There are certain events that change the course of history. After those events, history is defined by what happened before and after those events. Albert Pujols’ devastating sixth inning blast very well may have been one of those events. Pujols then added two more just to show he meant it.
The first home run was a literal game changer. To that point it was almost as though the Cards and Rangers were playing a game of “Anything You Can Do I Can do Better.” The Cardinals scored four in the top of the fourth, the Rangers answered with three. The Cards scored three in the top of the fifth, the Rangers answered with three.�
Then came the Pujols bomb. It was a home run so monstrous, so huge, so devastating that it was as though the Rangers collectively said, “OK, you win. We can’t’ do that.” With one swing of the bat Pujols out-slugged the highest scoring team in baseball.
The Rangers did not score anything in the bottom of the sixth. In fact, they only scored one more run through the rest of the game. It was as though all of the Rangers’ confidence was attached to the ball that Pujols had destroyed with his bat.�
Ex-Ranger Brandon McCarthy tweeted about that home run,�”My heavens — I’ve tested the limits of that ballpark but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one like that.”�
It was enough of a blast that it might have changed the complexion of the World Series all on its own. If the Cardinals do go on to win, that moment might have been the moment that tipped the first domino. That might have been the deciding moment.�
That he added two more after that was just gravy. When all was settled and the smoke had cleared, Pujols had hit three home runs�just the third player in World Series history to do that in one game. He had hit for 14 total bases, the most in World Series history. He had six RBI, again, tying the World Series record. Finally, his five hits tied yet another World Series record.�
Pujols now shares or outright owns the single-game record in World Series history for home runs, RBI, runs, hits and total bases. While all but the total base records are a short list of two or three names, only Pujols is on more than one of those lists. The game wasn’t arguably the greatest single-game offensive performance in history, it was so decisively so that there’s no argument to be had for any other game.
In fact, Pujols’ game wasn’t just the greatest in World Series history, it is very much in the conversation for greatest game in all of postseason history. The three home runs are tied for the most. Only seven players have hit that many, and none have hit more.�
Only one player, Bob Robertson, in the 1971 NLCS, has matched Pujols’ 14 total bases. Robertson had three home runs, four hits, four runs, five RBI and a double. It was, until yesterday, the most productive game in postseason history.�
If your preference is the Sabermetric route, then Pujols’ 5.808 Base-Out Runs Added is the most in postseason history, surpassing the previous record held by the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Ryan Howard with 5.662. Howard was three of four with two dingers and five RBI.�
The third best? Albert Pujols Game 2 in the NLCS this year with 5.532. Pujols was four of five with a home run, three doubles and five RBI in that game.�
Pujols didn’t just have the greatest World Series game in history. He’s well on his way to having the greatest postseason in history. There are several single-season postseason records well within Pujols reach. He is two bases shy of the total base record, two hits shy of that record and three RBI shy of that record. Additionally he has already tied the record for doubles in a single postseason.�
Pujols has also been writing his name all over the career record books in the postseason this year. He has moved into the top 10 of virtually everything in career history, and with last night’s performance, became the National League all-time leader in total bases.�
How’s that for your press conference?
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