Albert Pujols Makes Historic Pitching Debut in Cardinals’ Blowout Win

Pujols, who allowed a pair of home runs, became the oldest player to make his major league pitching debut since 1929.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina set a major league record for wins by a starting battery as the St. Louis Cardinals routed the San Francisco Giants 15-6 on Sunday night in a game that ended with veteran slugger Albert Pujols on the mound.

Molina homered and drove in four runs, Wainwright pitched 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 struggling Baltimore. Goldschmidt had three RBIs.

Pujols, the Cardinals' designated hitter, entered to pitch for the first time in his 22-year career in the ninth inning. 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.

Albert Pujols, best two-way star? Good first outing, let’s see how he does next time out pic.twitter.com/PoFYq9PRP7

— Razzball (@Razzball) May 16, 2022

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

Wainwright and Molina broke the major league record with their 203rd victory as a starting battery. They passed Warren Spahn and Del Crandall, who amassed 202 wins for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves from 1949-63.

The St. Louis duo has started 311 games together, third all-time behind Spahn/Crandall (316) and Mickey Lolich/Bill Freehan (324) of the Detroit Tigers from 1963-75.

Joc Pederson had a two-run homer for San Francisco, which lost its second in a row after winning six straight.

Molina capped a four-run outburst in the first inning off Rodón (4-2) with a two-run single. The 39-year-old catcher added a two-run homer off reliever Zack Littell in the fifth to make it 11-0.

Wainwright (4-3) gave up two runs and three hits. He struck out five and walked two. The 40-year-old right-hander retired 14 of the first 15 batters he faced. Gonzalez got the Giants' first hit with a two-out single in the fifth.

Rodón allowed eight runs and 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one. He had given up just seven earned runs over his previous six starts this season.

Every St. Louis starter had a hit by the sixth inning.

St. Louis rookie outfielder Juan Yepez singled in the first inning. He has reached safely in each of his first 11 games, the longest streak by a Cardinals rookie since Luis Alicea reached in 23 successive games to begin his career in 1988.

The Cardinals went 0-4 in Sunday night games last year before winning in their first try this season.

Gonzalez came in from the outfield to pitch in the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs. He gave up a run-scoring single to Dylan Carlson before getting Harrison Bader to fly out.

MOVING UP

San Francisco RHP Yunior Marte was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and gave up two earned runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief. INF Donovan Walton was sent to Sacramento. Walton had one hit in four at-bats with the Giants.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Alex Reyes has been shut down after experiencing more shoulder soreness. Reyes, sidelined all season, felt more discomfort while playing catch. He had an MRI last week and will remain inactive until the results are known. “Unsure if it’s the same area,” manager Oliver Marmol said. "But it is shoulder discomfort.”

UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Alex Wood (3-2, 3.60 ERA) will face Colorado RHP Antonio Senzatela (2-2, 4.88) in the opener of a three-game series in Denver on Monday. Wood did not allow an earned run over 5 1/3 innings in a 9-2 win against Colorado on Tuesday.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (3-1, 1.49) faces the Mets in the opener of a four-game set Monday night in New York — weather permitting. Mikolas has allowed two runs or fewer in all seven starts this season. The Mets had not announced a starter yet.