TAMPA, Fla. — The career firsts continued coming this week in rapid succession for Cardinals center fielder Nathan Church except for the one that comes complete with a souvenir baseball and calligraphy suitable for a mantel.

What began with his first big-league run Tuesday and continued with his first big-league RBI on Wednesday accelerated Thursday night with his first big-league stolen base and, at a pivotal point in the game, his first big-league defensive assist. Church also scored two runs, including his first on a wild pitch, and sprinkled the box score with contributions even though the hit column remains zero.

“You want to get a hit every time you step up to the plate,” Church said. “The biggest thing is not worrying about anything other than getting a good pitch to hit. Look for

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