Cardinals Set Record for Pinch-Hit Homers in a Game

The St. Louis Cardinals became the first team in major league history to record three pinch-hit home runs in a game in their 7-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday at Turner Field.

Jeremy Hazelbaker and Aledmys Diaz and utility man Greg Garcia all hit pinch-hit solo home runs in the final three innings against Atlanta. The last team to hit two pinch-hit home runs in a game was the 2011 Detroit Tigers.

The Cardinals had four pinch-hit home runs all of the previous season.

Asked how hard it is to hit a pinch-hit home run, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, who never hit one in his 13-year major league career, said, "I personally wouldn't know how hard, but they sure made it look easy today."

Hazelbaker, who made his first Opening Day roster Sunday after seven seasons in the minors, tied the score in the seventh inning with a shot to right-center off Matt Wisler. Diaz, playing his second major league game, homered to left against lefty Eric O'Flaherty in the eighth, and Garcia went deep to right off John Gant in the ninth.

All three of the players likely would have begun the season in the minor leagues, if not for injuries.