PHOENIX - Daryle Ward's batting eye was not affected by nearly two months on the disabled list.

The Pittsburgh first baseman tied a career high with six RBI and fell a single short of hitting for the cycle for the second time this season, and Jack Wilson hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to lead the Pirates to an 8-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday night.

In his first game since coming off the disabled list, Ward went 3-for-6 but struck out with the bases loaded in the 10th in a bid to join Babe Herman of the 1931 Brooklyn Dodgers as the only players to hit for the cycle twice in a season.

"I can't believe I had a chance for the cycle, but it'll work out when it's supposed to," Ward said.

Jose Castillo scored the winning run on a headfirst slide with his right arm extended, beating an off-line throw by Arizona center fielder Luis Terrero which drew catcher Koyie Hill up the third-base line.

Wilson hit the fly off Greg Aquino (0-1), who then loaded the bases with two walks before striking out Ward to end the inning.

"It was a lot harder than the last time," said Ward, who had the cycle and six RBI on May 26 at St. Louis. "I just wanted to get a hit to give us a cushion, but then again, it just shows what kind of heart this team has to win on one run."

The Diamondbacks scored four times in the ninth to tie it at 7, but still fell to 1-71 when trailing after eight.

Hill had four RBI for Arizona, which lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

Ward hit a three-run triple off Brandon Webb in the fifth inning and gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead with a solo shot off Elmer Dessens leading off the eighth. He added a two-run double against Shane Nance in the ninth. It was the third time he's had six RBI.

"He's a professional hitter," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "It's nice to have him back in the lineup."

Tike Redman also homered off Dessens in the eighth.

"All it does is show that we can win," Redman said. "With the help of D-Ward and our pitching to close it out for us, and defense-wise, it's an all-around good game."

Hill tied it at 3 with an RBI single off John Grabow in the seventh.

The Pirates took a 7-3 lead into the ninth, but closer Jose Mesa nearly gave the game away in a non-save situation when he allowed a three-run homer to Hill - the rookie's first big league homer and four-RBI game - and three consecutive two-out singles - the last by Danny Bautista.

But Mesa (4-1) got the win despite allowing four runs on five hits and a walk.

Mike Gonzalez got three outs in the 10th for his first save, striking out Hill with Terrero on third after a walk and sacrifice by Scott Hairston.

Hairston hit a solo homer off Pittsburgh starter Sean Burnett, who allowed five hits and two runs in five innings, and Bautista had two RBI singles.

The Pirates went ahead in the fifth after they loaded the bases for Ward on a single by Jason Kendall, a fielder's choice, a walk and Tim Green's fielding error at third.

Ward, who tore a ligament in his right thumb June 25 at Cincinnati and wasn't reinstated until Sunday, then lined a drive off Webb into right field that dropped just under Bautista's glove and rolled to the fence for a 3-2 lead.