In a Pinch, Cardinals Prove Magic Isn’t Gone

Yes, they were playing the hapless Atlanta Braves. But the St. Louis Cardinals did something last night no team in MLB history had ever done.

With three pinch-hit home runs, the Cardinals notched their first win of the season. More importantly, three unheralded youngsters picked up the slack for the rest of the struggling roster. They may be only 1-3, but last night’s win was, for lack of a better word, very “Cardinal-esque.” A game in which not much else went right still ended up going in St. Louis’ favor.

The Chicago Cubs are the sexy pick to win not only the NL Central, but the World Series. The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached the playoffs three straight years and won 98 games in 2015. But the Cardinals, injuries and all, can never be counted out.

Jeremy Hazelbaker, Aledmys Diaz, and Greg Garcia all went deep off the bench after the Braves were leading 4-3 in the seventh. It was just the second career homer (and second this week) for Hazelbaker, and the first career long ball for Diaz.

St. Louis was swept in a meaningful series for the first time in three years when the Pirates took three games to start the year. But when the Cardinals get healthy, they will be a different team. They still have as deep of a rotation as any in the National League. Last night, they proved they still have the magic.

For St. Louis, it can happen in a pinch.