The St. Louis Cardinals set a new MLB record during Friday’s 7-4 win over the Atlanta Braves, becoming the first team ever to hit three pinch-hit home runs in a single game, per MLB Stat of the Day on Twitter.
St. Louis actually got off to a poor start in the contest, with starting pitcher Jaime Garcia allowing four runs—including three with two outs—in the bottom of the third inning thanks to five singles and an intentional walk.
The Cardinals did bounce back to score three runs in the top of the fourth, but the game was stuck at 4-3 until the top of the seventh, when outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker came in to pinch hit for Garcia and responded with a game-tying solo home run.
A 28-year-old rookie, Hazelbaker now has two home runs and three hits through the first six at-bats of his career.
The Braves then sent out left-handed pitcher Eric O’Flaherty to start the eighth inning, which led the Cardinals to remove first baseman Matt Adams in favor of shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who responded with a go-ahead, pinch-hit home run.
Not yet done, the Cardinals got some insurance with one out in the top of the ninth when second baseman Greg Garcia provided the record-setting third pinch-hit homer, doing so as a replacement for relief pitcher Kevin Siegrist.
Two batters later, starting right fielder Stephen Piscotty extended the lead to 7-4 with the Cardinals’ fourth solo homer of the game.
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