Pirates' Derek Holland also was ejected 7 years ago — just not from a baseball game

Derek Holland said the incident in St. Louis that resulted in his early exit from the finale of the Cardinals series was the first time he has been tossed from a baseball game.

It was not a lifetime first, however, for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ oldest starting pitcher.

Seven years ago when he was a member of the Texas Rangers, he was thrown out of a Counting Crows concert when he was accused of illegally shooting video of the show.

“I got in trouble. It wasn’t even me,” he told reporters Monday.

But he eagerly accepted blame Sunday when home plate umpire Jordan Baker thought the protestations over his strike zone originated from the Pirates’ dugout. Actually, it was Holland doing the chirping — his word — while sitting in the empty seats adjacent to the dugout.

“I automatically stood up and yelled real loud, ‘It’s me,’ ” he said. “As soon as he saw that, I got the permission to leave. I just said, ‘OK,’ and I walked out.”

Holland’s hope is his ejection will lead to the same result as the 2013 concert incident.

“I got picked out,” he said, proclaiming his innocence to this day. “I got (mad). I had a few beverages in me, got that liquid courage going.

“I came back the next day and threw a (two-hit) shutout against the Yankees.”

Serendipitously, Holland will be the Pirates’ starting pitcher Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.

He said getting ejected in St. Louis “rallied the troops” toward the Pirates’ 5-1 victory.

“We scored three runs after that. You’re welcome,” he said.

Manager Derek Shelton said he likes the leadership Holland, 33, has shown in the clubhouse.

“The fact he stands up (Sunday) for his teammates is admirable,” Shelton said. “He’s probably still taking credit for sparking what our offense did, which is fine. However it works.”

Holland doesn’t plan to use his flamboyance as personal motivation, however. He manufactures enough of that in another way.

“I’m just looking forward to getting out there and getting my first game,” said Holland, who signed with the Pirates this year for his 12th major league season. “That’s the most important thing. I’ve been working my tail off to have this opportunity.

“Definitely exciting. Going to be a little bit tough to sleep. Feels like my first day of school. I’ve done this before, so I’ll know how to control my emotions so I’m not overthrowing or too juiced up.”

Holland will be the last of the Pirates’ five starting pitchers to climb atop the mound before the rotation recycles with Joe Musgrove working Wednesday against the Brewers.

“My mindset, actually, going into it, was it is either make or break,” Holland said. “We get that rotation (berth), or we’re going straight to the bullpen and we start the next chapter of the career, trying to be a reliever.

“But I think I earned my spot here. Now, I just want to make sure I can continue to keep that. I know there are guys that want my spot as well.”

In the end, Holland made his peace with Baker, who’s only five years older, joking with him in the hallway of Busch Stadium after the game.

“He was a little erratic with the (strike) zone,” Holland said. “Typical yelling out at the umpire. Just one of those things. What I said, I don’t know if I can technically repeat. Let’s just say there was an F-bomb in there.

“I chirp. We all do. If anybody says they didn’t, they’re lying.”

Holland believes he might be the first player ejected from a game before appearing in one for his team.

“I told (Baker), ‘Hey, man, we made history. We’ll be a Jeopardy question here soon.’ ”