ST. LOUIS — Adam Wainwright, two weeks shy of his 41st birthday, stopped the Colorado Rockies on three hits over seven innings Thursday in a 13-0 Cardinals victory. But Wainwright had to defer to his elders.
Albert Pujols, 42 years old, was the story of the day at Busch Stadium, achieving something he never had done in his storied career by pinch-hitting a grand slam in the third inning against former Cardinals left-hander Austin Gomber. Pujols’ homer, the 690th of his career, sixth as a pinch hitter and 16th grand slam overall, was the cherry on top of Thursday’s game.
The Cardinals already led 6-0 when Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol pulled back left-handed-hitting Brendan Donovan, who had had two hits, and sent up Pujols. On the second pitch to him, a 92-mph fastball, Pujols drilled a liner just over the left-field wall for his 11th homer of the season and third in his past three games.
