Inside Pitch
Albert Pujols' eighth-inning grand
slam Friday night broke two of Stan Musial's club records for most slams in a
season (four) and for a career (10). It was Pujols' sixth hit in seven at-bats
with the bases loaded this season, and he's driven in 20 runs in bases-filled
spots this year.
But in the ninth inning, before
doubling home another run, giving him 82 RBIs for the season, Pujols turned
instructor.
With rookie second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir, who had walked on four pitches in his major league debut ahead of
Pujols' slam, at bat himself with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth,
Pujols, in the on-deck circle, summoned Hoffpauir before the latter faced lefty
Daniel Ray Herrera.
"He told me to relax, get a pitch
to hit and punch it the other way," said the 26-year-old Hoffpauir. "Albert said
(Herrera's) changeup was his best pitch."
Hoffpauir then singled home two
runs and the Cardinals were on their way to a victory that gave them the lead in
the National League Central Division.
The pitch to Hoffpauir was a
changeup, just as Pujols had said. "That's why he's so good. That's why he's
Albert," said Hoffpauir.
The rookie said he was so nervous
on his walk "my knees were touching each other, I was shaking so
hard."
CARDINALS 7, REDS 4: To say that
1B Albert Pujols owns Cincinnati RHP David Weathers would be something of an
understatement. Pujols was nine for 18 with two home runs against Weathers
before the veteran was summoned to face Pujols with the bases loaded and one out
in the eighth inning. Pujols cracked the 350th home run of his career, a grand
slam, erasing a 3-0 Cincinnati lead.