Painful way to reach first base

Ever hear of a batter getting credited with a four-hitter? Cubs and Cardinals pitchers plunked Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison with pitches in four consecutive plate appearances recently, making him the first player since 1974 to suffer that. So when’s his first Icy Hot commercial?

Hacking Hunter

Hunter Pence ’s game-ending plate appearance had several Giants players and coaches chuckling in the dugout as he repeatedly fouled off pitches that were well outside the strike zone. After falling behind 1-2, Pence fouled off four pitches and worked the count full. “Some of those pitches were so high and he was making contact with them,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “He had that thou-shalt-not-walk motto in that AB because he was hacking.” Pence hit a winning sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 10th, and the Giants rallied to beat the Dodgers 4-3 Wednesday night.

History maker gone

RHP Dovydos Neverauskas was optioned to Indianapolis by the Pirates. In a loss Monday night, he became the first Lithuania-born player to pitch in a major league game.

Louisville chugger

New on the Braves’ ballpark menu this season: a beer aged in wood from Mizuno Maple Elite baseball bats. So, make it one beer, please — and hold the pine tar.

Sports quiz

Major League Baseball just announced its first official hot dog, and it is: a) Nathan’s b) Oscar Mayer c) Manny Ramirez

Batting cleanup

Honest Company is rolling out a new line of “Born A Fan” diapers featuring MLB team logos. In other words, more than the bases will be full this season.

Headlines

■ Sign spotted among the onlookers at this year’s Boston Marathon: “If Ortiz can steal 17 bases, you can finish this marathon!”

■ Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va., after a glitch in Amazon’s Alexa listed Mets third baseman David Wright as 234 years old: “Apparently it mixed up his biographical information with Jamie Moyer.”

Hey, blather, blather

Heard the reports that MLB umpires will soon be miked up to explain replay decisions? Just woke up in a cold sweat: Dreamt the Yankees were playing the Red Sox, and Ed Hochuli was the crew chief.

Park that Suzuki

For some odd reason, the Marlins kept Japanese icon Ichiro Suzuki on the bench recently during the Mariners’ Salute to Japanese Baseball Night in Seattle. Then again, maybe they’re saving him for Singles Night.

High fly

Pirates star Sterling Marte has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing drug. Club officials figured something was amiss when he popped up to short — and the ball came down two days later.