Friday 29th March 2024

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Albert Pujols had an absolute blast. And not at the plate this time, either.

The longtime slugger made his first career pitching appearance Sunday night, closing out a 15-6 blowout for the St. Louis Cardinals over the San Francisco Giants that gave Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina the major league record for wins by a starting battery.

Molina homered and drove in four runs, Wainwright tossed six effective innings and St. Louis roughed up Carlos Rodón early. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each added a two-run homer for the Cardinals, who took two of three in the series after losing two of three to Baltimore. Goldschmidt had three RBIs.

Pujols, the Cardinals’ designated hitter, entered to pitch in the ninth inning for the first time in his 22-year career. He gave up a three-run homer to Luis Gonzalez and a solo shot to Joey Bart but managed to get the final three outs with plenty of margin to spare.

The 42-year-old Pujols became the oldest player to make his pitching debut since Lena Blackburne brought himself in at age 42 in his final game as a player/manager for the 1929 Chicago White Sox.

Wainwright (4-3) gave up two runs and three hits. He struck out five and walked two.

UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (3-1, 1.49 ERA) faces the Mets in the opener of a four-game set Monday night in New York. The Mets have not announced a starter yet. Game time is 6:10.