PITTSBURGH • Jeremy Hazelbaker, stuck in the minor leagues for the last seven years, celebrated his first big-league start Wednesday with his first home run, a deep, sixth-inning drive into the right-center-field seats off Pittsburgh’s Juan Nicasio.
But Hazelbaker, who had had a pinch double for his first major-league hit the night before, could bring the Cardinals only to 4-1 in arrears of the Pirates. The homer was just the second hit of the night against Nicasio, who came to spring training as a reliever with Pittsburgh but won a starting job by throwing 15 straight scoreless innings, striking out 24.