ATLANTA • One inning after rookie pinch hitter Jeremy Hazelbaker had homered to tie the score for the Cardinals, another rookie pinch hitter, Aledmys Diaz rocketed the first pitch he saw in the eighth inning from Atlanta lefthander Eric O’Flaherty for his first big-league homer, giving the Cardinals a 5-4 lead Friday night in a game they trailed 4-0 in the third inning.
The righthanded-batting Diaz, who had singled in his only start in Pittsburgh, was batting for lefthanded-hitting Matt Adams and sent a liner to left. The infielder was just called to the big leagues on Monday after outfielder Tommy Pham was injured in the season opener.