St. Louis.

Castro is the third Major Leaguer to do so this year, joining Atlanta’s Jason Heyward who did so against the Cubs on April 5, and Minnesota’s Luke Hughes, who connected in his first at-bat April 28 at Detroit.

* He’s not the youngest Cubs ever to hit one out of the park. Danny Murphy was 18 years 21 days old on Sept. 13, 1960, when he connected off Bob Purkey at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field. Castro is 20 years 44 days old.

– Carrie Muskat